Sandra Bland Dashboard Video Released

[Darwin333]

Whether or not anyone feels he should or shouldn't have given her the order to get out of the car, the fact of the matter is he did, and by law she was obligated to follow the lawful order of a police officer.

Yes, we understand that.

We are discussing how the officer could have deescalated the situation, saved himself a lot of grief, not put himself in danger, not put a civilian in danger, not put a civilian in jail over complete nonsense, not wasted his time booking her into jail while he could have been looking for real criminals, not wasted the tax payers dollars for not only his time but the booking and jailing process as well as a lengthy and expensive investigation into her death, not broken department policies, not have his department that has a history of racial issues in the national news and potentially under increased scrutiny, and overall not been a giant dick when dealing with a civilian that already told him she was agitated. Even worse is if her statement was true he caused the entire incident to begin with by tailgating her, which in my state is illegal, which caused her to make a sudden lane change to allow the officer to proceed to wherever he was going as timely as possible.

The warning was already written, he showed it to her after he cuffed her. Instead of going full on douchebag because she dared to refuse his request of putting her cigarette out that she was smoking in her own car he could have had her sign the damn warning and the entire encounter would have ended right then and there. Instead he escalated the situation to a completely unnecessary level with a person that he knew was already agitated.

It's truly sad that so many people don't expect better from our so called professional police force. That this is the best we can hope for from people who voluntarily signed up and are supposed to be trained professionals at interacting with agitated and irate people for a living.

 

[Darwin333]

It doesn't matter whether you feel he escalated the issue, he gave a lawful order that is 100% legal and must be followed.........period.

Just imagine how different things would have been had she put out her cigarette, bit her lip, took her warning ticket with whatever lecture may have occurred, and been on her way. Around here receiving a warning ticket occurs more often than receiving a traffic violation ticket.

Just think of how different things would have been had she still not agreed to his request to put out her cigarette and the professional in the situation bit his lip, swallowed a bit of ego, said sign here, here is your warning and please drive safely mam.

Same exact result but in my situation the desired results come from the actions of the trained professional in the situation.

 

[DrPizza]

How about especially cops shouldn't be an asshole to people?

Not this time. The cop started the assholery. So why even bring up all those other tales, which are about people not named Sandra Bland and who did things that she didn't do?

I guess this is true unless you are a cop being an asshole? Cops being assholes = totally legit. Cops being assholes should expect POSITIVE experiences with other people. Gotcha.

Key takeaway: it's OK for cops to be assholes. Non-cops being assholes deserve what they get. Cops being assholes is chill shit bruh.

I've interacted with nice police, and interacted on rare instances (once) with a cop who was an asshole on a power trip. It's NOT okay for cops to be assholes to the general public. However, if you have half a brain, you would realize that if the cop is an asshole, and you're an asshole back to the cop, it's going to be a bad day for YOU.

 

[davmat787]

It doesn't matter whether you feel he escalated the issue, he gave a lawful order that is 100% legal and must be followed.........period.

Just imagine how different things would have been had she put out her cigarette, bit her lip, took her warning ticket with whatever lecture may have occurred, and been on her way. Around here receiving a warning ticket occurs more often than receiving a traffic violation ticket.

You might be technically correct, but I'm tired if the onus to always be on the citizen for complete submission unless they want to be beaten or worse. The police are supposed to be the professionals in this situation.

Complete submission to police only emboldens their abuse of power and feelings of invincibility.

I'm not advocating being abusive to police or ignoring lawful interactions, but there is no way this incident should have escalated to what it did.

What legitimate police reason was she ordered out of her car for?

 

[davmat787]

I've interacted with nice police, and interacted on rare instances (once) with a cop who was an asshole on a power trip. It's NOT okay for cops to be assholes to the general public. However, if you have half a brain, you would realize that if the cop is an asshole, and you're an asshole back to the cop, it's going to be a bad day for YOU.

True, but it doesn't make it right. Why does the law enforcement profession get a pass on being polite and professional yet their customers who pay for them must become robots or face the consequences?

While you give sage advice it's still something that must be changed. Another reason why many LEO's develop an above the law attitude.

