New definition of sheriffnado!!!

[Joey Ketcham]

I carry my SkyWarn framed certificate with me. Usually thrown in the back seat somewhere, and it HAS helped me as well. In fact, in Dumas, AR right after the tornado hit there, the police were going around telling people to get out. Later, when I needed back in, they turned just about everyone away, but let me in after I showed them the SkyWarn certificate.

In another episode, in Kansas last year, a cop pulled up to me while sitting on the side of the road, and told me to get the hell outta there...NOW! This was a lonely gravel road, with NO traffic, about a 1/4 mile from the main road. I was stunned. I asked him, "Which direction do YOU suggest I go, since there is a tornado warning for this area right now". He said, "I don't give a damn WHERE you go, but get outta HERE!" I did a U'ee, and went back to the main road, (which made NO sense), and went about a mile, then pulled over again, in a driveway, when I saw a guy in his yard, looking at the sky. I greeted him, told him what I was doing, and was thrilled I was there. Two minutes later, this SAME cop pulled up behind me with his lights on, and told me I was getting a ticket for.....RECKLESS DRIVING! I was pissed now, and said, "Bull****, I can sit in this driveway all I want." The cop said, "No, you can't". The guy whose driveway I was sitting in, walked up and said, "This is one of my best friends from South Carolina, and he can LIVE here if he wants to, so what's the ******* problem?" The cop glared at both of us, and got back in his car and literally spun gravel leaving! I stayed there about two hours, had dinner with his family, and left. One of my best memories. I'm sure this cop nailed someone immediately after leaving me there tho.

So, couple of ideas here...bring your SkyWarn stuff....it may help. And, pull into somebodies driveway, if they are outside, and just ask them if you can sit there. 99% will say yes, because you LOOK professional with all thise antenneas on your car, and usually they are fascinated with what you're doing.

If I were you, I would have requested him to get his supervisor on scene. Then I would have filed a formal complaint against him for harassment.

Having a badge doesn't mean they're always right, they can enforce the laws - what they can't do is harass people.

If you guys and gals find yourself being harassed by someone in law enforcement, by all means request that a supervisor comes on scene. There is nothing wrong with doing that, and people who work in TV that often times get harassed does this.

 

[Robert Rohloff]

I have been a law enforcement officer for 30 years and currently am a supervisor. I watched the video and have a few comments on it.

1. The Deputy should not be yelling and using profanity like he did, that is not acceptable.

2. Driver of the white vehicle should be cited for stopping in the roadway and blocking the traffic lane a dangerous situation for all.

3. Passing a moving emergency vehicle on the right not a good idea.

4. Do not drive around a police unit that is across the roadway with out stopping and finding it if you can proceed. It constiutes a roadblock in most states and driving past it is a felony, or in some cases a citation and fine.

5. If like you say on the video "I can do whatever I want" well bring your bond money with you because it will come in handy.....

In an emergency such as a tornado a law enforcement officer can shut any roadway down and limit access to even the full time media if they believe it is the interest of safety. At that point you have to obey or be subject to charges.

After reading some of the stories here of the driving going on and seeing the cluster of people chasing, I can see why he was mad, however he HAS to remain in control and not lose his temper. there are people that only understand the message when you yell at them......If he said move that is not open for arguement on the side of the road.

Going 85-100 miles an hour while occupied with looking at or for the storm is very dangerous. Passing people going the speed limit is speeding and a goodway to get a citation since there is no reason to pass at the speed limit.

Many chasers are good mutitaskers and can drive and talk and look at radar, but we have some people I have seen who are just plain DWHUA.
No video or storm is worth one of us being killed or hurt. And remember not everyone out there is a chaser, you might have the mom on the phone pull out in front of you.....

 

[Brian A. Schmidt]

I saw the video of the cop yelling and I'd have to say that if that happened around Cincinnati, where I live, such behavior would not be all that outrageous. I'm thinking that people out in the Oklahoma countryside just might have a different expectation of what police behavior/manners should be. Perhaps things, on average, are a bit more laid back in the midwest farmland. If you come to some of the larger cities in the east, police tempers are a lot shorter and they are not so easygoing. I once approached an officer to ask for info. and his hand went quickly to his hip and he dropped into a crouching "ready" position. Then there was the time that nightsticks were drawn. I've heard other people around here talk of being beat up, sometimes after the cuffs were on. And since I used to be a Corrections Officer at the county jail, I've seen my share of "beat-up" people dropped off for processing. My opinion is AVOID police contact, maintain your distance from them whether driving or on foot--it doesn't matter that you are not doing anything wrong-- even if you are obeying all laws...you still have nothing to gain by having contact with them. JMHO!!!

 

[Jay McCoy]

I have been a law enforcement officer for 30 years and currently am a supervisor. I watched the video and have a few comments on it.

1. The Deputy should not be yelling and using profanity like he did, that is not acceptable.

After reading some of the stories here of the driving going on and seeing the cluster of people chasing, I can see why he was mad, however he HAS to remain in control and not lose his temper. there are people that only understand the message when you yell at them......If he said move that is not open for arguement on the side of the road.

