Sunday, May 07, 2006

Double Standard for Patches

I heard this story from a coworker who has friend that was a Capitol policeman ~20 years ago:

During the Capitol Police training the instructor posed the following hypothetical question: "It is 2am and you observe a car driving erratically. Running the plates you discover that it is Senator so-n-so. What do you do?"

Everyone raised their hands. The instructor picked a student who replied: "I would pull them over, administer a field sobriety test, and if they did not pass take them into custody and call for a wrecker to impound the car".

Everyone but the friend of my coworker put their hands down figuring the guy had it nailed. The instructor then called on him. His response was: "Pull them over and call for backup. Make sure they don't need medical attention. If they don't, I would ask the Senator to slid over, get in, drive him home, and get him safely into his house. Then I would catch a ride back to my vehicle with the backup officer and resume patrol".

The instructor responded "Exactly!".

Although this was reportedly 20 years ago, I leave it to you the reader to determine whether Congressman Kennedy received preferential treatment.