Austin police suspended after joking about a nightclub fire on "police-band chat forum"

[UNCjigga]

Documents released Friday indicate that after hearing a transmission about the fire, officer John Lengefeld sent a message from his patrol car to fellow officer Josue Martinez that said "burn baby burn."

Martinez replied that he was laughing, and "Those were my exact thoughts." Other officers chimed in with more than two hours of messages.

Among those receiving 15-day unpaid suspensions was officer William White, who sent a note that said, "U can smell from (Interstate) 35. It is the smell of victory."

Dispatcher Susan Negron wrote, "I have some extra gasoline if they need it," according to the documents, and "My nite is made. I just had a lady ask me if it was burning. I said yep. She was upset. I was enthralled."

Dispatcher Ashlye Bauerle wrote, "You hear that Midtown is on fire!! The roof of a club . . . That's funny! Gives a whole new meaning to the roof, the roof is on fire," the documents said.

Link

Wow, I had no idea police cruisers had built-in chat forums or a "police-band" IRC!!!

 

[Malak]

Did people not like the nightclub?

 

[Darilus]

Originally posted by: malak
Did people not like the nightclub?

According to the article it was a major trouble spot, with something like 129 calls for the police in the last year.

Understandable that they wouldn't be too broken up about the place getting torched.

 

[quakefiend420]

Originally posted by: Jigga

Wow, I had no idea police cruisers had built-in chat forums or a "police-band" IRC!!!

thats news to me as well

 

[SludgeFactory]

The messages also indicated that the officers were tired of responding to calls at the establishment. Statistics show that police responded to 129 calls last year for reports that included a stabbing, gunshots and public intoxication. The calls made Midtown the fifth busiest club for police response citywide, according to police statistics.

 

[b0mbrman]

I doubt anyone would care if it weren't for this:

The club has a mostly black clientele, and there were suggestions after the fire that the messages revealed racial bias in the department.

 

[Pepsi90919]

Originally posted by: Jigga

Documents released Friday indicate that after hearing a transmission about the fire, officer John Lengefeld sent a message from his patrol car to fellow officer Josue Martinez that said "burn baby burn."

Martinez replied that he was laughing, and "Those were my exact thoughts." Other officers chimed in with more than two hours of messages.

Among those receiving 15-day unpaid suspensions was officer William White, who sent a note that said, "U can smell from (Interstate) 35. It is the smell of victory."

Dispatcher Susan Negron wrote, "I have some extra gasoline if they need it," according to the documents, and "My nite is made. I just had a lady ask me if it was burning. I said yep. She was upset. I was enthralled."

Dispatcher Ashlye Bauerle wrote, "You hear that Midtown is on fire!! The roof of a club . . . That's funny! Gives a whole new meaning to the roof, the roof is on fire," the documents said.

Link

Wow, I had no idea police cruisers had built-in chat forums or a "police-band" IRC!!!

they have laptops with special software that connects to their network, so yes, they can send messages between cars.

 

[Darilus]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
I doubt anyone would care if it weren't for this:

The club has a mostly black clientele, and there were suggestions after the fire that the messages revealed racial bias in the department.

Agreed. The race card gets pulled at every opportunity.

 

[cressida]

Eh 6th street has fights that break out every Saturday.

 

[spacejamz]

The calls made Midtown the fifth busiest club for police response citywide, according to police statistics.

wonder how many calls the clubs that are 1st - 4th on that list got??

 

[MrCodeDude]

Why are people looking inside cop cars?

 

[Malak]

Originally posted by: SludgeFactory
The messages also indicated that the officers were tired of responding to calls at the establishment. Statistics show that police responded to 129 calls last year for reports that included a stabbing, gunshots and public intoxication. The calls made Midtown the fifth busiest club for police response citywide, according to police statistics.

You know that'd be one call every 3 days. I'd want it to shut down too if I were them.

 

[EyeMWing]

LOFL. Come the hell on, they're city cops. They have one of the mentally hardest jobs in the damned world. How do you deal with mentally draining stuff? Teh funny helps. Now this would've been a serious problem if they blocked roads that the fire response vehicles were using, but, well, they didn't.

 

[bradruth]

You'd be hard pressed to find an officer that *wouldn't* be suspended if you read all the in-car chat. :roll:

 

[sygyzy]

Originally posted by: Darilus

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
I doubt anyone would care if it weren't for this:

The club has a mostly black clientele, and there were suggestions after the fire that the messages revealed racial bias in the department.