 

[davmat787]

It does matter, in fact, Encina's behavior is the very crux of the matter in this incident, something you and other posters have energetically tried to dismiss or ignore or divert from. Trooper Encina deliberately and repeatedly TROLLED and tried to provoke Sandra Bland until he got the situation he wanted.

You guys are all internet veterans who’ve encountered plenty of sly trolls, so you can’t legitimately pretend you don’t see this.

The timeline is beyond clear. Encina comes back with the warning for her to sign. She’s giving no lip, no arguing, nothing. All he has to have Bland sign the ticket warning for this most minor of infractions and the whole incident is over.

INSTEAD, he deliberately and repeatedly trolls her, trying to get a rise, looking for an excuse to yank her out of the car

FIRST TROLL ATTEMPT:

Encinia: OK, ma'am. (Pause.) You OK?

Bland: I'm waiting on you. This is your job. I'm waiting on you. When're you going to let me go?

He’s got the ticket, but, yeah, he’s really concerned with her state of mind, even though she’s not acting out AT ALL and all he has to do is just hand her the goddamn ticket. Note, in this exhcange, while she’s not obsequious or elaborately deferential towards him,there is NOTHING legally or personally out of hand with her response.

So he goes to TROLL ATTEMPT NUMBER TWO:

(Ok, many of you who wish to deny that this trooper deliberately instigated the violence that occurred will stoutly aver there was nothing untoward in his first attempt to get a rise out of her. But this second one. C’mon guys, you know a sly asshole troll when you see one in action.)

Encinia: I don't know, you seem very really irritated.

Bland: I am. I really am. I feel like it's crap what I'm getting a ticket for. I was getting out of your way. You were speeding up, tailing me, so I move over and you stop me. So yeah, I am a little irritated, but that doesn’t stop you from giving me a ticket, so [inaudible] ticket.

Hey, I don’t know, posters who somehow think Bland wasn't the victim here, you seem really irritated.

Again, all who seem blind this and wish to place the main blame on the now dead Sandra Bland, please take note that the very worst word she used was “crap.” Now, that’s a paddling!

TROLL ATTEMPT NUMBER THREE:

(Having not (yet) deliberately provoked this young woman into crossing the line so he can fuck with her futher, he goes full troll. Never go full troll, it’s too obvious . . . unless, of course, you are one of the many apologist/denial posters here.)

Encinia: Are you done?

Bland: You asked me what was wrong, now I told you.

Encinia: OK.

Bland: So now I'm done, yeah.

Now she's done, give her the goddamn ticket to sign, troll! But no, the bully won't stop until he's found a troll excuse to get at her:

TROLL ATTEMPT NUMBER FOUR, SUCCESS!

Encinia: You mind putting out your cigarette, please? If you don't mind?

Bland: I'm in my car, why do I have to put out my cigarette?

Encinia: Well you can step on out now.

Still want to focus on blaming Sandra Bland? Then note that when she exits the car, he illegally orders her to stop filming the encounter and to put her phone down, and she complies!!



Yeah, what bullshit troll provocation would Bully Boy Trooper Encina have come up with next?

Thank you for taking the time to break down and quote this portion.

Also, any officer who has to ask why an alone black woman might be irritated or nervous about being pulled over is a fucking idiot not smart enough to wear a badge.

A little human empathy and understanding could have completely changed this and he still could have issued the ticket.

Simply issuing a ticket wasn't this officers goal however.

 

[Vic]

So he had no right under the law to ask her to step out of the car? Is that what you're saying?

Cop haters like yourself think like teenagers. A civil society must be one based in the rule of law. That means that laws are to be obeyed and if not that there will be consequences. You argue on an emotional level. That doesn't cut it. The law is in place to take the emotion out of it. Do X and Y happens. Plain and simple in a nation based on the rule of law.

Your second guessing of the motives of the cop are laughable. There is no viable argument to be made in that regard. How you feel it should have shaken out is worthless. You weren't there. You heard her words and ascribed them to the cop. You did not see her actions. The cop approached her car in a very calm and respectful manner and she first gave him an attitude and then she gave him some lip and then she decided she was going to do what she damned well pleased. She had choices and she made the wrong one. Her choice and don't think for one second she didn't have a choice.

