Police Officer Charged With DUI After Crash Involving Cruiser -...

Your statement: "Guess what...20 years ago this never would have happened..."

DISTEL WAS HIRED JANUARY 14, 2002. LESS THAN 7 YEARS AGO. HARDLY A "VETERAN OFFICER".

Your statement: "We would have caught this problem before it became one...."

YES, IN THE BACKGROUND CHECK. IF THIS IS A NEW PROBLEM DEALING WITH THE STRESS OF THE JOB, THEN HOW IS THAT MY FAULT FOR NOT HELPING DISTEL???

Your statement: "your address listed as Montgomery Village....Always nice to send posts from a County Police Computer in the 6th District Station...I bet Alan would love to hear about that"

OH, SO NOW YOU'RE ON A FIRST NAME BASIS WITH THE COMMANDER???? YOU SHOW A LOT OF RESPECT.

ARE YOU THAT STUPID TO NOT THINK THAT I, OR ANY OTHER OFFICER MIGHT LIVE IN MONTGOMERY VILLAGE???? REALLY??

YOU TALK ABOUT WHINING AND COMPLAINING ABOUT CARS AND SUCH. DON'T YOU SEE THAT YOU'RE DOING THE SAME THING? "LETS GO RUN TO "ALAN" AND TELL HIM TO PING MY IP" LETS GO WHINE AND COMPLAIN.

YOU HYPOCRATE

"YOU MAKE ME SICK AND ASHAMED TO BE A FELLOW LEO" YOU SAID IT ABOUT YOURSELF.

HYPOCRATE HYPOCRATE HYPOCRATE GO HOME AND DRINK YOURSELF INTO A COMA, DICKOLL. YOU'LL GET CAUGHT SOMEDAY TOO. YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT SMART ENOUGHT TO GET AWAY WITH IT.

Oh yeah, "You Are Cowards":

HOW DID I SPEAK ABOUT AN ON-GOING INVESTIGATION? DISTEL'S COURT CASE WAS CLOSED BEFORE MY COMMENTS. POINT TO ANYTHING I SAID THAT ISN'T PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, OR CANNOT BE OBTAINED PUBLICALLY.

IDIOT YOU ARE. YOU KNOW, DON'T EVEN BACK ME UP...YOU'LL PROBABLY RUIN MY CRIME SCENE, THEN BLAME ME CITING THAT YOU HAVE A "LOWER ID NUMBER"

QUOTE who="Mo Co Officer"
A little off topic here because as far as I'm concerned the deal with Officer Distel is done and over.
There are several legit reasons for an officer to break traffic laws I have no problem with that, but you can not tell me that every situation is an official one and can you explain to me why a Mt Rainer marked suv regularly speeds down a residential Crofton road, or why an off duty PG County officer parks in a no parking zone to drop his kid off to school not just pull up for a sec he was parked out of the car up at the school, how about a State Trooper in a marked car in plain clothes on his cell phone ignoring the single occupant speeding vehicles in the HOV lane? I just want you to hold eachother to the same standards that we are held to. I know this may sound petty but when you see these things on a daily basis it tend to bug the hell out of you.

Mo Co Officer wrote:

<quoted text>

You're right Gary, he is "footing the bill" Would you rather have your taxes pay for an officer to sit in traffic instead of go somewhere productive or actually get there on time with some spring in his step?

IF the officer was actually responding to an event, maybe yes. As for "spring in his step", if you wear down before an eight hour shift, maybe you need to either loose fifty pounds or transfer to a desk job.

Mo Co Officer wrote:

We can either hold calls and waste YOUR taxpayer dollars or we can drive in HOV and get to the destination.

IF the MCP is spread so sparsely that it requires illegal movement in traffic (and maybe this would be a different matter if located in a rural county), then yes, the populace is safer waitng for you to transverse traffic. Just one mistake and a public members life and well being is at stake. Think of the child that one of your more fine examples ran over.

Mo Co Officer wrote:

Second, don't you think that just by mere presence of the police car in the HOV lane keeps other violators in check? I think it does. Because when I'm in it, theres always single drivers moving back to the normal lanes.

To tell you the truth, I always thought it was your attempt not to get passed up by speeding traffic. GOD knows you are not going to get out to simply write speed.

Mo Co Officer wrote:

Why don't you join up w/ a department so you can enjoy the "rights" above the law that you think we have?

