Trouble Trooper caught on tape!

**Kopfgeldjaeger** · 01-22-06, 01:47 PM

Giles County, TN (WVLT) - More trouble for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

Another state trooper is currently on paid administrative leave and in some serious trouble, after the state released a videotape of a vulgar encounter.

35-year veteran, Russell Cope is seen in the videotape approaching two cars he pulled over in Giles County, back in 2000.

The tape shows cope questioning the drivers and then is heard making rude comments to those inside.

"I'm talking to you now. Did I ask you anything? You want to do all the talking today, I'll let you talk. You're gonna keep on running your mouth and you're gonna end up going with me."

The trooper instructs one passenger to stay in his vehicle and then slams his leg with the car door.

After a fight nearly broke out, cope is seen backing away from the situation with his hand on his gun.

Chairman of the Tennessee Transportation of Safety Committee Phillip Pinion says the trooper obviously had bad intentions.

"It's a wonder it hadn't turned out a lot worse than it did. Because he was asking for trouble from the moment he walked out of that car," says Pinion.

Commissioner Nicely saw the tape and ordered an investigation.

Cope has more than 900 pages of personnel file, and there have been countless disciplinary actions taken against him starting as far back as 1985.

News Story Here: http://www.volunteertv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4388802

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**Darin** · 01-22-06, 01:50 PM

Wheres the tape???

**Kopfgeldjaeger** · 01-22-06, 01:57 PM

Don't ask me, I don't have it!

What I want to know is why it took 6 years for this to come up?

Something doesn't seem right.
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**Garda** · 01-22-06, 02:54 PM

Personally I dont see anything terrible from this. The guy was mouthing ang got told to shut his mouth. Big deal!

The passenger tries to exit the car without being told to and he slams the door shut, good call if its him against a car load of people.

It gets violent and he backs off ready to use his weapon if need be, again whats so wrong with that? Isnt that why we are issued various weapons? For defence and to quell violent outbursts?

sounds to me like the people in the car had 'bad intentions' to me.

**me again** · 01-22-06, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Kopfgeldjaeger

What I want to know is why it took 6 years for this to come up? Something doesn't seem right.

What's the statute of limitations in Tennessee??? In most states, it's around 3 or 3.5 years for civil offenses and for felonies it can be around 7 years (capital offense excluded).

Based on what I read above, I see nothing wrong. The trooper dealt with some loud mouthed punks and he told them to shut up in language that they understand.

**Iron Man** · 01-22-06, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by me again

Based on what I read above, I see nothing wrong. The trooper dealt with some loud mouthed punks and he told them to shut up in language that they understand.

Same here. The tape only shows the situation from the camera's angle.

Cameras can be good and bad because they only show part of the picture. So it could "look" bad on tape, but be fine from the Trooper's angle. Just something to think about.

**Kopfgeldjaeger** · 01-22-06, 06:12 PM

I agree on the Video angle. It has to be looked at closely before one jumps to conclusions.

I still think something is wrong with this whole stuation.

After 6 years, why would this just now be released to the media?

Can any of you LEO's tell me what the procedure is for logging / filing these tapes?

Do they get filed away somewhere if there is something "Questionable" on them, to be used at a later date?

I can't believe that they would have the resources to keep all tapes filed away for years.

Something isn't right and I will try to keep an eye out for updates on this SITREP.
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**Terminator** · 01-22-06, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by Kopfgeldjaeger

Can any of you LEO's tell me what the procedure is for logging / filing these tapes?

Do they get filed away somewhere if there is something "Questionable" on them, to be used at a later date?

At all departments I've worked for the used tapes (from the in-car video camera) are destroyed or re-used after they're outta space, unless they're needed by the officer for court, or the administration for a complaint (so they can review the tape).