Friday, August 21, 2009

Get The Picture? Image conscious departments discipline cops


A couple of recent, thematically related items cracked me up.

In the small, Southeast Texas town of Taft, a couple of officers will be disciplined but not terminated (after threats to do so and much media hoopla) for participating in a (very bad) faux gangsta rap video put out by some local wannabes. Watch it here - town fathers were particularly upset about the cop and local police car that appear in the video in closeup at the very end, and at the city manager who'd approved filming at various landmarks around town. See also a video commentary (NSFW -includes blue language and some un-funny prison sodomy jokes) critiquing everybody involved that I thought was dead-on hilarious for the first two minutes (deteriorating thereafter in search of cheap laughs). The piece closes by advising that the next time cops want to help someone with a music video, they should "make sure they're at least, at LEAST a William Hung-level celebrity."

I'd have probably let that story go by, though, if I hadn't then seen this item about three of Sheriff Gary Painter's deputies out of Midland who are on the hot seat for taking the above picture of Daisy Duke a Round Rock waitress with an assault rifle posing on the back of their squad car. The funniest part is that these were Sheriff Gary Painter's boys - he's a particularly self-satisfied fellow (his bio on the Midland Sheriff's website calls him a "born leader of men") who's quite image conscious and regularly works the local media. I'll bet he was apoplectic when he saw that photo.

Makes you wonder: Is there anybody left in this country who doesn't want to participate in a rap video or aspire for their life to resemble a reality TV series?

9 comments:

Soronel Haetir said...

Unless I'm very much mistaken the town doesn't have much of a valid complaint against the city manager for approving filming. Unless the locations are not made accessible for other public events I would expect the city to lose in court if they tried to prevent such activity.

Anonymous said...

I read one was fired and another disciplined. The firing sure seems overboard, at least at first glance, but it has become to be what's expected in this maximum punishment minded society.

Anonymous said...

I read the story in th epaper and the reporter said no criminal charges would be filed. What criminal charges??? I can see no criminal activity in a girl holding an AR-15. This is Texas folks, not New York. You can carry long guns in open view in Texas. The liberal media want everyone to think guns are are bad and illegal. When the guns are gone so is your freedom. Much to do about nothing for hidden reasons.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:05,

It's time to stop drinking the Kool Aid. It doesn't have a dang thing to do with guns, "freedom" or the liberal media (however that is defined this week - when the heck did O'Reilly, Rush and Savage become liberal by the way?). Dumb sh!ts let their county ride and probably a county weapon be used for a cheese cake shot. Not quite what any sheriff or chief wants his officers to be doing on duty. You sound like one of those fools who think the gov'mt operates black helios in the name of the New World Order and FEMA has concentration camps established around the country for the likes of all those "freedom loving" Americans. Jeez.

Anonymous said...

Even I read one was fired and another disciplined. The firing sure seems overboard, at least at first glance, but it has become to be what's expected in this maximum punishment minded society........wat's going on can't judge...

Debera


Cash Online Get Easy cash at your door step

Anonymous said...

Honestly, I would rather cops spend their time making cheesy videos and taking pictures of cute girls holding rifles than spend it harassing people, fleecing out-of-towners for all their cash, or whatever it is cops do in the middle of nowhere when they have nothing legitimate to do.

Anonymous said...

It has NOTHING to do about guns (in the photo) and everything to do about poor judgment.

I, for one, don't want police like those involved running around with the power that they have if they couldn't tell this was a bad idea.

You do realize these people have the power to ruin or even end lives? If they can't exercise better judgment than exhibited by the photograph, they probably don't need to be police.

Todd said...

That bio is hilarious! I think the Sheriff sounds like a clown.

Anonymous said...

Nice story you got here. I'd like to read something more about that topic. Thanx for posting that material.
Sexy Lady
London escorts