That fall off the turnip truck must have caused a concussion. Of all the methods of drawing a comfortable government paycheck, a police officer would be at the bottom of my list of choices.

I think maybe you need to take some time off and rethink your position. Maybe take a long look at department policies and interaction with the public. You seem to have lost some respect here recently.

Distel was treated in the EXACT same manner as anyone else arrested and charged with DUI. Maryland courts, particularly Montgomery County (aka the Great State Of Montgomery County), is historically lenient with offenders -- civilian, police or otherwise -- no matter the offense. It is an embarassing joke to arrest anyone and go through the court system in Montgomery County. Distel got the same decision and sentence as anyone else. The issue that has been ignored here is the fact that he now faces an internal investigation. He could be suspended, given a written reprimand in his permanent file, or be required to successfully complete additional evaluation and training. And yes ... he could also be fired. His work on the home invasion/homicide cases was simply part of a team effort. Should he be recognized for his part? Yes. Should that forgive his sins? Of course not... and it won't.

As for police cars speeding, cruising the HOV lane and using lights/sirens to bust intersections ... that's a separate issue.
Sure, there is piss poor deployment of personnel in MCP. There's not enough officers assigned to patrol, some beats and districts are too large, and too many assigned to special units. There is the occasion for an unnacceptible gap in response times. Officers routinely clear intersections using lights/sirens to speed up their repsonse time to assist other officers, and yes ... it is in accordance with law. Not always in accordance with policy, but always in accordance with law. The same cannot ALWAYS be said about the HOV lane. There are far too many officers abusing the HOV lane going to court and/or returning home after court or their shift. By the way, a shift is 10 hours for an officer in patrol .. not eight.

Ah, the infamous speed cameras. The news reports as usual were inaccurate and incomplete. Officers not working or responding in an official capacity are required to pay their fines just like everyone else -- and they usually do. Those responding to calls are NOT and they DON'T -- and they WON'T. Again, that encompasses the LAW AND POLICIES. Period. As for the officers that flipped the bird, they were both legitimately speeding, however they reprimanded by the department for using their fingers to salute the cameras. It's funny, I wonder how many CIVILIANS have flipped off the camera? I know they were never reprimanded for the same act. The same people claiming dislike of the cameras are usually the ones caught speeding. Hmm ... hypocrites!

It's not always the right of the citizen to know the inner workings and operations of ANY police agency. It's not always the right of the citizen to know what is going on at any given time in regard to calls for service. Keep that in mind. However, if a citizen is going to complain and bash, they sure as hell better know the laws and policies first that govern the police and other public safety professionals.

If you have a complaint, file it. But be warned ... it better be a valid, truthful complaint or you could face arrest and criminal prosecution and/or civil litigation for filing a false report.

As for cops bashing other cops on here -- a public forum -- it needs to stop. A veteran police officer by professional definition is one having served five or more years. There are too many officers on the job that have fallen through the cracks ... either BEFORE or AFTER initial employment. Not just here, but everywhere. They usually surface, do something stupid, and then get terminated from the job (if not arrested and appropriately sentenced by the courts). It's not the depratment's responsiblity to babysit any individual officer or his/her actions. The officer will have to suffer the consequences of their actions and pay the price in one way or another.

Police officers receive the highest levels of training and gain the utmost real-world experience, especially here on the streets of the Metro Ghetto Area. MCP has education and training standards beyond the average department nationwide. Those that don't hold the same education, training and real-world experiences certainly reflect on a public forum such as this, particularly from Joe Public. It's easy to hide anonymously behind a computer screen and lash out at something that you know nothing about ... or something that you're afraid of ... such as the real world.

There are some valid points here along with blatant stupidity. Let me clarify ...

Distel was treated in the EXACT same manner as anyone else arrested and charged with DUI. Maryland courts, particularly Montgomery County (aka the Great State Of Montgomery County), is historically lenient with offenders -- civilian, police or otherwise -- no matter the offense. It is an embarassing joke to arrest anyone and go through the court system in Montgomery County. Distel got the same decision and sentence as anyone else. The issue that has been ignored here is the fact that he now faces an internal investigation. He could be suspended, given a written reprimand in his permanent file, or be required to successfully complete additional evaluation and training. And yes ... he could also be fired. His work on the home invasion/homicide cases was simply part of a team effort. Should he be recognized for his part? Yes. Should that forgive his sins? Of course not... and it won't.

