This cop is the guy that gives all cops a bad name. He should be canned. Period!!!!!!!!

Rick Metz

I have seen many police officers like this. Instead of being "nice" and talking to people in a professional manner, they are ego driven and bark orders to others. I found talking to people nicely and asking them to move on, was much more respected then the way this officer came across. Obviously he thinks because he carries a badge and gun, he has the right to push others. I understand traffic "rubber necker's" and the problems by on lookers. But their is still a nice way to communicate without seeming like a ego driven "asshole". I think if the reporter was spoken to more professionally, then this, there would never have been a problem. This was a total over reaction by this ego driven so called "office"?r. I think re-training in public communication would benefit this guy.

Rick,
usually you provide a very fair and balanced program... but not when it comes to this story about the reporter who was abused by the police.. what happened to the reporter is exactly what is happening on the streets everyday by this out of control , aggressive , cops, many of whom are AMPED on steriods ( which begs the question of why they are not all tested for steriod each month, just like they want to test kids for smoking pot) the job goes to their heads and they think they have all power over us and they should be treated with awe and their every word is an edict to be followed without question and they are wrong ! and you are wrong for saying on air that we have to obey there every order.. thats simpley not correct.. we are free citizens in a free society and we have every right to question the orders of the police just as we do goverment officals.. we are not sheep and the Gestopo does not run this country.

Rick,
I watched your piece on the over aggressive officer and i was appalled about how you and others went about discussing it. I believe you were looking at it with a biased view , due to the fact that you are a reporter and reporters stick together like the police , firefighters and other groups do. You all seemed to focus on the aggressiveness of the officer and favored the reporter and i didn't see him as overly aggressive. every officer i have known or dealt with acts almost as this officer did. Second we do not know the reasons for the officers actions or nobody chooses to report them. To me the reporter looked like he parked his car on a busy road to make the report. This placed him in a dangerous position and a dangerous position for others driving past him. i have never known any reporter to do so. all reporters i know park away from the scene and off the road as not to create a safety hazard for others which this reporter did. If there were another accident whether it were major or a fender bender with the reporters car because someone did not see that he was stopped what would we be focusing on in your show then? would you be saying the officer should have told the reporter to leave and did not do enough to prevent the secondary accident? I think you would just as every other new reporter would. when told to go he should have gone to a different location to report. Third, it is the duties of any officer to be accountable for the safety of all within his limited area at all times. That's his job and on a busy highway trying to do this and protect the scene while trying to let the rest of the world continue on with the least impact seems to me to be a large task. All officers are also responsible to the sensitivity of what is going on. If there was a body there or things that someone could identify the victim by the body or truck markings or by any other means before families were notified properly by the police or other agency's but saw it on the news first is just plain wrong and insensitive by that news agency. I would never consider news first as the more important to know over the expense of any others person in any condition or way as important and a need to know. Thanks for letting me vent, and i apologize for the spelling or grammar its hard to type with a migraine. Steve

This makes me Sick!! This COP is way out of line. He has taken his Authority to far. FIRE HIM!!!!

I think they both went too far. The reporter should have left. He didn't have to keep talking or trying to be there.

And the cop... it just seemed like he lost his temper and arrested him because of that. He was angry and needed to take it out on someone. Once the reporter said, "Ok, I'll go." The cop should have then allowed him to go. And imo, he was a little rough there at the end - I didn't know cops were allowed to rough you up just because they're cops, ya know?

rick, what i saw in 30 second film you showed the cop jumped the fence interfered with the reporter (who was lucky to be at the right place at the right time)doing his job in a public place all the while there are other spectators out of their cars watching (don't say dangerous materials possibility) also who is the guy in military outfit running towards the truck what is the cop worried about MAYBE IT WAS A TRUCK FILLED WITH DRUGS

Rick,
This new reporter was looking for a confrontation.........there's a reason police expect and demand your attention. This reporter had the camera primed and ready to film. If you think the police office was overzealous, remember, he has the gun.

The cameraman should have hit the reporter over the head w/ a billy club at the mere suggestion of this potential news opportunity.

I support the law enforcement community fully.......if you don't like police, the next time you need help, call a drug dealer.

I got a wmv clip from a friend that has to make you smile out loud! 'End of civilization...what if'

How do I send it?