If you fuck with the bull you get the horns. In any given situation it's important to know who's the bull.

Once again, a member of the self-professed small government crowd tells us that we must comply with government officials or die.

 

[davmat787]

Once again, a member of the self-professed small government crowd tells us that we must comply with government officials or die.

I'm a member of the small government crowd and have a much different view of the situation as my comments show.

I know your more interested in taking cheap shots at those you demonize for having different opinions, but everyday more people from all over the political spectrum are becoming aware of and concerned with the abuses by law enforcement.

 

[Vic]

I'm a member of the small government crowd and have a much different view of the situation as my comments show.

I know your more interested in taking cheap shots at those you demonize for having different opinions, but everyday more people from all over the political spectrum are becoming aware of and concerned with the abuses by law enforcement.

I appreciate what your awareness, but have to ask, are you new here or something? I have long supported libertarian causes, and have likewise been scornful of the fear-based fascist hypocrites who claim to believe in small government just because they don't like paying taxes.

 

[boomerang]

Once again, a member of the self-professed small government crowd tells us that we must comply with government officials or die.

Vic, if you like anarchy, you may yet get to see if before you leave this earth.

Being for small government does not mean embracing that people get to ignore the law. I didn't say anything about complying or dying Vic. You're drawing conclusions based on your progressive ideology. You think you're a libertarian but your posting history shows you to be progressive through and through. I've said this before, I thought you were smarter than you evidently are.

 

[davmat787]

I'm a member of the small government crowd and have a much different view of the situation as my comments show.

I know your more interested in taking cheap shots at those you demonize for having different opinions, but everyday more people from all over the political spectrum are becoming aware of and concerned with the abuses by law enforcement.

I owe you an apology Vic! When I wrote my reply, for some reason I thought it was authored by someone else. My mistake completely, sorry for any offense I caused.

 

[Vic]

Vic, if you like anarchy, you may yet get to see if before you leave this earth.

Being for small government does not mean embracing that people get to ignore the law. I didn't say anything about complying or dying Vic. You're drawing conclusions based on your progressive ideology. You think you're a libertarian but your posting history shows you to be progressive through and through. I've said this before, I thought you were smarter than you evidently are.

While citizens have a duty to obey the law, they are not required to be servile to legal authorities.
In this case, the individual who ignored the law was the police officer. His duty was to protect and serve, but he chose to harass and intimidate, seemingly for the sake of his own ego. You appear to support his actions, and she did in fact die, hence 'comply or die.'

The confusion you have is that your fear drives you to believe that liberty should be limited to only yourself and those like you, and that freedom for others different from you is somehow a restriction on your own freedom. Unfortunately, such an ideology only leads to tyranny and oppression, as government divides us and subjugates us one by one.
So if it's 'progressive' to you to recognize that rights are universal, that liberty must apply to all so that we are all free, and that to support injustice anywhere is to support it everywhere, then so be it. That's your problem, not mine.

 

[Vic]

I owe you an apology Vic! When I wrote my reply, for some reason I thought it was authored by someone else. My mistake completely, sorry for any offense I caused.

No worries. Maybe I should speak up more against some of what the leftists say here, but OTOH, I don't see them supporting the government when it commits an extrajudicial execution of a citizen.

 

[Jaskalas]

His duty was to protect and serve, but he chose to harass and intimidate...

No argument there...

But to what degree should he, or other officers, be held accountable for her suicide?

 

[Vic]

No argument there...

But to what degree should he, or other officers, be held accountable for her suicide?

Hopefully that will be discovered during the investigation. Even if there was no foul play in her death, jailers are generally responsible for their prisoners' welfare, including preventing a possible suicide if that was, or should have been, known to be a concern.

 

[emperus]

Vic, if you like anarchy, you may yet get to see if before you leave this earth.

Being for small government does not mean embracing that people get to ignore the law. I didn't say anything about complying or dying Vic. You're drawing conclusions based on your progressive ideology. You think you're a libertarian but your posting history shows you to be progressive through and through. I've said this before, I thought you were smarter than you evidently are.

Lol. You can't even rationalize what it is to be for small government. You literally have a cop arresting someone for being disrespectful. How much government does this take to incarcerate this one woman whose crime was changing a lane and not being deferential enough to a cop on a power trip. Again, how much government does that take?

