Monday, June 4, 2012

Hall Pass?

Andrew Vanderburgh arrested fellow officer for DUI (2009)



Rookie Toronto police officer Andrew Vanderburgh  arrested a fellow officer Breton Berthiaume (Halton Police) back in 2009 for DUI and is getting what Metro News calls, "Rat Treatment". Other officers are treating Vanderburgh as a snitch... for doing his job. Arresting one of his own is apparently a big no-no. Get real, the man drank and drove, and sure, he was off duty, but so are some of the other non-police officers that drink and drive. Berthiaume was driving wrecklessly on the Don Valley Parkway.







Vanderburgh was accompanied by fellow officer, Suhail Khawaja, who has expressed that he does not want anything to do with an arrest of a fellow officer. Way to chicken out.
After the arrest, Vanderburgh drove his marked cruiser home, and was followed by a fellow officer, pulled over and ticketed for disobeying a red light. 
Other officers were also docked pay for not intervening or part taking in the retaliating behaviour against Vanderburgh. 


Who are the police supposed to protect? Wouldn't Vanderburgh received criticism for NOT reporting the incident if the officer had killed someone? How would the police department handle that publicity? 
This is a message to the public that the law does not apply to police officers, on or off duty.


It is prevalent among police officers and other "peace officers" to protect their own, yet, it seems that this includes protecting their own from laws that bend over backwards for them... I was thinking protecting their own in terms of a bullet. Vanderburgh receiving criticism for doing his job is an example of how the law is applicable only to those who are not a person of authority and that drinking and driving is brushed off if the perpetrator carries a badge. If they are suppose to police society and not their own, then who is policing the police?


Regardless of the occupation or status, the consequences of irresponsible behaviour such as drinking and driving should be applicable to everyone. Surely, Vanderburgh was caught in the middle... to arrest and face ridicule and criticism, or to do his job. And it seems, he had made the correct choice.


This is an example of a police officer overlooking his own interests and benefit, in order to do his job. 
Who are the crooked cops? The ones calling Vanderburgh a "rat" are.

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