Although the cop was a little aggressive, this guy should have listened to the cop the first time. I'm like almost alot of people who dislike cops. However, you should always listen to a cop regardless of if it's the right choice or not, that can always be disputed later.

You can see in this guy's face that he was intentionally doing this to further frustrate the cop. The cop had to be strict with what he was doing or else this guy would have stepped over the cop.

Our local news (KVIA) also found out that a nurse (shown in green scrubs on the video) was also going to try and help the victims but was told by the same officer (Sgt. Raul Ramirez) to leave. The news crew was trying to shine a spotlight on soldiers that first arrived on the scene and were helping the victims of the accident. Darren Hunt (the reporter) and Ric DuPont (the cameraman) were trying to show how there are still heroes in our midst. Needless to say, because of the actions of this police officer, we do not get to hear the wonderful story about these soldiers' kind hearts and the other good samaritans that tried to help (such as the nurse on the scene). I am a health professional and we were always told that if we are on the scene of an accident or there is someone in need of medical attention, we are obligated to do our best to try and help, and the nurse that was turned away was not able to do so.

Wow....Who's the bad guy?? THE COP! Had the journalist been a minority and the cop white this would be moot question. Of course the cop. But since the cop happens to be Hispanic, it must be the evil white guys fault...Gimme a break. THE COP RICK! Dumbass...

Rick, Being a minority you learn fast. Never take your hands off the hood unless you're looking for a good beat down!

Was it the reporter's right to be there filming? If so, the cop was abusing his power and it looked as though he had something to hide, maybe some illegal substances that he possibly turns his head on for some cash? If it wasn't the right of the reporter to be there filming then he should have packed up and left immediately. Come on Rick! let me know the circumstances of the situations before you ask me questions like this. It's not that difficult, what does the constitution have to say about this?

For myself, I wouldn't believe Nancy Pelosi, if she told me that Water Was Wet!
Nick. N.
Pasadena. CA.

People do not torture animals because they are innocent creatures and not planning to eminently kill thousands of innocent American people, including my little girl. Dah!
To compare water boarding, sleep depravation, loud noise, rooms with fussy little caterpillars and other fraternity pranks with the horrors by the Nazis prosecuted at the Nuhenburg (SP?) trials is beyond ludicrous. By the way, our Special Forces personnel undergo water boarding during their training. Were they tortured and are they now not extremely efficient? Nuts!

Policemen are no longer on the side of the good people in the community. All of this is a sign of an emerging police state. The affluent live in gated communities with private police. The affluent have at their beck and call lawyers on retainer with well finaqnced political contacts.

Ordinary people face policemen who tell you that they are giving you an order. They feel that they have the right to order anyone around that they want to. Its "Dirty Harry" all day every day.

If a person has a problem why would they ever call a policeman? Now they have gtwo problems. They have the original problem and the policeman.

This guy is exactly typical for a Texas policeman. As time goes on I',m beginning to believe that the police hate people. I'm beginning to believe that every policeman should face election in the area he patrols.

I draw this conclusion from my own experiences with county sheriff departments. In small counties these guys have to get to know the voters. Our police are too far away from the voter. They actually think that they command the public when in a democracy it is just the opposite. I suspect that that is why republicans say that this is not a democracy but rather a republic. Deep down they support a police state.

I really didn't like CNN's willingness to side with the "police". There was a time when I trusted CNN. I have moved away from CNN to the internet, the comedy channel, educational TV, and very spottily MSNBC.

Ric

You as a reporter should be ashamed for defending the police officers actions against the reporter. You might want to do some actual investigative reporting and see the whole video. The cop had just showed up on the scene when you see him jump the fence and tell Darren & ric to leave. Darren does tell him they have a right to be there as he is walking towards their vehicle, when the officer rushes him and pulls on his pants. The officer like I stated had just arrived on the scene & he did not stop to assist the injured driver and he also asked the nurse (seen in green scrubs) to leave. The nurse also complained to the police department that the officer made him leave when he was trying to assist the injured driver before the EMT's arrived. You can also clearly see the officer pushing the camera man repeatedly after he handcuffed him by looking at the shadows. If you also view the video there are several cars of civilians pulled over yet the cop targeted the media only. This cop was out of control and the media has the right to report. They were not hindering the investigation in anyway, and they were not charged with anything. Why? Because they did nothing wrong!

The officer was obviously in the right. The reporter was causing a hazard at the scene of an accident. The reporter should be fined or imprisoned or both.

