Why I Have Dwindling Respect For Cops...

what the hell? are you being serious? did they take you to jail? this is terrible man. let me know if there is anything that i can do.

You should press charges.  This is outrageous.  Their taking your phone and deleting the pics is an illegal search and seisure.  You're protected from that by the constitution.  If you haven't messed with your phone in the meantime, it should have the cops prints on it, in which case you have a case.  The assault will be harder to prove if there were no other witnesses besides the cops.  Ugh.  I'm shocked.  To serve and protect... ha! This might be one that the ACLU or legal aid might be interested in taking.  Cops messing with a guy in a wheelchair looks really bad on the evening news.  I have a contact with legal aid.  Let me know if I can help.

yeah, a few more moments reflection got me all piped up. this is despicable and depressing. what is going on? who is going to keep these guys in line? they can't go around doing shit like this. and they wonder why they get a bad rap. seriously, that guy sounds like he is unfit to be an officer, and i think that you should go to the press with this, and search legal repercussions. that is such a hassle, and i will understand if you don't, but i hope that things work out for your (and atlanta's) favor.

Wow.  Sorry to hear about this.  Where did this happen and what time of day?  I think you will have a chance in court to explain your side of the story as many judges in ATL know about some of the yahoos APD are hiring.  I would contact APD first with a written statement (find the commander for the Zone you were in, send one to Chief  Pennington, and anyone else in city government you can think of ) and let them know you are willing to go to the media and fight this.  You might even contact APD Public Affairs (404-817-6906).  I'd then go to the media (fox 5 I-team, 11Alive's the Investigators, the AJC, the Loafing) and see if anyone would like to write about the story (they could even do a story about cops who habitually park in handicap spaces)...be sure to let APD know you're talking to the media.  Are there handicap access advocacy groups you can contact?   Again - sorry to hear about the ordeal.

I agree, 100%, that those cops treated you in an utterly reprehensible way.  they broke more laws than I can count, violated your civil and constitutional rights in the process, and were just plain dicks.  You really should do what you can to bring some justice crashing down on their heads.  but, you shouldn't lessen your respect for cops in general.  Not only do they have one of the harder jobs you can have, they keep society intact.  hating cops because of amodu diallo, the fact that they run red lights, and really are just generally annoying is fashionable, but its not a fair response.  do you hate all bike shops because one rips you off?  Do you hate New York because some asshole was mean to you on the street?  no, you call him/her a dick, maybe say it again for emphasis, and move on.  in this case, get those fuckers fired but don't hate them all because more often than not they are here to serve you. 

holy shit, preston.  that's horrible!  what's going on with this city?

I'm sorry Preston. That is such crap. I hope you are okay! I still don't understand how they could arrest you. I mean they were the ones who were doing things illegaly. That is not fair. What a bunch of jerks. Can I do anything to help?

That is crazy! But not unrealistic of the ATL cops. I used to live on the coner of Ponce and Boulevard, 2 blocks from the cops station. You could see the station at the bottom of my hill. At the corner, overlooking the station was a crack drop, I used to watch people everyday picking up and droping off bags of dope right in front of my house. Not to mention the hookers and other against the law shit that went down. I rode my bike over to Green's not to long ago and witnessed a cop grab a homeless man, who was walking down the street talking to himself, beat the man with his billy club, and then let the man go. I agree that there are some good cops, but, there are also some "dicks." I am sorry that happened to you, and I give you props for standing your ground, I don't think I could have.

you are awesome for putting up with that shit and not giving in to them........the fact that this happened is extremely lame though.

1. find somebody, anybody who can corroborate your story.2. I'm not sure how they transported you but this is prob. your best bet for nailing them. I don't know the laws for arresting someone in a wheel chair and I think maybe the police don't know either. Obviously the cops all lied for this other guy about parking in the handicapped spot because they all knew it was illegal. However, if each cop that was there was interviewed about how you were phyisically detained/transported i bet you'd get conflicting stories (some telling the truth because they think what they did was legal, and some altering the truth because they weren't sure about the legality of arresting a wheelchaired individual).(but i really don't know what i'm talking about so....)

Names?  Badge Numbers?  I second mhemlock's idea about getting the news stations involved.  Call up IA (Internal Affairs) and file a formal complaint against all of the officers involved, including the supervisor for not handling the situation correctly, these actions blatently go against the oath they are sworn to when the received their sheild.  Take this story to the news, these guys don't deserve to be cops.  Also reflecting what Scott said, these cops may be bad apples, but that doesn't make all cops bad.

Cops have too much power, they behave like they criminals they are suppose to keeps off the streets. And we don't have to sympathise with them, because their jobs are dangerous since they CHOSE to stand in the line of fire. I am never concerned of getting mugged or anything, I am concerned about crossing paths with one of them. Everyone here is on your side, please let us know how we can help you.

Next time email those pictures, or MMS them, or something.  I know it costs money for most of us, but its totally worth it.  Or, at least lie.  "Sorry, copper, i already emailed those pictures out to myself, and they'll be forwarded on to someone who can do something about it before morning."  I firmly believe that technology will save us from tyranny  (hell, just observe the FM site!)

unidentified android identify yourself! (the both of yas) post here http://fastermustache.org/node/93 and in your profiles

Sorry to hear this happened to you.  It's funny how a body part is a fighting word.  I would definetly write a formal complaint.  Try to let the supervisor's boss know somehow.  Is a citation a crime, I mean why can't he get a citation w/o going to grand jury?  I hope you will get justice in court.