As for police cars speeding, cruising the HOV lane and using lights/sirens to bust intersections ... that's a separate issue.
Sure, there is piss poor deployment of personnel in MCP. There's not enough officers assigned to patrol, some beats and districts are too large, and too many assigned to special units. There is the occasion for an unnacceptible gap in response times. Officers routinely clear intersections using lights/sirens to speed up their repsonse time to assist other officers, and yes ... it is in accordance with law. Not always in accordance with policy, but always in accordance with law. The same cannot ALWAYS be said about the HOV lane. There are far too many officers abusing the HOV lane going to court and/or returning home after court or their shift. By the way, a shift is 10 hours for an officer in patrol .. not eight.

Ah, the infamous speed cameras. The news reports as usual were inaccurate and incomplete. Officers not working or responding in an official capacity are required to pay their fines just like everyone else -- and they usually do. Those responding to calls are NOT and they DON'T -- and they WON'T. Again, that encompasses the LAW AND POLICIES. Period. As for the officers that flipped the bird, they were both legitimately speeding, however they reprimanded by the department for using their fingers to salute the cameras. It's funny, I wonder how many CIVILIANS have flipped off the camera? I know they were never reprimanded for the same act. The same people claiming dislike of the cameras are usually the ones caught speeding. Hmm ... hypocrites!

Why is there no CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD or any other means of oversight regarding the MCP?

That would be a collective bargining issue. It would have to be approved by Montgomery County's FOP. Probably not going to happen. This department does a very good job of policing itself. This department will go to the media about EVERYTHING!!! You think they wanted the story to get out. The last thing a police department wants is negative press coverage.
A civilian review board is not necessary here.

I am not here to say right or wrong. It obviously appears that my collegue in Montgomery Village has an obvious beef with that guy. I don't know him. I have heard things about him. Mostly good though. I hear he works his butt off no matter what the situation (obviously the past events of two weeks ago point that out) or assignment. I will attempt to quote you "he's on a temp in a detective bureau, that's what they do there"..Guess what decent patrol officers write search warrants too...
Simply put...things happen for a reason out here...I think it's great that he wrote that search warrant and got to that guy...Someone was bound to catch him, why not distel? Just because you are not his friend does not give you the right to trash him publicly. it sounds like good ole fashioned jealousy or the old "How the hell did HE find that guy?" do that in the privacy of your basement or write a book or better yet join OIA...Don't do that here...That is what I think was meant by COWARDS statement.
Fraternity, Loyalty, and Brotherhood also goes to the point of NOT TRASHING FELLOW OFFICERS IN PUBLIC FORUMS LIKE THIS....
Here is a little information to arm you with:
EAP---is a substance abuse based program!!
Stress Management is for issues...

I think the reference to "where were you when this was recognized" was based on the fact that you are trashing him based on a grave mistake not on the totality of the circumstances.

Will he get fired, probably not...sucks for you because you will have to work with him someday...for his sake I hope not!!

Here's a hint....you say you'd go on a s-13 in a heartbeat....how does one believe you when you violate the cardinal rule?

I have seen alot of strange things on this job and I am glad that my time is winding down..

You younger officers motives for the things you do is appalling.

I don't know you personally...if i had a clue who you were (just give me initals or a last three of your ID) I would love to sit down with you and talk about this one on one...

If I were in his shoes (trust me I am glad I am not) and had read this I would suspect any and every officer of this...

Keep you personal thoughts just that...personal

good luck and stay safe

Civilian Review Board wrote:

That would be a collective bargining issue. It would have to be approved by Montgomery County's FOP.

A civilian review board is not necessary here.

Bullshit on both statements. EVERY police force needs oversight to protect the rights of citizens.

These recent events are only the tip of the iceburg. The PG officer that caused the pileup and resulting deaths on the beltway has had the case thrown out. And WE THE CITIZENS need no review board?

Amazing...

Mo Co Officer II wrote:

Fraternity, Loyalty, and Brotherhood also goes to the point of NOT TRASHING FELLOW OFFICERS IN PUBLIC FORUMS LIKE THIS....

THANK GOD at least one of you clowns have the package to mention things like this that the public would never become aware of.

ALEXANDRIA, Va.(WUSA)-- Thirty-three-year-old Ashley McIntosh was a beloved daughter, sister and teacher's aide who was planning her wedding. Instead in February, her family would hold a funeral for her after she was broadsided by a police cruisThey provided 9NEWS NOW with the dash cam video that captured the last moments of her life.