Agreed. The race card gets pulled at every opportunity.

So you think that people have a problem with this because of the race card? How about the fact that it's unprofessional and a waste of my tax dollars? What's worse than pulling the race card? Pulling the "oh great, are you pulling the race card again?" card.

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: bradruth
You'd be hard pressed to find an officer that *wouldn't* be suspended if you read all the in-car chat. :roll:

What, your department use ATOT?

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: bradruth
You'd be hard pressed to find an officer that *wouldn't* be suspended if you read all the in-car chat. :roll:

What, your department use ATOT?

Think of a private ATOT with no language filter and we're all "mods."

 

[Anubis]

reminds me of a popo officer that got in trouble for saying that the reason a house burned down where i used to live was "jewish lightning"

some old bag with a scanner heard it and raised hell

 

[EyeMWing]

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: bradruth
You'd be hard pressed to find an officer that *wouldn't* be suspended if you read all the in-car chat. :roll:

What, your department use ATOT?

Think of a private ATOT with no language filter and we're all "mods."

Do you have annoying new cops who TALK IN ALL CAPS!?!??

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: sygyzy

Originally posted by: Darilus

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
I doubt anyone would care if it weren't for this:

The club has a mostly black clientele, and there were suggestions after the fire that the messages revealed racial bias in the department.

Agreed. The race card gets pulled at every opportunity.

So you think that people have a problem with this because of the race card? How about the fact that it's unprofessional and a waste of my tax dollars? What's worse than pulling the race card? Pulling the "oh great, are you pulling the race card again?" card.

What's a waste of tax dollars? The digital system is in the car anyway. Are you crying about the extra electricity of sending additional messages?

 

[Rent]

Originally posted by: bradruth

Originally posted by: EyeMWing

Originally posted by: bradruth
You'd be hard pressed to find an officer that *wouldn't* be suspended if you read all the in-car chat. :roll:

What, your department use ATOT?

Think of a private ATOT with no language filter and we're all "mods."

Yeah, the last few times I was in the back of a squad car I saw the officers chatting it up. Do they have any type of regulations for using it?

 

[91TTZ]

I feel bad for the cops, not the scumbags that are complaining. My friend's a cop and he tells me about the total BS that he has to deal with. I'll give you an example.

One of an officer's biggest risks and biggest wastes of time are domestic disturbances. My friend had to keep responding to domestic disturbances coming from a house in his town. The people living in it were total garbage. The guy would beat the crap out of his wife, or the wife would be stabbing the guy or something like that. Each time they arrest one of the two, a couple days later the spouse becomes uncooperative and doesn't want to press charges. Even though they're the one that called the cops, they cry racism when the cops answer their call and makes an arrest. One of the times they sent a black officer to arrest him, and they STILL cried racism at the department. It makes no sense.

About this club, the police got called to the place 129 times last year. I think after the 120th time they'd get the point that the place is no good. They are putting their lives at risk for no good reason. The police didn't shut the place down, it burned down and the police merely laughed at the fact. Good for them.

I'm glad the place burned down. Don't blame the police, blame the fire.

 

[HermDogg]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: sygyzy

Originally posted by: Darilus

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
I doubt anyone would care if it weren't for this:

The club has a mostly black clientele, and there were suggestions after the fire that the messages revealed racial bias in the department.

Agreed. The race card gets pulled at every opportunity.

So you think that people have a problem with this because of the race card? How about the fact that it's unprofessional and a waste of my tax dollars? What's worse than pulling the race card? Pulling the "oh great, are you pulling the race card again?" card.

What's a waste of tax dollars? The digital system is in the car anyway. Are you crying about the extra electricity of sending additional messages?

Seriously, why is everyone's response always "OMFG MY TAX DOLLARS!" 9 times out of 10, whatever they're b!tching about only costs pocketchange, a few dollars at most. Let the officers say whatever the hell they want, as long as they protect and serve and do their jobs. Quit trying to micromanage everyone's life.

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

What's a waste of tax dollars? The digital system is in the car anyway. Are you crying about the extra electricity of sending additional messages?

Yeah I know, it makes no sense. It's an irrational statement made when the person has no point.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing
Do you have annoying new cops who TALK IN ALL CAPS!?!??

Haha, yeah, but it doesn't take long for one of the older guys to correct them.

Originally posted by: Rent
Yeah, the last few times I was in the back of a squad car I saw the officers chatting it up. Do they have any type of regulations for using it?

Technically, yes.