Cops

I wasn't doing nothing wrong.

"Cops" is filmed on location...

...with the men and women of law enforcement.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty...

...in a court of law.

I haven't always been a cop.

I used to do retail and worked in the retail industry for about 15 years.

Got tired of it, wanted to do a career change,

...so decided to become a police officer.

I love the night shift.

Uh, this is where all the action is.

Uh, just enjoy being able to serve the community.

While they're all sleeping, I'm out trying to catch the bad guys.

Uh, we're gonna stop this moped for improper display of tag.

Uh, I can't read it, it's all crumpled up in a 60-day paper plate.

So we're gonna see what he's up to.

Oh. Uh, he just crashed. He's running.

Hey, stop!

123, I got one running to 1800 South Saint Francis, running to the south.

White male, blue shirt, blue jeans. Stop!

He's running... St. Francis and Skinner, running to the south.

Stop or you're gonna get Tased!

Stop!

Here it comes again! Get on the ground!

He's right here.

– He's down. He fell. – Yeah.

Stop!

– I'll tell you why! – Get on the ground!

– No lie, man. – Get on the ground!

– Dude, you aingt... (SCREAMS IN PAIN) – Get on the ground!

Put your hands behind your back!

– Put your hands behind your back! – Ow!

Okay, okay!

Gotta tell you, I wasn't trying to resist.

Dude, that wasn't smart at all.

– I wasn't trying to do nothing. – Yeah, you didn't stop.

Ow.

– Got a light? – Yeah, I got you. You're good.

– I'm sorry. – ( RADIO CHATTER )

– Did we get the address? – Yeah.

Tried to stop the moped for a tag violation.

– Tag violation? – He instantly...

There was no tag violations.

...kind of jumped off his bike and started running.

– What's your name, buddy? – Wouldn't stop running, even after I gave him...

...a bunch of commands.

– ( RADIO CHATTER ) – Here.

– Pretty good amount of meth. – That was all.

I'll tell you right where I got it.

– He said front, right pocket? – No, I thought that's why...

– What'd you say, buddy? – I thought that's why you came on, man.

Well, we're gonna get you on your feet here in a second, all right?

– Yeah. – Let's get him up.

Okay, why don't you roll... roll to your butt. Roll to your butt.

This leg's good. You ready?

On three. One, two, three.

Uh, we located some crystal substance, which is methamphetamine,

...in his, uh, front jean pocket.

Uh, he also ditched a backpack, uh, while he ran from me,

...which I haven't looked through yet.

Uh... (CLEARS THROAT) Looks like he has a bunch of, uh, burglary tools.

Guys'll steal mopeds, will go around to these businesses, cut along the fence,

...and gain entry, then, they'll either go inside and, uh, steal...

...steal items inside the business.

Um, so, this is a good grab. We were able to catch him probably before he actually...

...got to strike a business tonight.

We're just trying to get him ID'd.

– Okay. – Uh, and we ended up getting him ID'd.

– But thought he was playing the name game for a while. – Uh-huh.

– Some weird thing. – So he has, uh... so he's wearing gloves.

– Uh-huh. – He has a strike plate from a door.

– Uh, another person's wallet. – Mm-hm.

I've already tried contacting that person.

Also, Thompson said there was a backpack...

Yeah, there's a bunch of burglary tools. They got the bolt cutters...

I'm just gonna let you know, it looks kind of fishy with the strike plates.

No wonder he ran. With all the... the drugs and the burglary stuff, so.

– What was it, a quarter-ounce of meth? – Yeah. All right, so...

– Good amount. – Yeah. All right, well,

– ...let's see what he has to say. – All right.

I'm gonna ask you some questions, all right, buddy?

Before I do, I wanna get your side of the story.

Okay? Um, can you tell me about the incident...

...with the moped, why you ran?

– My throttle was stuck... – Your throttle was stuck?

Is that kind of why you hit the curb so hard?

– Yeah. – Okay, well, why didn't you just get off and stop...

...and wait for me?

– I just panicked. – You panicked?

– You think it was a good idea? – No, I...

– No? – I definitely don't. I hit my head, I mean...

Yeah. I understand.

There for a minute, I just... I didn't realize...

Yeah. Is that why you ran?

– Yes, sir. – Yeah. I really didn't wanna Tase you,

...but you left me with no choice.

When you run like that, there's...

...there's nothing I could do,

...'cause I have to take you into custody.

– I understand that. – You were hopping those fences pretty good, man.

– I don't remember... – Yeah. Well, you were hopping quite a few,

...so that's why I had to Tase you.

