Belligerent officer taped, fired, defended by bretheren

Recently there was a police officer in suburban STL that pulled up to question the driver of a parked car alone in a public lot at 2 a.m. The driver of the car questioned the cop with a tinge of attitude (not even that much, in my opinion) asking the cop what the problem was and why he can't park there. But the officer at that point went absolutely ape shit, berating the guy, making threats, etc. on the driver, who happened to have video/audio equipment running in his car and who taped the whole thing. (Mysteriously, the officer's in-car video system 'lost' the encounter).

The officer was just fired. Here's the story on that part of it:
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/D46A8EE4AB8299A68625735D000200C0?OpenDocument

Here's the video of the encounter. I don't know what all the clicking noise is.

Anyway, the reason I post this is because I googled the people involved because I wanted to read some reaction to it and I came across a forum that apparently is for police somewhere in Georgia. What really struck me as odd was the number of them defending this officer (most of the posts were as such) and his conduct, saying he was entrapped and that aside from a bit of attitude, he really did nothing wrong -- that the kid shouldn't have questioned the cop and he started the whole thing.

Given that officer's reaction to a few simple questions, I can't believe anybody would defend him. That guy should have no authority over anyone else, and certainly shouldn't be allowed to carry a gun and night stick, if a few questions is all it takes for him to go off the deep end like that. That any police officer would condone any part of what that officer said really hurts my faith in our police force. In my view, what that officer said and the threats he made are completely and utterly inexcusable, and that other police officers would defend that type of behavior is frightening. It makes me want to get video/audio equipment in my car for my own protection.

 

A Barney Bad-ass cop in a small town? That never happens...

Seriously the cop should have been shitcanned.

 

I just watched that video and cannot believe what an incredible asshole that cop was. One of the most pitiful displays of sheer douchebaggery I've heard.

EDIT: Just listened to part II where he starts repeatedly taunting the guy with "I think I'm gonna put you in jail just to prove you wrong." Just a ridiculous power-thirsty moron with a sadistic streak. That other cops are defending this guy's behavior and suggesting he did nothing wrong is frightening indeed.

 

Gee, if we learned anything from the taser thread, it's that we should never, ever, ever question the cops.

 

Christ, what was that cop's problem?? His wife cheat on him or something? That shit was uncalled for.

edit: maybe it was the kids music. What the hell was that??

 

Cops do not like to be questioned. Try it sometime.

Ironically, it appears the kid did know more about the law than the cop.

 

Give anyone on earth a badge and a gun and they will feel empowered and entitled. What seperates good and bad cops is the abilty to control the urge to abuse your power.

 

The clicking, I believe, is a radar detector.

 

Funny that the cop's video equipment malfunction. What are the odds of that...

 

The bad cops just seem to get the worst equipment.

 

Unfortunately, people in groups stick together and defend each other, even when they shouldn't.

 

Like the entire Duke University faculty.