I am curious Robert since you are a supervisor. What is your take on this officer calling Jasons employer and making up the story about being run off the road?? Jason has video of the encounter in which he did pass the officer after the officer slowed in the left lane. The the officer pulled in behind him. Then he was pulled over, pulled out of the truck and threatened with arrest. He was never run off the road into a ditch as he claimed to Jasons boss.

1. If you were run off the road by a vehicle would you not either arrest or cite the driver??

2. Is it illegal for an officer to call somebodys employer and fabricate a story in the attemp to get them in trouble or fired??

I look forward to yout take on this..


We all agree about the circus on the road that day but what he did hour later to me went way beyond out of control and legal. LUckily the cops I work with daily wouldnt pull this kind of crap. Most the ones I know are very professional and honest.

 

[Robert Rohloff]

I would not call his employer unless it was something like he was suspended driving a company vehicle. If you did not issue a citation for the alleged serious violation of running you off the road why make the call. Ilegal no but could be a civil liability.

I would remind everyone that putting the emergency lights on and slowing the traffic going into the storm is more for the public who is unsuspecting. I would contact his agency and also show them the video. With out someone telling them how are they to know his actions.

There is always going to be an officer or trooper that would write his mother a citation. The best thing we can do for ourselves if drive safe. Never argue on the side of the road, take a citation to court and your complaint to the agency, you do not want to be arrested....

I would add the accusations to the station into the complaint showing the video where it did not happen like the Deputy said.

 

[Bryce Stone]

One flip side that no one has brought up is that the LEO in question may retaliate if Jason speaks up. He may be the friend of a friend of someone in legislation, and we could see a major crackdown on chasers from this incident or one like it. There are law enforcement forums out there, and he may have dash cam footage of chasers acting stupid. Those of us who drive obvious chaser vehicles may be harrassed at every turn if he spreads the word among central plains agencies that chasers need to be shut down.

I know that everything discussed so far are VERY tired subjects, but would they be brought up every year if they were absolutely meaningless subjects? I know I'm fairly new to the scene by some standards, but even I can see that there are valid issues here which will undoubtedly be addressed at some point in the future. As I've said before, it's just a question of who will be addressing the problem . . . my bet is on state legislatures, since all chasers do is talk about it.

I wholeheartedly agree with Gene on the lightbars. I've seen many chasers running up and down the road with them on (including wig-wag headlight flashers) and it is unneccessary. I have eight hidden strobe bulbs, headlight flashers, taillight flashers, and two amber LED mini lightbars on my car and they ARE blinding, but I don't use them for chasing (or even while sitting on the side of the road). I would only use them in the case of an actual emergency, and then only while my vehicle was stationary and as a warning device for motorists. By the way, if a cop ever asks you about your lights, tell him/her that they are "stationary warning devices." That's what a LEO friend of mine told me to say. The only thing I might use on the side of the road are the amber LED bars on the rear deck, and then only if the situation warranted it. I can see no valid reason for chasers to be running lights while in motion unless visibility is extremely poor (heavy rain).

Of course, Gene probably thinks my decals are silly, so we don't agree on that point.

As far as the incident, I did watch the video and was appalled at the behavior of that cop. I don't know both sides of the incident shown in the video, but screaming at someone and slamming their car door is unprofessional by any standards (even, I should hope, in Cincinatti). Unfortunately, anyone who has power is tempted at some point to abuse it, and nothing will ever change this facet of human nature. Is it right? No, and those affected should fight back against abuse of power. Just be prepared for the law enforcement community to retaliate against us for calling them out.

On a personal experience note, I made contact with two different LEOs in the northern Texas panhandle that day and both were really polite and professional.

BTW, on filming traffic stops: get one of those "spy" pinhole cameras or the like (with audio) and mount it on the front dash or door pillar out of sight but facing your driver's side window. Set up a button to automatically start the recording process when you press it. If you're tech-savvy at all, you should be able to feed it to your laptop or some kind of recording device. That way the whole process is automated like so: see the lights in your rearview and press the button. Bingo presto, the whole incident is automatically documented with no one the wiser but you. I imagine you could set this up for around $100 or so. I'm considering doing it and will post exactly how I did it after I get it set up.

 

[Dave Ewoldt]

Ref several posts back where people were talking about just holding a video camera while the officer talks to you... Remember, if he asks you to put it down....you have to. It doesn't matter if you are holding a tire tool, baseball bat or a video camera....he can consider and act as if you are holding a weapon. With all the discussion over someone being yelled at....I can imagine what would happen the first time a storm chaser is tasered!

 

[Shane Adams]

I can imagine what would happen the first time a storm chaser is tasered!