This officer has a temper and should be given a desk job so he does not kill someone.

Rick:

After viewing the CNN video & going to the web site of ABC-7's KIVA & viewing their mateial, it was very clear to me the the question of who was in the wrong was in fact the EPPD officer.

The police have a motto of 'To Protect & Serve', this is more or less a case of to intimidate & bully. Police are getting bad raps on police officers like this one who go too far and abuse their authority to try to protect the public.

The reporter and cameraman on the scene of the accident did NOT interferre with the police or anyone involved with the accident but was trying to get a news story & report on potential heros helping at the scene (according to the KVIA website).

I believe that the officer NEEDS to be investigated for the issue, and when the truth comes out, the officer should:

be suspended without pay for his actions,
go through anger management for his actions,
be given and ordered to sign a written final warning by the Chief of Police, the officers' union, and the Mayor of El Paso all together as to tell this guy this kind of behavior will NOT continue in any way, shape, and/or form,
AND be told that if there is any further outbreaks of this kind of behavior – he will not only be terminated but will be prosecuted under any forms of disrespect to the badge...

We NEED police to get agressive on crime – but this is way out of line...

It is very sad to see this police to humiliate a citizen.This is not the first case in Texas ; I saw the situation some days ago with the athlete of the NFL. Dear Rick , please I beg to you to fallow this case.
I would like to know finally , What happened to this police abuser ?.
I asking to you fallow up this situation , because "news it is nothing with out a conclusion ".
By a way I love your work
Ahora en espanol:.
Yo soy cubano hermano , Yo te bendigo ; A mi me gusta ver a los cubanos con talento como tu'.
Que Dios te bendiga a ti y a tu'familia.Me siento orgulloso de ti.
Dr.Frank Jim

Sorry to most of you, but I agree with the cop in this one. He's trying to control an active scene and has to turn his back to what he's supposed to be doing to deal with the reporter and cameraman.

BTW, this is probably the first time I've seen such a clip that I thought the cop was right.

Thanks for bringing this to national attention.

Raul Ramirez arrives, orders the reporter to leave, repeats the order and, then, when the reporter is leaving, runs to stop him before he can depart, holds him by his belt, creates a major confrontation and arrests him. Raul Ramirez's actions speak for him and say he never wanted compliance but wanted what he got: anger, physical confrontation and arrests. After that, he assaults the camera operator and arrests him. Wow. This started as a simple case of illegally stopping on a freeway/interstate. Ramirez turns it into a nationally televised incident and embarassment to El Paso and the State of Texas.

Do you think maybe Raul Ramirez has control and other psychological issues? How did Ramirez get to 18 years on the force and become a seargeant and supervisor with a long record (12 documented incidents) of this behavior? How did he pass the psych exams like this? Ramirez's behavior is the same kind of behavior used with throw-down guns and drugs to create an arrest. Is Ramirez doing that kind of stuff too? What else is Ramirez doing we don't know about yet? What's wrong with the police chief and his department captains and lieutenants that encourages ilk like Ramirez get such long tenure, promotions and supervisory positions?

Chief Allen believes that citizen oversight being proposed as a result of this incident will make his officers too paranoid to effectively do their work. Well, Chief Allen, maybe if you, your captains and your lieutenants had competently done your jobs for 18 years and managed ilk like Raul Ramirez out of the department, you wouldn't have citizens wanting oversight. Citizens wanting oversight and officers paranoid of it is strong evidence that your department is alienated from your community. Hardly a recipe for an effective police department. This kind of problem starts at the top and maybe Chief Allen, with problems like this, you were not cut out for being a police chief. Maybe El Paso needs new personnel starting with the chief, captains and lieutenants.

In the meantime, cite and prosecute the reporter for his traffic offense. Officers with the Ramirez's behavior should have never gotten past the first year of duty. Fire him. Then do us all a favor and clean up your department. Either that or resign and let someone have the job who can.

Darren Hunt is an idiot. He has had a "good relationship" with the police apparently only when they let him do exactly as he chooses. What experience and training does he have to override a police officer attempting to contain an accident scene? When he was ordered to leave, he should have left, period. The officer saw the camera, and the microphone, and I'm sure weighed whether they could safely report, and decided they could not.

