Bad Day for Indiana Law Enforcement

[Donnelly]

First the arrest of the Hancock County Sheriff.

Now, an IMPD officer wrecking into a motorcycle while on a run.

Serious accident leaves two injured on I-465

I hope it wasn't one of our board members.

 

[nova512]

wow thats very bad,

 

[Instant=.40cal=Karma]

As if there aren't enough hazards to handle out there that we now have to worry about being run down by overzealous emergency vehicles on ground level streets...

Just goes to show you that we aren't only invisible to regular motorists and commercial truckers. Prayers to those injured in this incident...

Be careful out there!

 

[j706]

Oh man just what I was not needing to hear after this week. I think a lot of LEO's get caught up thinking into a call we are on,talking on the radio and looking at the MDT screen ect. and not paying as much attention as we should be. The interior of the modern patrol car is very distracting. Computer dispatching has its drawbacks for sure. And then you have the money saving move/excuse of not putting radios in cars causing officers to have to jack with a hand held belt mounted radio while driving.

Running hot and crashing with an innocent motorist has always been one of my biggest fears/concerns. Combine all the distractions with motorists doing unpredictable things upon your approach and bad things can happen in a heartbeat. Scary stuff IMO. Hate to hear it for all involved.

 

[wtfd661]

Prayers sent for all involved in the accident.

 

[Donnelly]

I've seen this once before in my home town. Officer collision with civilian while on a run that caused the death of the civilian, made worse by the fact it was his brother. Man, that has been a while though, at least 25-30 years.

That IMPD officer is most likely going to have a hard time emotionally dealing with this.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

As if there aren't enough hazards to handle out there that we now have to worry about being run down by overzealous emergency vehicles on ground level streets...

Just goes to show you that we aren't only invisible to regular motorists and commercial truckers. Prayers to those injured in this incident...

Be careful out there!

Not going to cast blame here, but I have some personal experience with this. When I worked for Emergency Management, I was on an emergency run, lights & sirens, came to an intersection, observed all traffic was stopped and proceeded through. A lady who had been daydreaming at the light suddenly woke up, didn't notice my lights or siren, and t-boned me as I went through the intersection.

One of the real hazards of emergency vehicle operation is that fact that people don't pay attention. I have watched LEA vehicles on our local highways running in the fast lane for upwards of 30 seconds while the slower car in front of them is apparently unaware of their lights/sirens. I've also had a passenger car _stop_ in front of me when it became aware of my lights/siren. Motorcyclists aren't likely to hear a siren and may not see emergency lights; the way some of them cut in and out of traffic and with no other information available (I haven't read the article), it's perfectly reasonable to believe the motorcycle might not have seen the cop.

 

[hornadylnl]

Oh man just what I was not needing to hear after this week. I think a lot of LEO's get caught up thinking into a call we are on,talking on the radio and looking at the MDT screen ect. and not paying as much attention as we should be. The interior of the modern patrol car is very distracting. Computer dispatching has its drawbacks for sure. And then you have the money saving move/excuse of not putting radios in cars causing officers to have to jack with a hand held belt mounted radio while driving.

Running hot and crashing with an innocent motorist has always been one of my biggest fears/concerns. Combine all the distractions with motorists doing unpredictable things upon your approach and bad things can happen in a heartbeat. Scary stuff IMO. Hate to hear it for all involved.

And they're passing laws to ban us from texting or holding a phone while we drive. Kind of reminds me of the "I'm the only one in this room professional enough to handle this gun. BLAMMMM!"

 

[pierce195]

I pray for all involved in the accidnet in Indy.

I hate to hear about Sheriff Gray, but if he did steal money then he of all people knows the price. For all the hard working hard people under his command its unfair of him to leave them with that kind of "black eye".

 

[Colt556]

Not going to cast blame here, but I have some personal experience with this. When I worked for Emergency Management, I was on an emergency run, lights & sirens, came to an intersection, observed all traffic was stopped and proceeded through. A lady who had been daydreaming at the light suddenly woke up, didn't notice my lights or siren, and t-boned me as I went through the intersection.

One of the real hazards of emergency vehicle operation is that fact that people don't pay attention. I have watched LEA vehicles on our local highways running in the fast lane for upwards of 30 seconds while the slower car in front of them is apparently unaware of their lights/sirens. I've also had a passenger car _stop_ in front of me when it became aware of my lights/siren. Motorcyclists aren't likely to hear a siren and may not see emergency lights; the way some of them cut in and out of traffic and with no other information available (I haven't read the article), it's perfectly reasonable to believe the motorcycle might not have seen the cop.

The motorcycles were sitting still and obeying the law.

 

[Frank_N_Stein]

Now, an IMPD officer wrecking into a motorcycle while on a run.

I hope it wasn't one of our board members.

AFAIK he isn't a member here.

As if there aren't enough hazards to handle out there that we now have to worry about being run down by overzealous emergency vehicles on ground level streets...

They are called "accidents" for a reason. But the way you made that statement it looks like you think the officer ran into the motorcycles on purpose. I'm sure that is really what happened and the officer/department are going to do whatever they can to cover up the truth and somehow blame the other drivers.

Before you rush to judgement about the officer you should do a ride-along and experience an emergency response from the officer's point of view. I guarantee that you will be shaking your head in amazement of all the stupid **** that other drivers and pedestrians do when a police car/fire truck/ambulance is running lights & siren.

It is a tragic situation no matter what caused it, and I feel for all parties involved.

 

[esrice]

Before you rush to judgement about the officer you should do a ride-along and experience an emergency response from the officer's point of view. I guarantee that you will be shaking your head in amazement of all the stupid **** that other drivers and pedestrians do when a police car/fire truck/ambulance is running lights & siren.

This.

Every time I ride along with my Bartholomew County buddy I keep telling myself that I won't grip the door panel so hard during high speed maneuvers. Then we get a call and I'm all over that door panel, white knuckled, trying to push myself as far back into the seat as possible. People act like he's not even there.

 

[TRWXXA]

Before you rush to judgement about the officer you should do a ride-along and experience an emergency response from the officer's point of view. I guarantee that you will be shaking your head in amazement of all the stupid **** that other drivers and pedestrians do when a police car/fire truck/ambulance is running lights & siren.

+1

The people who do what they're supposed to do don't create much anxiety. But the knuckleheads who do stupid stuff, like stop in the middle of the road or pull to the left, make you worry. They're probably just the panicky types who would suddenly decide they need to jump over to the right, just as you pass them.

Every time I ride along with my Bartholomew County buddy I keep telling myself that I won't grip the door panel so hard during high speed maneuvers. Then we get a call and I'm all over that door panel, white knuckled, trying to push myself as far back into the seat as possible. People act like he's not even there.

Yep. It's even scarier when you're just along for the ride.