Cop arrests firefighter for not saying “How high?” when told to jump

If there is one thing video cameras are good for it is unearthing abuse by those with official powers. I’m talking here about the California Highway Patrol and one of theirs — no Erik Estrada — arresting a firefighter because he wouldn’t stop in the middle of an auto accident rescue to move his fire truck.

Something such as this doesn’t surprise me. I’ve seen police at the scene of emergencies who are absolutely worthless. I have witnessed men in blue who should be charged a fee for taking up the vital air we breathe. This I have seen working as a firefighter and later as a reporter.

On the flip side I have seen cops who got their hands dirtied, their uniforms ruined , and their lives and limbs jeopardized while helping anyway they can to save a life.

Here is a unique perspective. I was a small-town editor who went to the scene of an accident just a short ways from where I lived. The cars involved were a pickup pulling into a convenience store and a police car on its way to a burglary in progress. When I arrived, I could tell the officer was already dead. A former EMT checked his vitals and found his eyes fixed and dilated, as well as having no breathing or pulse.

The other officer who was on duty and who had responded to the burglary fell apart upon arriving at what turned out to be a two-fatality accident, the other driver was killed instantly as well. The other officer literally didn’t know what to do. He looked at me with eyes pleading for some direction. Thus, I suggested he call for the Jaws of Life, there being a fire truck on the scene but no rescue unit with the Hurst tool. There would be a need for the rescue tool to remove the bodies but other than that, my suggestion kind of kick-started the cop and got him back to doing as he was trained. This was nothing spectacular that I did. I stayed steady like I did when I was a firefighter and EMT. And I just helped a brother out.

Tiffs between cops and firefighters aren’t that uncommon. A police officer arresting one of his brother public safety personnel is, fortunately, uncommon. A law enforcement officer arresting a firefighter and in front of rolling cameras, while that officer is endangering public safety, is very rare.  Stupid would be a word that comes to mind.

Police, EMTs, firefighters are all on the same team. And while there may be “no I in team,” there are asses in ass****s.