After refusing that order, and the next, and the next, he deserved to be handcuffed and taken to jail, as did his cameraman. "He can shoot if he wants to"? Uh, no he can't. "I'm not doing anything"? Except refusing to leave under repeated police orders. "I'm not resisting", except by withdrawing your hands from being handcuffed after being told you were under arrest.

The cameraman says "I can get in the truck and pick him up", and is given the go ahead from the officer, but instead he just continues to record, until the officer finally turns towards him. Uh, sorry, too late. Your butt should have be in the truck already as ordered, as you said you would, but did not. I am all for investigating and stopping police brutality, but this does not in any way fall in that category.

For clearly resisting arrest, the officer would have been justified in far harsher treatment of the idiot Instead, this incident shows the absolute gall and arrogance of news crews that somehow think they are above all rules because they "are just doing their job". Bull. In this case, they were a safety hazard, totally disregarded a police officer and distracted him from doing his job to deal with them. Grow up and get a clue.

To comment on a few of the ridiculous posts here spouting about other garbage, I don't really care if this cop had other complaints, nothing I saw in this video was out of hand. Whining about the marks the cuffs made is laughable. If the reporter had asked if there was some other point he could report from, he might have gotten an answer, but to boldly ignore a direct order to leave is stupid. The police do not have time to hold your hand and coddle you in every situation.

And you have no idea what happened before the video started. How many more times were they ordered to leave? That there may have been other people who were told to leave or not has no bearing on this. An accident on a busy highway is a VERY dangerous and constantly changing scene. Ignorant and arrogant news reporters should not add to the problem. Tell you what, next time there is a nuclear accident or terrible explosion, fire, flood or earthquake, make sure you are in the middle of that to get the "inside" story.

Overzealous police officers have been around a long time.

Three drunk men came to "MY" house back in the early 90's. They were threatening to assault me because of my step daughter and one of the assailants daughters having a confrontation earlier that day.

While being threatened, a Whitehall cruiser was passing by, he looked over at the crowed and continued on. I yelled for help and he still continued on. Not wanting to engage in the confrontation I screamed, "HEY... get back here"!

He did come back... but did not ask what was going on, just who yelled at him. When I said I needed some help because, I did not get to say anything further. He told everyone to go home, grabbed me threw me against a tree cuffed me and jerked on the cuffs causing me to trip and dragged me to the cruiser.

I was cleared because of eye and character witnesses. I have never drank, smoked or did any illegal drugs...

I moved out of that city very soon afterward that.

Officers like him should loose their jobs!

I second the comment about the ego, cops think just because they have a badge they can't be challenged. How about making them pay with jobs where is the accountability. Being a Latino in the state of Ohio I have experience this.

Good for the cop. The press most times goes too far and this is a great example of how they should all be treated.

Always obey a police officers command and there will be no problems. Officers always remain calm and in control of your emotions applying commen sense and good judgement wich you are supposed to be a professional at doing and there will be no problems

Serve and protect? More like harass and instill fear...

Rick, Yes there are cops that have ego/anger issues – they are not perfect. I sure do not want to face the tragedy and degradation that they face every day-every day.

How about some respect for the crap that law enforcement officers deal with on our behalves? Armchair quarterbacks are busy judging right and wrong from the safety of their homes – pretty hypocritical, don't you think-really now.

You know you'd expect the scumbags of the planet to give the cops a hard time and we'd all be cheering if he came down on some lowlife imposing him or herself onto a caotic and dangerous traffic accident with possible injuries needing immediate attention. These supposedly law biding citizens acted like they were entitled to ignore the officer and proceeded to antagonize him by malingering and behaving disrespectfully. The "whad I do?" guy was playing to the camera the whole time making a mockery of law and order. You know – law and order – the very thing that they are the first to complain in editorials and sensationalism that is missing in our world today.

Thanks for continuing the postings.

The video and some of the comments may show that Sgt Raul Ramirez has gotten some interesting experience and expertise in his 18 years in El Paso's Police Department. In this video, is he demonstrating that he can create a resonably effective deception? I wonder if he did this to create perceptions in witnesses to use later in court? I've heard other police from elsewhere describe how they do it and even brag about it. If there is a deception here, this video is immune.

Just listening to the sound, especially what Sgt Raul Ramirez shouted, one might conclude that the reporter refused to obey the order to move and resisted arrest. However, watching the video closely shows that Sgt Raul Ramirez did not allow the reporter or camera operator to comply with his verbal orders.

