SSCC #431 & #432–New Jersey State Police

One November night two years ago, State Police found Daniel Fried slumped behind the wheel of his van along Route 72 in Burlington County. He stared forward, eyelids drooping. He was incoherent, slurred his words and seemed to be falling asleep.

He may have looked drunk or like he was on drugs, but doctors say these are classic symptoms of diabetic shock. Paramedics found Fried’s blood sugar was so low he could have suffered a coma, seized or died, according to State Police records.

These officers made an assumption about the condition of an individual.  They caused an adrenaline spike that made him coherent enough to be able to request assistance and they continued to ignore him.  Upon arrival of paramedics they promptly took him to the hospital because of a severe blood sugar deficiency.

As my father had diabetes this isn’t funny, this isn’t ok, this is down right negligent.  The police officers assume without any actual evidence that this individual is a criminal.  Except he is the exact opposite.  He felt his medical emergency coming on and pulled himself off the road.  Below is the officers thank you for his responsible actions.

[Sarcasm]Yup that right there is called positive reinforcement for good behavior.[/Sarcasm]

There is also a serious policy issue given the following:

In State Police reports and court depositions, Brown, who was first on scene, said he suspected Fried had diabetes but did not call paramedics because he could not rule out drugs or alcohol. He said he saw no evidence of drugs or alcohol and did not smell anything.

So policy dictates that in an incident where someone is obviously no longer of a sound mental state, so much so they may loose consciousness, medical aid shouldn’t be sought unless it can be confirmed beyond a reasonable doubt the cause is diabetes?  What if the individual dies from alcohol poisoning or a drug overdose? Since when have police officers started receiving medical training to the degree of EMTs, much less doctors and nurses.  Their job should be merely to asses the situation and say, “Does this person need attention to verify he is ok?”  Mental incoherence is a big, “Get Help Now Idiot!”.

No matter how you cut it though these officers were criminally negligent and exercised unnecessary force because well that’s how cops deal with problems.  Instead of using their brain, the just beat the thing until they get it to do what they want.

This isn’t the first instance I’ve heard of something like this happening either.  Yeah I hate drunk drivers, more than you can possibly believe, but the legal system exists for a reason.  Even more than that, I don’t want someone who has an actual medical emergency getting beat up because someone thinks they’re drunk.  There’s simple tests to determine the truth.  Cops are paid to protect the public, beating the hell out of a man who was in a medical emergency doesn’t fit the bill.

State Sponsored Criminal #431: Officer John Doe

#432: Officer John Doe

Because when you’re a cop, you’re Judge Dread and can determine someone’s guilt on the spot.  You don’t need a blood test, there’s no such thing as a medical emergency so they must be either high or drunk.

TMM

TMM is the owner, editor, and principal author at The Minuteman, a competitive shooter, and staff member for Boomershoot. Even in his free time he’s merging his love and knowledge of computers and technology with his love of firearms.

Many know his private name and information however due to the current political climate, many are distancing themselves due to the abandonment of Due Process.