Police brutality?

November 21, 2007 -- This morning's Salt Lake Tribune reported that an investigation is underway after a UHP trooper fired a taser at a man who would not sign a speeding ticket. The actual video is on Youtube, and is highly disturbing. The trooper appears to have completely lost control of himself over the man's statement that "I'm not signing anything." The trooper was not in any kind of danger, and there can be no excuse for his behavior. Perhaps we will all be pleasantly surprised when he is publicly disciplined. Far too many times, inappropriate or unlawful behavior by law enforcement personnel is tolerated. It should never be so. People want to be able to trust and depend on law enforcement officers. Thus, the average citizen usually will give the officer the benefit of the doubt. After all, the alternative is to be afraid. We SHOULD be able to trust law enforcement; and when police violate our trust, they should be promptly and firmly dealt with. They certainly expect that of the rest of us. I found the video easliy by looking for Officer John Gardner and the UHP on Youtube. Watch the video, decide for yourself, and then make your voice heard.

In a completely unrelated note, the Governor of New Jersey says he will go to work as usual on Friday morning, and he expects other State employees to do the same. This is the first time in 40 years that the Governor has not given State employees an extra day off with pay, beyond the holidays declared by the legislature. The employees, who feel that this is owed to them, are up in arms. Wah!! As someone who has NEVER had a paid holiday, I am unimpressed. And as a taxpayer, I hope that other governments do likewise and save all of us a great deal of tax money!

Happy Thanksgiving to all (even those who -- like me -- have to go back to work on Friday).