Oh, and for the record, Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle strongly disagrees with those of you defending the officer. And not in the standard "I guess I have to fire this guy because of the public outrage and media coverage" language, either.
Dallas - Unfair Park - DPD Chief David Kunkle Expresses His Embarrassment Over Ryan Moats Incident
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At times throughout the 20-minute conference, Kunkle seemed to struggle to eloquently express his feelings; he often bowed his head to read from prepared notes. "It's hard to find the right words and still be professional as a police chief," he said.
Kunkle lauded Moats, who did not make it to the hospital room to see his mother-in-law before she died, and his wife for their "extraordinary patience and restraint," as is apparent on the raw video provided by the DPD and available after the jump. Kunkle pointed out that Moats never identified himself as an NFL player or expected special treatment.
The incident was not reported to the chief until almost a week after the incident; the reason for the delay is also being investigated.
Kunkle said it was his understanding that the officer drew his gun. But, he said, since that's not on the video, he can't confirm such reports.
Kunkle stated that while state law gives police officers tremendous discretion in making arrests, officers are also taught to use "common sense." Kunkle said he was most bothered that the officer was "berating" Moats with threats of arrest.
Said the chief, "We don't want arrests to occur because someone made a police officer mad."
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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...D975T9G82.html
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Kunkle said the department is "embarrassed and disappointed."
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Caught on tape: Cop stops NFL player from seeing his dying mother-in-law in Dallas - 3/27/09 - Los Angeles-Southern California-LA Breaking News, Weather, Traffic, Sports - abc7.com
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"When we at the command staff reviewed the tape, we were embarrassed, disappointed," Kunkle said. "It's hard to find the right word and still be professional in my role as the police chief. But the behavior was not appropriate."
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Police Chiefs don't use language like this when they're just putting out the flames. Kunkle is pissed, and he has more information on what happened than any of us.