– I don't like doing that, but... – No, I understand.

I've been Tased before, I know how it feels,

– ...and it doesn't feel good. – Yeah, I... I just...

– I don't wanna go to jail. – You don't want to?

Well, you got some warrants we gotta take care of.

– I do? – Yeah.

– For what? – Um, they're just through the city.

I don't know yet. We'll tell you when we get down there.

– Oh. – But we got that, we have the possession...

...of methamphetamine, okay?

And I believe the bike isn't stolen,

– ...so you don't have to worry about that, but... – No.

I gotta check your driver's license and make sure you got a good one.

– It was suspended. – It's suspended? Okay.

The reason it's suspended is... Well, they said it's suspended...

...because I don't have a driver's license. I misquote, that's what it was.

Well, you got your... Sometimes you just gotta think to yourself,

– ...you know, "Self, is it really worth getting in trouble?" – No, sir.

It's not. 'Cause that would've just been a little ticket if you would've stopped for me.

– You understand? – I know what happened.

I know. All right, well, we'll talk here in a minute, all right?

– ( INDISTINCT ) – Yeah, we'll talk here in a minute.

So just relax. We'll get you some water, all right?

– So the tag comes back to a Chevy HHR. – Right.

Uh, ran the VIN, um, it's not a stolen moped.

But obviously the tag and the... and the bike don't match.

Basically, a lot of people, they'll get these bikes,

...and they'll, uh, make their own paper plates.

Uh, 60-day plates, 'cause they don't think that we're gonna run 'em,

...uh, so they can get around without getting pulled over.

So, this bike'll just get impounded just in case somebody wants...

...to report it stolen later, uh, they'll have a suspect on who was riding it.

But he won't be doing any burglaries tonight, at least.

All and all, this was a pretty good stop tonight.

Yeah, the job we do, sometimes it doesn't feel like we're making a difference.

But we are. Um, you know, so just have to get out there...

...and keep doing it, keep your head up,

...keep a positive attitude,

...um, treat people the way you want to be treated.

You know, if there's times when we can be nice to people,

...if we can be nice, we need to be nice to 'em.

You know, just treat 'em with respect.

If we treat 'em with respect, they'll treat us with respect.

The 9-1-1 hang-up call, dispatcher could hear yelling in the background...

...and the caller disconnected.

Four-five clear. On scene.

(SCREAMING) Help me! – Stop!

– (SCREAMING) Help me! – Hey! Stop!

Can we get in?

– ( SCREAMING, CRYING ) – Hey, go 'round the other side.

You can get around the other side.

He's over here.

– He's hopping the fence. – Stop! On the ground.

Get on the ground, now!

Get on the ground!

Put your hands out!

Do not move.

– Got him? – Get your hands behind your back.

– Sir... – Behind your back!

– Sir, there's no warrant. There's a knife... – Shut up a second.

There may be a knife in my pocket, I'm not sure.

Let go of your hands. Let go of your hands!

My hands are let go, bro!

My hands are let go!

Please, I have a flagged up knee.

– Please! And my shoulder... – 4-5-1 in custody.

– Ow! – Take a knee and stand up.

– Ow, my... my shoulder's... – On your feet.

– No! (SCREAMS IN PAIN) – Put weight on your feet.

My knee’s (BLEEPS) up, dude!

– ( WHIMPERING ) – Let's get him in the cars here.

Come on, you were just booting in a door, you can walk.

I didn't boot in the door, I punched in the door, bro.

I (BLEEP) up everything. I went off on the old lady for a while, man.

My knee’s (BLEEP) up, dude.

Have a seat.

I ain’t gonna say (BLEEP) till I get a glass of water, please.

Please, sir. I've been drinking? Yes, sir.

If... If you tell me what happened, I'll get you a bottle of water, okay?

– So tell me what happened. – Okay.

I... I vandalized her door, yes, sir.

Okay. So you broke the door down, what happened then?

No, I did not break the door down.

– Oh, okay. So you... – The door was already open.

– Okay. – I hit it once to...

– ...just... kind of, you know, get the (BLEEP) out, you know? – Okay.

Everybody has a little (BLEEP) they have to get out every now and then.

I didn't do it right.

I didn't do it right. I should've hit a tree or something else.

But... I would never hit anybody.

I won't ever hurt anybody. I made a vow six years ago to God.

– I've been to prison. I've done this and that... – Okay.

So what happened after you hit the door?

When I hit the door, we sat and talked.

– Okay. – We sat and talked, explained about, you know,

...what's going on, wrong with our relationship.

– So what happened then? – Nothing.

I love her to death.