Feed: Cop Stepped Over Line - AggScore: 12.9

Cop Stepped Over Line

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Being a Pastor of Senior Citizens, I was appalled to read a letter to the editor of The Contra Costa Times yesterday 12711. A senior citizen, Christine Wasserbauer of Concord was hurrying home having just exited a bus and crossed in the center of the street after seeing there was no traffic. The street was clear and she proceeded. She had to urgently get to the bathroom due to medications she has to take.A motorcycle cop, roared into the scene, stopped the woman and lectured her. She explained the situation. Instead of letting her get home, the officer continued to hold her and wrote out a 136. ticket for jaywalking. Meanwhile, the woman soiled herself, which is extremely degrading and dehumanizing to senior citizens. This thoughtless cop delayed her in order to bring in extra cash for his city government. This woman was not doing anything that endangered the community like DUI. She was trying to get home as quickly as possible and made certain the street was clear before crossing. Again, she had a medical issue. And she was fined 136.00!This is outrageous. With her limited income, which is being cut further by politicians who have used the money paid in for social security for their own agendas, how can she be expected to fork over that kind of money This cop stepped over the line.Let me be clear that I am a friend of police officers and served as a volunteer police chaplain in New York for several years. But these governments who have run out of money due to their own mismanagement have turned our cops into armed bandits in order to make up their budget shortfalls by sticking it to the citizens via traffic tickets with stiff fines.The actions of this cop is entirely unacceptable. I am calling for an investigation and ask that all police officers be a little more sensitive and compassionate toward noncriminals, especially to senior citizens whose lives are already difficult. Ms. Wasserbauers ticket must be cancelled immediately and an apology from that motorcycle cop is in order.Rev. Miles is pastor of senior citizens at Mountain View Christian Center in Oakley, California.