You don't have any guiding principles. You go from one issue to the next trying to figure out what you think you should be for based on what others are for. I truly feel sorry for you.

 

[Pipeline 1010]

I've interacted with nice police, and interacted on rare instances (once) with a cop who was an asshole on a power trip. It's NOT okay for cops to be assholes to the general public. However, if you have half a brain, you would realize that if the cop is an asshole, and you're an asshole back to the cop, it's going to be a bad day for YOU.

OK so we agree that there is a problem with power tripping cops. Where should we place the blame? Should we place it on the civilian who isn't subservient enough or should we start blaming it on the asshole cop? Should the cop suffer negative consequences for being an asshole or should we just say "anyone with half a brain should suck the cop's ball's because cop"? My position is that the asshole cop should face being fired and criminally prosecuted and civilly sued the same way as any of us would be if we were being violent assholes to someone else.

 

[xBiffx]

Still waiting for the trooper to be charged for his so called illegal power trip as stated in the OP. Guess I'll be waiting a while.

Oh and, it looks like the suicide was just that. Darn conspiracy theorists, you almost had another one.

 

[werepossum]

Does this apply to the cop too, or is the cop above your lessons because those are for mere mortals and aren't for God-cops.

How about especially cops shouldn't be an asshole to people? That seems like the direction where the "especially" should apply. When a cop initiates contact with people, they do so as part of their profession. They are being paid for it and they are doing their job. I can't be an asshole on the job or else I get fired. You seem to be cool with the cop being an asshole on the job and the person he is being an asshole to has to sit there and just take it. Hopefully I misunderstand you, because according to my understanding, you seem to be attempting to paint yourself as a colossal douche.

Not this time. The cop started the assholery. So why even bring up all those other tales, which are about people not named Sandra Bland and who did things that she didn't do?

I guess this is true unless you are a cop being an asshole? Cops being assholes = totally legit. Cops being assholes should expect POSITIVE experiences with other people. Gotcha.

Either way you don't have a very good chance of getting satisfaction, because the system is so strongly tilted in the favor of cops that you are more likely to be harassed when filing a complaint than you are to ever see the cop punished in any meaningful way. Even when successfully suing the cop, that cop will never have to pay a dime...only the taxpayers. What the fuck is he supposed to learn from that? How will he feel punished if the person receiving the punishment is his whipping boy (the taxpayer)? Hell, there is a recent story of a cop in IA being fired for finding another cop to be in violation of some rule or the other. THIS is where you see justice being done? In snitching on a cop to his drinking buddies? And expecting them to say something like "well, this guy IS a part of the thin blue line, I WAS in his wedding, we DO back each-other up, and we're like BFFs, but what the hell...what he did was WRONG so I'll recommend he goes to jail"? You entertain strong delusions.

It definitely applies to the cop too, but with one huge difference: The cop is going to go home 9 times out of 10. This is NOT a delusion. The idea that the world will accommodate your assholery without consequences IS a delusion.

Badges grant extra Rights?

Have you ever pondered on how these things could be resolved in a non-violent manner? If so, what do you think the scenario would look like?

If you haven't thought about this I'd encourage you to do so.

Yes, badges grant extra rights. Is that even in dispute? The cop is there as the representative of Government; you and he are NOT on equal footing.

Most people, probably 99% of people, actually are smart enough to know these lessons.
It's the handful of crawlspace trolls in this thread who pretend not to get it.

There are hundreds of videos on youtube of people trolling cops and getting away with it.
It happens constantly. You've just got to be smart enough to know where the line is, and if you do happen to cross that line, you've got to be emotionally stable enough not to kill yourself if you get yourself arrested due to your own assholery. Sandra Bland was neither smart enough, nor emotionally stable enough to perform either of these relatively simple tasks. She certainly should have just STFU, gotten her verbal warning, and proceeded on with her day. If her experience can save the life of just one future pea brain, then I guess she will have not died in vain.

