Atilla wrote:The next few police ( either on or off duty) will get some strange looks next time they go into an emergency room thanks to this idiot and his lieutenant. They both need fired and sued into poverty, along with the department.
Obviously I tend to give officers the benefit of the doubt on stuff, as I do most people, until proven otherwise. But that chief in Texas (the one who was off duty whom they made go put his gun back in his car) shouldn't be surprised if the way he was treated becomes SOP.
As a side note, now that the facts are starting to come out and this is receiving more credible coverage than some ranting blog posting we're learning:
1. The nurse was released 30 minutes later without being charged.
2. The officer and another are on full leave while this is sorted out.
3. Not only was the officer out of line constitutionally but he was violating clearly established police department policy. Nonetheless the PD has already changed its policy to word for word mirror the hospital's.
4. The mayor and police chief have personally apologized to this nurse, and she believes them to be sincere.
5. The police spokesman has said the department was alarmed by what the video showed - no victim blaming here.
6. The hospital is investigating why its police officers who were present did not intervene.
7. The victim is reserving the right to file charges if meaningful action doesn't occur and she has the full support of her employer and the authorities to do so.
Is this a garbagey situation? Sure is, but at this point all the processes that should be followed are being followed and the authorities are saying the right things to the public and the victim.
Lastly from a constitutional perspective, no a professional cannot be ordered to do something. Can I order a doctor out of his car during a traffic stop? Absolutely. Can I order a doctor to treat a prisoner's hangnail? Not so much. Now if you fail to do something that your professional duty requires I could report you to your accreditation board (as could any private citizen) but absent a specific criminal statute to the contrary it's a civil issue. Our policy is crystal clear that even with a warrant in hand we cannot compel any particular healthcare professional to carry it out, even if the wording of the warrant seems to say otherwise. Not touching that with a 10 foot pole.