Off-Duty Incident

[CA FLEO]

I am a Federal Agent that had an off-duty incident with three male juveniles who threw a bottle at my POV. I tracked them down, identified myself, commanded them to stop with my weapon in the low ready position. As soon as I rendered the situation safe, my weapon was immediately holstered and I showed my credentials to all three. I spoke to all three, they appeared remorseful and apologetic, and agreed that calling the police or their parents was not warranted. However, I was arrested by a local pd for ADW. I have retained an attorney and at this point in time is primary as compared to what the agency has in store for me.

Can anyone tell me if this story sounds crazy and it should never have come down to this?

[Kimble]

I am a Federal Agent that had an off-duty incident with three male juveniles who threw a bottle at my POV. I tracked them down, identified myself, commanded them to stop with my weapon in the low ready position. As soon as I rendered the situation safe, my weapon was immediately holstered and I showed my credentials to all three. I spoke to all three, they appeared remorseful and apologetic, and agreed that calling the police or their parents was not warranted. However, I was arrested by a local pd for ADW. I have retained an attorney and at this point in time is primary as compared to what the agency has in store for me.

Can anyone tell me if this story sounds crazy and it should never have come down to this?

A couple quick things need to be addressed, per this site's rules:

1. if you claim to be a LEO (which you have), this site requries you be verified as such. Otherwise, your account username needs to be changed. Being verified also grants you access to the LE-restricted forums (which brings me to point #2).

2. This question would probably be best suited for the verified section, as anyone in the general public who views this site has access to the Ask-A-Cop sub-forum. Since (as you claim) you're a cop asking other cops for advice, that seems to be the best venue for this question.

If you're legit, please submit your info for verification so you can ask this question in the LE sub-forums of this site.

[Joeyd6]

What Kimble said. You cam PM either of us as we are both fed 1811's and can verify you.

PM me you details and I can take care of it today so you can discuss today on the verified side of the house.

You paid your FLEOA dues? PLI?

[Legoate]

"I have retained an attorney and at this point in time is primary as compared to what the agency has in store for me."

Umm, WTH does this mean? This story seems so odd that I'm not really going to respond other to say that if you have an attorney, use it.

[Ispbear]

I am a Federal Agent that had an off-duty incident with three male juveniles who threw a bottle at my POV. I tracked them down, identified myself, commanded them to stop with my weapon in the low ready position. As soon as I rendered the situation safe, my weapon was immediately holstered and I showed my credentials to all three. I spoke to all three, they appeared remorseful and apologetic, and agreed that calling the police or their parents was not warranted. However, I was arrested by a local pd for ADW. I have retained an attorney and at this point in time is primary as compared to what the agency has in store for me.

Can anyone tell me if this story sounds crazy and it should never have come down to this?

I do not believe this guy one bit. No federal agent is going to come on an internet forum asking if he "did the right thing." At most this guy is a security "want to be" that got his but in deep water playing cop.

[Cat_Doc]

I do not believe this guy one bit. No federal agent is going to come on an internet forum asking if he "did the right thing." At most this guy is a security "want to be" that got his but in deep water playing cop.

Or he is TSA riding the "federal agent" title?

A trained law enforcement officer would have articulated some viable officer safety reason for even displaying the firearm when confronting juveniles. I might think differently about this if he/she would have described the juveniles being armed and continuing to threaten with rocks, bottles, sticks, etc.

Makes me wonder if he/she would have drawn down on kids throwing eggs, oranges, water balloons......?

I would have a different train of thought if a threat to officer safety had been presented.

[Kimble]

No federal agent is going to come on an internet forum asking if he "did the right thing." At most this guy is a security "want to be" that got his but in deep water playing cop.

A trained law enforcement officer would have articulated some viable officer safety reason for even displaying the firearm when confronting juveniles.

I don't know the OP, can't attest to whether he/she is legit or not at this point, and even if so, how competent they are in their job and knowledge of their authority and the law... BUT, I can say that in my time as a local LEO and federal LEO I have met (and I'm sure we all have) some folks at each agency that were less than fully competent in their knowledge of their job and their authority. I'll reserve judgment on the OP, and hopefully he/she will promptly follow up with our requests for LEO verification, but my personal belief on statements like, "No trained LEO/federal agent/etc would ever... [fill in the blank]" are generally true, but we all have worked with "that guy" who gets the same training we all do yet is still clueless (and yet somehow makes it through training, FTO and probation). I've worked with maybe 1 or 2 federal agents (1811s) who I wouldn't have confidence in to open the door before trying to walk through the doorway (heck, Joeyd can tell a story of one of his former coworkers that ran when a subjected charged at the two of them with a club).

[Big Sexy]

Joeyd can tell a story of one of his former coworkers that ran when a subjected charged at the two of them with a club).

Real Federal Agents don't run for shat...because Real Federal Agents don't run fast.

[retdetsgt]

My initial assessment is either the locals are real hard@sses or he screwed the pooch if he was arrested for it.

[TEXASCOP]

Did the bottle even hit the vehicle? This story stinks in my opinion.

[Gutwrench]

Two thoughts...
1. Arrested, not filed on? Makes me think there's crucial information missing.
2. OD, unholstered gun, juveniles, enforcement mode. Not involving the local agency to take over reeks of bad judgement because whether its Compton or Bel-Air, once the parents find out they're gonna beef it.

[retdetsgt]

1. Arrested, not filed on? Makes me think there's crucial information missing.

He didn't say it wasn't filed on, Gut. The fact he has an attorney makes me think it was.

[mcsap]

I am a Federal Agent that had an off-duty incident with three male juveniles who threw a bottle at my POV. I tracked them down, identified myself, commanded them to stop with my weapon in the low ready position. As soon as I rendered the situation safe, my weapon was immediately holstered and I showed my credentials to all three. I spoke to all three, they appeared remorseful and apologetic, and agreed that calling the police or their parents was not warranted. However, I was arrested by a local pd for ADW. I have retained an attorney and at this point in time is primary as compared to what the agency has in store for me.

Can anyone tell me if this story sounds crazy and it should never have come down to this?

You drew down on 3 kids who threw a bottle at your car ?

Please tell me your justification for the threat of the use of deadly force ? No wonder you didn't want the police or the parents to be called.

Read up on Tenn vs Garner.

[G35 Mass]

Not sure about your "federal agency", but the new "low ready" is still pointed at the subject, but lowered JUST enough to see them from head to toe. If I told my job I had my gun at "low ready", I'd be filling out use-of-force reports, as my muzzle would be pointed at someone.

Now, tell GMass the truth: Did you point your cute little gun with a laser sight at them?

[Gutwrench]

He didn't say it wasn't filed on, Gut. The fact he has an attorney makes me think it was.

My bad. I assumed when the OP said he was arrested it was contemporaneous to the incident and then the case forwarded to the DA for a complaint. But the DA could have filed based on a report then he was arrested or surrendered. Again my bad.

If it was a close call I wouldn't arrest I'd file it with the DA. If it was clear cut I'd arrest first and then file with the DA---this scenario is why I thought there might be crucial info excluded. I didn't think it through.