Me too...the chaser would probably p@#$ all over him/herself

 

[Robert Dewey]

Nope - our very own human lightning rods (David Drummond, et al.) would simply walk away and say "wow - that was close"

 

[Laura Hedien]

Remember.... if you're getting a "chewing" you probably won't get a ticket unless you really screwed up.
If you're not getting chewed on, you are getting a ticket.
Least that's how I roll. I work part time as a conservation/police officer (tree cop) for Lake Co Forest Preserves in Illinois. Been doing it since '93.
If you are getting chewed on, the officer probably doesn't have enough to write you a ticket but just to feel good he/she will yell at you.
Sounds like this officer has a "chubby" for storm chasers and is abusing his authority, especially if you weren't violating any vehicle codes.
I would consider tactfully approaching his supervisor depending on how strongly you feel about this.
This is a prime example (not saying your vehicle is this way) of why not to look like a foaming storm chaser.
Be safe out there.
Laura

 

[David Drummond]

I still think you guys are giving this LEO way too much credit. AGAIN, this is a VERY i.e. EXTREMELY RURAL county. There are essentially only TWO roads in the entire county and only two REALLY SMALL communities. I doubt there are more than 6 law enforcement people in the entire county. This county rarely sees crime, the roads that go through there rarely see cars for that matter. I've driven those two roads many a times and there have been times I have driven through the entire county without seeing another car. I realize many of you live in more populated areas and have never really experienced life in such a community, so you may have difficulty understanding how things work in such "little" places.

The point is, in places like this (which are getting more and more rare west of the Mississippi) to the people living there not much exists outside their world in the county. This guy probably personally knows every single person in the county. Heck, he probably attended most of their weddings. They all sit around at the coffee shop with each other, the have dinner together. Communities like this are close nit.

Now put yourself in that guys place. He's sitting there watching what was looking like it was going to be a large tornado developing and heading right in to his home town with all his good close friends and neighbors and family. How would you feel? Probably scared to death for all of them!

And then on your normally quite country roads an armada of vehicles appear, some not acting so nice, running back and forth trying to see his home town and friends and family blown away. How would you feel then?

I can imagine he was scared from the event, worried about his community, didn't know what the hell to do with all the people that just showed up out of nowhere that he NOW also has to worry about their safety. I can guarantee you that he probably hasn't even met more than one or two storm chasers before if that many. He doesn't know what to expect from them.

I'm not trying to justify is actions as what I saw on that video, and what Jason reported was out of line, especially after the fact. What I am trying to do is get you guys to maybe possibly see his side of it and consider how he might have been feeling at the time that made him act the way he did.

Given that I was in his position, I can't say I might not have acted similarly. Police officer or not, he still human with human emotions. Probably a police officer with little or no experience dealing with a sudden mob on a storm that was a potential killer.

I will say when he had the road in to town blocked, I pulled up beside him where he could see the vehicle and the logos, told him we were tracking this live on the air and if I could proceed, and he nodded that it was ok.

 

[Earl Faubion]

Laura brings up a good point. Some officers subscribe to the unofficial policy of administering a butt chewing or a ticket, but not both. That being said, the profanity is out of line.

And David's last post hits the nail on the head. 'Nuff said.

 

[Dave Ewoldt]

I agree that this is being blown way out! Storm chasers have driven millions of miles over the last 30 years without similar incidents and because someone got yelled at (not arrested, not touched, not ticketed) people are willing to start doing everything from installing spy cameras to having Al Sharpton ride shotgun.

My suggestion is to make a mental note to behave and pay attention when driving around Silverton and go on business as usual in the rest of the alley.

 

[Earl Faubion]

My suggestion is to make a mental note to behave and pay attention when driving around Silverton and go on business as usual in the rest of the alley.

How about if we behave and pay attention everywhere, not just around Silverton. This time the deputy was only warning people, albeit in a rather obnoxious way. Next time it could be the quiet deputy who's going to pull over motorists one at a time and hang some expensive paper on them. Not being able to stop everyone doesn't mean he can't stop some. It's an effective method that has been used before in similar situations.

 

[Jesse Risley]

I agree that this is being blown way out! Storm chasers have driven millions of miles over the last 30 years without similar incidents and because someone got yelled at (not arrested, not touched, not ticketed) people are willing to start doing everything from installing spy cameras to having Al Sharpton ride shotgun.

My suggestion is to make a mental note to behave and pay attention when driving around Silverton and go on business as usual in the rest of the alley.

I think this post makes good sense. I have to agree that the LEO appears to be acting unprofessional (but remember we are only getting the chaser side of the story - it's hard for me to judge since I was not present), but how many times has something this extreme happened? This is the first incident of such severity that I can recall being posted here.

However, I do think that the increasing number of chasers in the field will/has lead to a proportional increase in the number of chasers who are "bone heads" and act like idiots behind the wheel. Therefore, I expect we will hear more about chasers being ticketed or "yelled at" in the future. I'm sure most of use are civil behind the wheel, but perception becomes reality and people will always stereotype a whole group (like chasers) based on the common actions of a few. If this behavior becomes a problem, I fear LEOs will start treating chasers like people who own radar detectors - you don't get any breaks, you just get a hard ticket.

We should all take a lesson in civility away from this scenario and remember that increasing numbers of negative encounters between LEOs and chasers could result in more incidents of this nature and it could be you on the receiving end sometime down the road....just something to think about. Just drive sensibly and you won't receive a coupon from the police for $100 off your next paycheck.