It’s even funnier because of the trailer park.
It is not really funny at all. This is blatant abuse by a police officer. even in front of the camera he snatches a phone from a guy on the phone with a police dispatcher, hangs it up and throws it. This man should be removed from the force immediately. I say this without knowing the circumstances and I do not need to know the circumstances. He was completely in the wrong way too many times in that short few minutes that we got to see.
If you want to contact the Washington Township POLICE CHIEF, here you go…
Christopher Kaiser
419.726.0478
police@washington-twp com
I bet if the man didn’t “get out of his truck and challenge the officers actions”, this wouldn’t have happened.
While I do not always believe police officers don’t abuse their authority from time to time, I also know they deal with a large number of the public on a daily basis…which by the way is chock full of assholes…so I think we might need to see the whole story before rushing to judgement. I know if I were a cop I’d probably have lead poisoned numerous citizens within a relatively short period of time. I have little patience.
More Details Here: Washington Township officer put on paid leave | The Blade
Seems the man in the truck wasn’t even the one who was pulled over, but rather showed up after, according to the police report.
A Washington Township police officer is on administrative leave after a videotaped traffic stop was posted online and went viral.
Officer Eric Hart is being paid while on leave, Washington Township police Chief Christopher Kaiser said. Officer Hart has worked part-time for the department for about two years.
“He’s not in trouble, but to keep things aboveboard, we put him on administrative leave until an internal investigation is fully complete,” the chief said. “I’m not saying he did anything wrong, but we’re trying to show we’re not trying to sweep this under the rug or cover it up.”
In the four-minute, 50-second video, a woman shouts at Officer Hart that he is harassing people. The woman, who screams and shouts throughout the encounter, also claims Officer Hart smashed her cell phone when she tried to call 911.
In a police report, Officer Hart wrote he was working Sunday afternoon when he stopped a vehicle at 166 Pine Ridge St., in Raintree Village, for having an “altered” license registration sticker.
During the stop, a man, later identified as Aaron Tatkowski, who was in another vehicle, stopped and got out of his truck, and reportedly told Officer Hart, “I’m [expletive] sick of you cops. I’m [expletive] sick of you harassing people for no reason.”
Officer Hart wrote in the report that he ordered Mr. Tatkowski to get back; when he allegedly refused, the officer said he pointed his stun gun at Mr. Tatkowski, who yelled for spectators to videotape the encounter. The passenger from the first vehicle, Cassandra Meyers, got out of the vehicle and approached the officer, who had Mr. Tatkowski handcuffed on the ground.
The officer wrote he had his gun out and pointed through open vehicle doors.
Ms. Meyers was also put on the ground and struggled with the officer until she was handcuffed, the report states.
A witness called 911 to request a Toledo police crew for an “officer in distress.” Toward the end of the video, Officer Hart approaches the man, takes his phone, and tosses it aside, saying Toledo police are on the way.
Officer Hart then told the spectators to leave — in the report, he writes that ordering them to leave is for their safety.
“You don’t need witnesses?” asked one witness.
“It’s on camera, what does it matter?” Officer Hart responds.
Chief Kaiser did not have a timeline for the internal inquiry. He said he saw the video Monday and, “We started looking into it.”
Officer Hart also works for Toledo Public Schools as a school resource officer. On Tuesday, administrators put Officer Hart on paid administrative leave pending Washington’s Township inquiry, said Patty Mazur, district spokesman. She said Officer Hart has worked for TPS about 20 months.
Mr. Tatkowski, 40, was charged with misconduct at an emergency, obstructing official business, and resisting arrest. He was arraigned Monday in Toledo Municipal Court, pleaded not guilty, and was released from the Lucas County jail on his own recognizance.
Ms. Meyers, 21, was arrested and booked into the Lucas County jail Sunday night for obstructing official business, tampering with evidence, fictitious plates, and a tax payment warrant.
She appeared Monday in Toledo Municipal Court, where she pleaded not guilty, and was released because of overcrowding, authorities said.
Stopping people for no reason and harassing her, yet the girl stopped had fake plates, and a tax payment warrant out on her?
Meh, I don’t blame the cop. Seems like these people were just trying to get in the spotlight of another police brutality sham. This guy did what he needed to do for his safety and the others. When you have one guy who’s hostile and then his neighbors start coming out and filming, you don’t know who else is going to try and pull something.
I would put all those people in cuffs as well if I was by myself.
Cops always have to err on the side of caution and assume that everyone in that vehicle has a weapon. If I’m a cop and some trash gets out staying they’re sick of me I’m going to take that as a threat. My guess is the lady pulled over was less than cooperative also. The tossing of the cell phone is a bit dickish but I’m sure your adrenaline is going when you’re pointing a gun at someone. Always convenient that the important parts of these videos are missing.
Another case of “lets show a tiny bit of the entire encounter and stir up some outrage”.
If you like having guns pointed at you just remember to argue with cops.
And get out of your car. They’ll ignore a ton of bullshit as long as you stay in the car.
Protect and serve. A gun and a badge means you are to be held to a higher standard regardless of the situation. stopping a citizen from calling in another officer which is their right is complete bs.
Just poor people making a big scene and trying to get a big settlement from the city.
You can’t request the officer when you call 911, lol. They would have just dispatched the same guy who was already there.
Sounds like the dude was interfering with police business and deserves everything he got.