Police are more equal than regular people.

[tes151]

http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_9770384
I guess us " civilians " aren't as special as the LE elite class. I must be missing something somewhere, because I just don't see where an LEO is no more special than anybody else. Big damn deal, they have a dangerous job. So do I. There should not be one set of laws for doing something to a cop, and another set of laws for doing something to anyone else.

[JohnUSCG]

I understand the 'spirit' of the law. I understand the ideas that brought about tougher punnishment for crimes against LE....but you are absolutely correct. Punnishment fitting the crime doesn't seem to apply any longer.

[ChamberedRound]

http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_9770384
I guess us " civilians " aren't as special as the LE elite class. I must be missing something somewhere, because I just don't see where an LEO is no more special than anybody else. Big damn deal, they have a dangerous job. So do I. There should not be one set of laws for doing something to a cop, and another set of laws for doing something to anyone else.

You're absolutely right. As I've said before, they have a dangerous job, but no one forced that job upon them. They WILLINGLY accepted the job offered to them, were expected to understand the risks associated with the job, and GET PAID for doing the job. That's all they should be entitled to. If they don't like the worries that come with the job, they should do what the rest us have to do in the same situation: find another job. Likewise, they should not be entitled to special hearings, judicial process or favors, etc. as they are civilians just like us. If they want that kind of special treatment, they should join the military.

Spitting on someone, while disgusting and degrading, is not causing them any physical harm. This guy was wrong, but there's no way his actions should have resulted in an aggravated assault charge.

[jahwarrior72]

just a thought, but i think being spit on can be a helluva lot more dangerous than getting hit with a beer can. ever hear of hepatitis, or HIV? if i got hit with a beer can, i'm calling the cops. if i get spit on, the spitter is going down HARD, before a cop can there. so i can kind of understand the how it's a step up from simple assault.

[DaveM55]

You're absolutely right. As I've said before, they have a dangerous job, but no one forced that job upon them. They WILLINGLY accepted the job offered to them, were expected to understand the risks associated with the job, and GET PAID for doing the job. That's all they should be entitled to. If they don't like the worries that come with the job, they should do what the rest us have to do in the same situation: find another job. Likewise, they should not be entitled to special hearings, judicial process or favors, etc. as they are civilians just like us. If they want that kind of special treatment, they should join the military.

Spitting on someone, while disgusting and degrading, is not causing them any physical harm. This guy was wrong, but there's no way his actions should have resulted in an aggravated assault charge.

Think about this scenario.

You're on the street and shoot a stray dog in front of a cop.
You'll proably get a ticket.

Shoot a police dog and you'll probably get shot.

I'm not making any judgement here, just stating some thoughts.

[knighthawk06699]

http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_9770384
I guess us " civilians " aren't as special as the LE elite class. I must be missing something somewhere, because I just don't see where an LEO is no more special than anybody else. Big damn deal, they have a dangerous job. So do I. There should not be one set of laws for doing something to a cop, and another set of laws for doing something to anyone else.

I had a very dangerous job to, it resulted in a devastating back/spinal injury that I have been dealing with for the last year and a half. These people deserve some type of respect. But I will say this they act like there job is the most dangerous on the planet.

There are jobs that are more if not just as dangerous. Some examples are being a deep sea fisher, weather it be crab or halibut. Logging, those guys get killed all the time. The flat out most dangerous job in this country, being in the U.S. Infantry.

The point I am trying to make is this, LEO are human to but I am so sick of their holier than thou attitude. There are some LEO out there that realize they are people just like us and it shows in how they conduct themselves. The problem is the same one that plagues us to this very day. There are some LEO's out there that have the God attitude, and they make all the one who are down to earth look bad.

I am not LEO bashing I am just stating a problem that plagues LEO's and causes some of the animosity toward them. The same problem the plagues us as gun carrying law abiding citizens.

[JP8]

As jahwarrior72 wrote and also according to the cops I've known, spitting at a cop is considered assaulting an officer becuase of HIV and hepatitis. I agree as far as the double standard though. I don't see how murdering a police officer is worse than murdering an average joe. We've all the seen the difference in the way police departments pursue cop killers as opposed to "regular" murder victims. I understand why they do it but I can't agree with it.

IMO, a large amount of officers see themselves as "victims" and martyrs....an "us against them" mindset, hence they expect preferential treatment. Society as a whole caters to this mentality.

[knighthawk06699]

As jahwarrior72 wrote and also according to the cops I've known, spitting at a cop is considered assaulting an officer becuase of HIV and hepatitis.

Got news for you spitting on anyone in this state is considered assault.

[ChamberedRound]

As jahwarrior72 wrote and also according to the cops I've known, spitting at a cop is considered assaulting an officer becuase of HIV and hepatitis. I agree as far as the double standard though. I don't see how murdering a police officer is worse than murdering an average joe. We've all the seen the difference in the way police departments pursue cop killers as opposed to "regular" murder victims. I understand why they do it but I can't agree with it.

IMO, a large amount of officers see themselves as "victims" and martyrs....an "us against them" mindset, hence they expect preferential treatment. Society as a whole caters to this mentality.

Got news for you spitting on anyone in this state is considered assault.

Fair enough, I never said the guy shouldn't be charged. However, I don't understand the disparity between one getting an assault charge and the other getting an aggravated assault charge. If we're going to use possibilities (the cop could have contracted HIV or Hepatitis) as reasoning for increasing the charge, then the same reasoning should been employed for the other individual involved (assault with a fist, can, or anything else could result in head trauma or brain injury).

My concern is that the individual who assaulted the officer seems to have received a harsher charge simply because his assault involved saliva and the bruised ego of said officer.

[WhiteFeather]

CHARGES AND SENTENCES
Spitting on the trooper who was dispatched to investigate the simple assault netted Anthony Bryan Weitherow of Pylesville, Md., 11/2 to three years in state prison. He received a concurrent one to two years for resisting arrest and no further penalty for public drunkenness, harassment and disorderly conduct.

Judge Brillhart also gave Weitherow concurrent sentences of 24 months of supervised probation for the beer can assault, 12 months of probation for flag desecration, 24 months of probation for insult to a U.S. flag and 12 months of probation plus restitution for stealing the flag from a Delta front yard. The probation is to run consecutive to Weitherow's prison sentence.

Concurrent sentencing is when a criminal is convicted of violating several different sections of law and serves the sentence for each conviction at the same time.

What is the point of even doing concurrent sentences?

Judges should ONLY be allowed to do Consecutive Sentences....