It was a cold rainy day when Fairfax County Police officer Amanda Perry was on her way to a call. She had flashing lights on but no siren when she approached a busy Hybla Valley intersection.

Her sister, Meredith Heller says, "The light was clearly red for several seconds. My sister was well into the intersection and officer Perry nailed her."

Ashley McIntosh died after the officer's cruiser spun around and hit her again ejecting her from the car. "The passenger's side door was crushed like an accordion," her mother Cynthia Colasanto recalls. She says the dash cam and court testimony would confirm, "Ashley had the right of way."

Officer Perry was charged with reckless driving. She was acquitted of the charges last month. Colasanto says, "I feel like the system failed me. She should've had her siren on, there was nothing that provided any warning."

As it stands right now, in the state of Virginia, officers are allowed to use their own discretion as to when to turn on their lights and sirens. Ashley's family hopes this tragedy will ultimately lead to a change in the law.

Her sister says, "It needs to be taken out of their hands. If they're on the way to a call and they're doing this and they're doing that. It should be automatic so there isn't any should I? Or shouldn't I?"

As for Ashley's mom, she's filed a civil suit against the officer who left her with a broken heart. "Anytime you have to take a life to save a life doesn't make sense to me," she says.

9NEWS NOW tried to contact Officer Perry but the Fairfax County Police department did not make her available and declined to comment.

Written by Nancy Yamada
9NEWS NOW

Source- http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx...

Gary ...

While you have some valid concerns, you can't attack the law enforcement profession as a whole. Pick it apart and weed out the bad ones, just like we try to do. The fact is, we on the front line suffer the impact of the bad and corrupt cops just as much as the general public.

As far as court cases go, it's the same as Joe Citizen ... you winsome, you lose some. In the end, the bad cops may get off in court, but they can laways be served with a heaping, steaming pile of justice at the end of an INTERNAL investigation. Remember, just because they get off in court does NOT mean that they keep their job. In reality, if they receive internal discipline or get fired, they will rarely get back on the job elsewhere. Good riddance to him/her.

The MCP officer will face a TOTALLY SEPARATE internal review regardless of the court finding. Same goes for the cops in PG and Virginia. They ALL stand to lose their jobs simply based upon the outcome of the internal affairs investigations.

How can an average, ignorant-to-the-real-world civilian expect to possess the authority or ability to judge a police officer? Answer: they can't. Hence, trial boards, internal affairs and review boards include experienced police officers that possess the experience and knowledge of the real world out there.

Good cops choose to do the job the general public is afraid to undertake. We face the cold, violent and trying REALITY of life to which the the average citizen is ignorant or oblivious. The bad cops do the same, but are on the way out due to poor choices that they have made. Again, good riddance to them all.

Muckerpiggledoos and homie-domey drug dealers.

homey-domey drug dealers.

People Are Sheep wrote:

Gary ...

While you have some valid concerns, you can't attack the law enforcement profession as a whole.

The hell I can't. Look at all of the no-knock warrants served on the wrong residence and seizure of property supposedly because a perp may be trafficking.

Why are two border agents in prison? The whole damn system is corrupt.

My guarantees written into The Bill of Rights is being eroded daily and YOU tell me not to worry?

Gary ...
Once again, you can't attack an entire profession due to a minority of offenders. Why not attack the medical profession for the immense malpractice committed daily? Many innocent people die because of it. How about the legal profession (lawyers) who lie, cheat and steal their way thru the court system to get their guilty client a free ride and found innocent on a technicality? How about the large number of illegal immigrants that the State of Maryland and Montgomery County allow to roam free? The same ones that destroy the environment, commit crimes and bring invasive diseases and insect species into the United States? I suppose it's OK for all of that. It sounds like you have a personal vendetta against the police, primarily in Montgomery County. Why is that?

People Are Sheep wrote:

Gary ...

Once again, you can't attack an entire profession due to a minority of offenders. It sounds like you have a personal vendetta against the police, primarily in Montgomery County. Why is that?

I have no personal vendetta against the MCP, it is the whole system I am having difficulty with.

Am I to respect the FBI after Ruby Ridge or Waco? Police power (and methods) have gotten completely out of control. I am tired of paying taxes for a non-performing and thieving government.
__________

From- http://www.gazette.net/stories/11052008/rockn...