Sgt Raul Ramirez ordered the reporter to move several times. On the second order, the reporter tried to comply and went to his truck to move. Sgt Raul Ramirez ran to catch up to him and stopped him from moving. Sgt Raul Ramirez then repeated his orders to get into the truck and move. But, when the reporter asked him to let go so he could, Sgt Raul Ramirez didn't. Then, Sgt Raul Ramirez kept holding the belt and shouted things at the reporter that made the reporter look like he was refusing to move. Sgt Raul Ramirez pulled the reporter away from the truck, then pushed him back into the truck while he shouted at the reporter to not touch the truck. This made it look like the reporter was resisting arrest. The reporter couldn't move and couldn't keep from touching the truck because Sgt Raul Ramirez never allowed him to comply with the shouted verbal orders.

Sgt Raul Ramirez followed that with a more violent and abbreviated version with the camera operator. The camera operator continually moved towards the truck door to move during the reporters arrest. The camera operator could not reasonably comply with the order until Sgt Raul Ramirez finished taking the reporter into custody, had him off the front and hood of the truck. The camera operator also needed to recover the microphone on the truck hood before moving and tried to tell Sgt Raul Ramirez all this at least twice. When the camera operator had a resonable opportunity to get the mic and move the truck, Sgt Raul Ramirez violently arrested him.

College and NFL football players do this kind of thing all the time to create fouls from thin air. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they don't. Ok, it's not right, but it's only a game. When police do this, it's not a game. It's a life, reputation, huge defense expense and maybe a criminal conviction and jail or fines. If Sgt Raul Ramirez tried to be deceptive, his 18 years experience didn't work with the video record. One really has to ask if this is the kind of thing El Paso wants going on in its police department.

The cop is in the wrong.
More and more cops are ego driven and this is not limited to one state.
We can't torture terrorists but our police can get away with anything.
I am not found of what the US is becoming in many a aspect.
But we all know if we stand up for our rights we will be locked up so what rights do we have ?

Can you say abuse of power by the police! This guys a complete moron, he knows he is being taped but yet continues to be abusive to the reporter. What ever happenend to protect and seeve? Forget the desk job, they shoud have sent the offiicer for fitness for duty and administir a drug test. Thuis guy has to be on crack...

police need more training on how to judge people. to many cowboys out on the streets.

The police officer was attempting to secure a crime sceen. The reporter and cameraman were given several chances to clear the area so the officer could do his job unhindered. They refused and were arrested. What is the issue? The officer did his job and even though the reporter was trying to do his...ummm the police officers job comes first. Duh!

Please tell CNN news to stop using the word BULL. It is vulgar, offenseive, and detracts from the professional demeanor that I assume CNN wishes to portray. Moreover, it detracts from the beauty of our English language and lets young people feel that the use of such slang is acceptable. It is not "cutsey."

Does the Bill of Rights exist anymore? I think police officers should be required to take refresher courses on the U.S. Constitution, in this case the First Amendment. I'm from Chicago so abuse of police powers is nothing new. It happens here all the time. I think our new Attorney General should be focusing more resources on protecting our civil liberties, considering how worn away they were by our last President.

Rick,

Both were out of line in my opinion. The reporter should be thankful he wasn't in another Texas town for he might have had all of his money, camera equipment, and anything else stolen by the police force.

thank GOD he dint call for backup. becouse, that reporter almost got hert. i cant believe that cop has a gun. that is crazy.

Last Monday I was visiting my girlfriend who lives in Santa Ynez and works in Goleta (both ends of the San Marcos Pass).

Driving through the pass there was a homeowners sign from past fires that read "FIRE FIGHTERS...YOU ROCK!!!" Almost like an "omen" with the serious fires burning the pass right now.

VERY SAD.

everytime I have tuned into CNN this week the "Shakedown Street in Texas " story has been running. It was interesting the first time, but enough is enough. I have never seen you run the same story so many times in the past. Slow news week?

We, the people of el Paso, are so tired of police officers who do not show fine department ethics anymore, all they do is terrorize citizens, barking orders in the most brutal and uneducated manner, enough is enough, I think the chief of the department should show that he can take action, an at least try to put and end to all this nonsense and brutal actions. He needs to clean house pronto.

The officer did not handle things in a professional manner, but the news crew were interferring with the scene. As a medic, I have had news crews go both ways. Some were very helpful, and others just got in the way.