Your story would have been 20 stars faster if that cop was going to EAT DONUTS and drink his coffee. I will help you out in whatever way you need. I too am sorry that happened to you...it isn't right. We are all here for support though. And let me go ahead and tell you...mustache support is the best kind!

this story is ridiculous... i wonder if the word  "daisy" would be considered fighting words. however, your mug shot would make an awesome Faster Mustache ID picture. Bonus 50 Stars Faster

geez.. preston.meanwhile.. two of my friends were arrested last night.  they went through the light at oakdale and mclendon.  cops freaked out and made them stop.  then the cops roughed them up and searched them.  they found some unrelated although not so cool things and tossed them in jail.  regardless of whatever else got them in trouble, the police aggression was uncalled for (like it ever is).  so yeah.. cops.. not okay.  i even wore my 'too many cops, too little justice' shirt today.  i put it on before i heard about all of this.

So, some of you may have heard that I was arrested along with my friend Parker as we rode down McLendon Ave and passed Oakdale Rd. If not, well we were. I was in jail for 10 hours, Parker is still there. I was charged with Improper Bicycle Equipment (no helmet, and no front light. which if you've been keeping score were both stolen from me less than a week ago and I just haven't replaced them yet), also with Disobeying a traffic officer. For those interested here is the story. Parker and I were coming back from Decatur (we had an arrested development tv watching session), I was in front and going approx 15mph as we approached the intersection with Oakdale Rd, we were coming down McLendon Ave. As I entered the intersection, a police officer stepped into the intersection from the south on Oakdale. I heard the words "Stop. Or don't, whatever." Craning my neck back to see what was going on, and braking, I saw the officer walk slowly back down Oakdale. I stopped, which put me exactly in front of my apt. complex 1338 McLendon. As we stood there a police cruiser whipped around Oakdale onto McLendon and headed straight for us. The officer slammed the brakes and cornered his car into the sidewalk immediately next us, jumped out, grabbed both of us and started yelling. Mostly about how it is illegal to disobey anything he says and we need to learn that. I said that we didn't do anything illegal, and that we were braking as quickly as we could given the fact that he told us to stop as we entered the intersection (light was green btw). At this point another officer approached from behind us, I learned this because I was forcefully body checked from the rear and thrown forward. The officers then grabbed both our messenger bags, and asked if there was anything they need to know about as they searched them. I was told that it is an offense to ride without a helmet. At this point we were hand cuffed, thrown in the back of the cruiser and told that all of our things would be taken and that we're both going to jail. I spent 10 hours in jail, and my bail was $150. I called Brian around 6am or so, and told him about the bail amount. I didn't really hear anything else until 9-10am. I was told that someone tried to pay my bail, but it wasn't accepted because the City of Atlanta is paying my bail. During all of this is became apparent that Parker was being held on more serious charges, although I do not know what those are. His arraignment is 8am tomorrow, and I will be there as well to deal with the no helmet/disobeying charge. In addition I was told that my belongings, bike, messenger bag, cell phone, etc... would be at City Hall East. I went there and was told that I cannot have my things back because they were all being held under Parker's name. I asked how to remedy that situation, and was given no help. So there it is! I have been having just a peachy time recently.

you and a friend were arrested? or two friends of yours? I dont normally throw feces at people, normally, but if I encounter those cops they might get a steamy pile in the eye.

If I know the Mustache, and I think I do, the greatest asset of a Mustache is positivity.  It sucks when folks rifle our chill, but let's see if we can fight back mustache style.  Perhaps we could find the officers we have beef with and offer them some nutstaches shaped like donuts in exchange for a vow of mutual coolness.   Maybe a card that reads "It sucks we didn't get along."  Maybe invite them to a dance party. (seriously)
I am of the opinion that if a guy gets reprimanded by his boss he gets grumpy and nothing more.  If a guy gets a funny card, he gets smiley.  We don't have to apologize for anything if we didn't do anything wrong, but an acknowledgement that things could have gone better is never a bad thing.
If we want happy and cool cops we have to make them ourselves.  Some invisible legal system won't do it for us.

i love this idea. "your invited, dick ass motherfuckers" hhahahahaa.

serisouly, well put ben. some cards, some talk, some whatever.

usually when i run ito cops, im like "whats up bud?" all nice, and they have always been really cool.

all the cops were super cool during cmass, i want o believe, in part due to our positivity and waving and stuff. I mean imagine if we had been rolling down the street flicking people off and shit.

Lets start coming to terms with cops. I am sure we will still get screwed in some situations, but i mean fuck, look at what happens to people that drive around with those little "friend or family of a cop" logo sticker on thier bumper. they get away with anything.

lets make some friends in rediculously too powerful for their own good places!!

where's the best place for an F.O.P. sticker on my bike? you're right, those little stickers work magic on the bacon.

I don't know if anyone has already said this, but are there any cameras in that area that might have caught this on tape? Also, what about the cameras that are in cops cars? I don't know how they work, but it's something to think about.