Agreed, most people are smart enough to know this.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Saw on the news this morning that Quanell X (NBPP Houston) and maybe 25 - 30 protesters were calling for Officer Encinia to charged. The protest was held outside of the apartment or condominium complex where Officer Encinia lives.

http://www.khou.com/story/news/loca...-gather-outside-state-troopers-home/30717825/

Protesters gather outside State Trooper's home

Based on what all the reports I've seen the legal analysts are saying that the Officer Encinia didn't violate any laws nor did his actions violate the rights of Sandra Bland. A friend who is a Texas State Trooper said that unless Officer Encinia has had prior violation of policy he will receive remedial training on the State Police courtesy policy and be returned to duty shortly there after. As part of the remedial training he will be informed any further violations of policy can result in him being terminated.

 

[werepossum]

Does the nearly hour long video from the officers dashcam include footage of her supposed infraction, the reason she was pulled over?

She was saying that the officer was tailgating her, so she moved to the right lane, albeit without using a turn signal. If all that is true, and you couple that with the officer asking her what she is upset for, demanding she put her smoke out, and further escalating the situation by demanding she get out with threats of violence including lighting her up.... It seems apparent that this officer was doing anything but deescalating the situation and even purposely agitating her.

Above all it seems a significant amount of officers put absolute obedience when interacting with the public above all else and their sworn duties.

People say she could have handled it better via absolute obedience but the officer is supposed to be the professional here. If his ego would have allowed even a bit of humility and humanity she would still be alive.

There was no reason to demand she exit the vehicle and his waffling on supposed charges is very telling as well.

One very, very good reason to signal when someone is fast coming up behind you is that they may well switch lanes to go around you. Also, one duty of cops is to identify people who are acting nervous or agitated, as the reason may well be something endangering life or property.

my problem with cops is they seem to escalate situations instead of trying to deescalate them. coming in and trying to deescalate would not put them in a position of less power either. it's not saying come with defenses down.

I guess the problem then is they wouldn't get as many arrest. shrug.

I think on a larger level, this does point to a major weakness in how we recruit and train cops. We look for those willing to assert dominance over any situation, willing to charge toward the sound of gunfire. What we miss is that this attitude does cause some situations to escalate that would not otherwise do so. A cop definitely needs more than one arrow in his quiver, but far too often they see all situations as nails and themselves as hammers.

I've interacted with nice police, and interacted on rare instances (once) with a cop who was an asshole on a power trip. It's NOT okay for cops to be assholes to the general public. However, if you have half a brain, you would realize that if the cop is an asshole, and you're an asshole back to the cop, it's going to be a bad day for YOU.

This, exactly. I've had dealings with a couple cops completely unsuited temperamentally to be entrusted with power. Had I not kept my head and started giving them attitude back, I would have gone to jail, and the judge's starting assumption would be that I deserved it. You are NOT on equal footing with the cop, and smart people realize this and act accordingly.

 

[TheSlamma]

It doesn't matter whether you feel he escalated the issue, he gave a lawful order that is 100% legal and must be followed.........period.

Just imagine how different things would have been had she put out her cigarette, bit her lip, took her warning ticket with whatever lecture may have occurred, and been on her way. Around here receiving a warning ticket occurs more often than receiving a traffic violation ticket.

He asked her a question, she answered it and he didn't like her answer. He then got his panties in a bunch and escalated the situation.

You guys keep dwelling on the portion after the escalation and not understanding the preventative portion.

 

[BoberFett]

So those of you who believe that might makes right, would you support armed citizens executing cops on sight?

I mean, you fuck with the bull, you get the the horns. Right? There are 100 million armed Americans. By your rationale, cops should expect to get shot.

Cops are only the bull because we let them act that way. That could change in an instant if the public got fed up with cops.

 

[xBiffx]

He asked her a question, she answered it and he didn't like her answer. He then got his panties in a bunch and escalated the situation.

You guys keep dwelling on the portion after the escalation and not understanding the preventative portion.

So cops shouldn't ask questions because it might escalate into someone going off?

Who is dwelling on the portion after the escalation again? If the subsequent arrest doesn't matter, why all the discussion?

 

[desy]

The police are supposed to be the professional ones in this case.
She may have been having a bad day already made worse by being pulled over.
The officer is supposed to be situational aware, now certainly being polite is rule #1 when dealing with the police, however he needed to be better.