Gazette.net

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008

Voter returns from polls to find officer writing parking ticket

by Nathan Carrick | Staff Writer

When Karen A. Minton returned to her vehicle after voting at the Lone Oak Elementary School in Rockville on Tuesday, she found a city police officer writing her a $40 parking ticket.

"I was infuriated," she said. "There isn't enough parking at the polling place, so I had to park ILLEGALLY along with everyone else."

Sgt. John Converse of the Rockville City Police Department, supervisor of the officer who arrived at the scene, said Minton began recording the officer with her cell phone camera and demanded he write tickets for the other 15 or 20 cars parked illegally along Grandin Avenue.

Converse said the ticketing officer, while relatively new to the force, was prepared to void the ticket.

"But when she started making demands and recording him, he decided to leave the situation," he said.

The officer arrived on Grandin Avenue after an angry resident called to say a vehicle was parked on her LAWN, Converse said.

Minton, a 15-year Rockville resident and self-described "good taxpayer," planned to fight the ticket in court if it was not waived.

"The officer and I talked about it and we decided it would be best to void the citation," Converse said, adding there is absolutely no initiative aimed at ticketing voters forced to park illegally while at the polls.

In the end, everything worked out.

"I'm happy about it," Minton said.
__________

The Rockville City Police force is a friggin' joke.

Actually, the ATF was the primary agency at Waco, not the FBI. However, that's irreleveant here ...

Once again, yes ... there ARE some minor (underlined) problems with various federal, state, county and local police agencies nationwide. The MAJORITY of those problems are usually identified, addressed and corrected (whether it be an individual officer or an entire department). However, you can't ignore the fact that the same theory applies to the civilian job market: corrupt and mismanaged bankers (and lenders), lawyers, doctors, teachers (how many teachers and coaches have been arrested in Montgomery and Prince George's counties this past year, Gary?), mechanics ... and, yes ... all the way down the sociological line to the clerks at Best Buy and Walmart. Rape, robbery, theft, conspiracy, DUI, driving with a suspended license, false/suspended tags, etc. The list goes on and on. In comparison -- in REALITY -- the same list is incomparable to police officers comitting the same types of offenses!

I can personally attest that the Rockville City Police Deparment is one of the finest, most dedicated and professional police agencies in the region. Not just in Maryland, but the REGION.
Your example only shows that they provided LENIENCY in enforcing the law. They did nothing wrong. Instead, they chose to give a professional courtesy to multiple civilian violators breaking the law during the election process! What is your problem with that? They had every lawful right to enforce the law against the multitude of violators, but instead chose to show respect and leniency. You have no argument there, my friend.

As for the Virginia police incident, the officer was in the legal right-of-way. Like it or not, emergency vehicles (police, fire-rescue, ambulance, etc) have the right-of-way on all public roadways while using their emergency lights and/or sirens. Although tragic, the fact is that the girl failed to give full time and attention to driving and failed to yield the right-of-way to a police car (an emergency vehicle, both by law and by definition). While it is sad that she died, it should serve as a lesson for the complacent populace of the DC Metro Ghetto Area to wake up and pay attention while driving.

There are two facts of life here: First, you can't compare the well-educated and highly trained professionals of the public safety profession to the general civilian populace (ie: The Sheep). Police, fire-rescue, EMS, doctors, nurses, etc, simply have a higher education and life experience in reality than the general public. Hence, the laws recognize that fact and support them. Second, it is normal for people with a criminal record, traffic offense record and those with an anti-authority mentality to undermine or challenege that authority. They refuse to accept the reality that public safety professionals supercede the general norm of a relaxed or defiant life or lifestyle. This is the United States of America ... this is the way it is .. this is the law of the land, like it or not.

Why don't you post a story about a secretary driving on a suspeneded license that crashes her car and injures an innocent family? Why don't you post a story about a teenager from Montgomery County that was shot and killed while buying illegal drugs? How about an illegal immigrant that was driving drunk without a license and kills an American citizen? How about the illegal immigrant gang member that shot and killed a high school student in Silver Spring? How about the UPS employee passing packages of illegal drugs through the system to be distributed on the streets of Montgomery, Prince George's and Howard counties? What about the restaurant employee stealing credit card numbers and buying thousands of dollars worth of merchandise online?

It's not the police you should be worried about ... it's the general population around you that's robbing, stealing and killing your lives away ...