Flashing Blue Road Rage

[Guest]

It was a volunteer Waterford firefighter improperly using his blue flashing light, said State Police. Charles McDougal was arrested for impersonating a police officer, not to mention assault and breach of peace.

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/F...-Road-Rage.html

What a disgrace!

[Goose 188]

[NYRangers30 1]

the sad thing is not what he did, but now how the public look at volunteers who don't do anything wrong

[JetPhoto 626]

Idiot

[EFFD4091-MLSS emt 13]

^^^

well said did you read the comment about "us" backing him now... p.s. you dont have to have a user name to leave a comment there feel free to express how we feel that there is no excuse for that.

[10-Buff-4 0]

Yeesh, how are people so stupid? That's all I can say.

-Joe DA BUFF

[x129K 1,393]

Comment added..........

[IzzyEng4 427]

I work with Chief Hennessy and Know him personally. I can assure you this, he will make sure this person will no longer be a firefighter in the town of Waterford nor in this state.

[Tapout 42]

WOW. If I slapped every driver I thought deserved it, I'd have been arrested a LONG time ago. But seriously, this is pathetic. Wonder if it's the same idiot who pulled over a woman on the Northbound TSP a few months back- had a gun-took her purse. Remember?

Mr. Blue Light should try to slap little ole' me one day. It'll be the happiest mug shot you all have ever seen.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Here is an article from the New London Day with additional information about this jerk.

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=6d3ecec3-...9b-7e1962769a82

[INIT915 1,119]

Here is an article from the New London Day with additional information about this jerk.

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=6d3ecec3-...9b-7e1962769a82

Let's face it, the best part of that story is the perp stealing a $1M painting and fencing it for $100.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Let's face it, the best part of that story is the perp stealing a $1M painting and fencing it for $100.

As the immaculate word of Bugs Bunny "What a Marooon!"

[abaduck 123]

Let's face it, the best part of that story is the perp stealing a $1M painting and fencing it for $100.

Yea, more:

"He is currently on a special form of probation called accelerated rehabilitation, which wipes one's record clean if he or she stays out of trouble, until May 22. Now that McDougal is facing new criminal charges, he could be tried in the larceny case. "

Ooops.

Not the sharpest tool. In fact, he sounds about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.

[Oswegowind 17]

Let's face it, the best part of that story is the perp stealing a $1M painting and fencing it for $100.

Wow, I would have given him $250 for that painting...it is really cool! J/K of course, but unfortunately some don't learn from their mistakes, however some do...

[x648eng119 2]

I think the really scary part is THIS TIME he got caught... How many times though has this individual, or even anyone else pulled someone over and gotten away with it. I think we've found the newest inductee to the Fox 5 hall of shame...

[FDNYDCHI 38]

a "blue light" or even a "green light" in a persons car or truck is only a courtesy light. It doesn't give you the right to speed, run red lights or act like a idoit. I had a blue light in my truck, however it got stolen when I was working on brush ave in the south bronx. The most accidents and fatialities are responding and returning from calls.

The Fire call will still be there if it takes you an extra few seconds to get to the fire house. Another point too with all the light some people have installed (dash lights, strobes, wig wags, etc) When you have all that suff on it looks like a christmas tree, some motorist on the road just freeze up and don't know what do to and just stop when you are coming up on them.

the Point to my story is Respond safely to the calls and obey all the traffic laws.

Just my 2 cents.

[efd184 59]

Nothing will happen to this dip s**t!!

[ex-commish 490]

Yea, more:

"He is currently on a special form of probation called accelerated rehabilitation, which wipes one's record clean if he or she stays out of trouble, until May 22. Now that McDougal is facing new criminal charges, he could be tried in the larceny case. "

Ooops.

Not the sharpest tool. In fact, he sounds about as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike.

Good argument for thorough background checks???

[INIT915 1,119]

Good argument for thorough background checks???

Not sure how that would have helped, as most backgrounds are completed when the employee/volunteer first starts. In this case, according to the article, his two arrests came AFTER he was a member. So, a background, or lack thereof, would not have made any difference.

[AFS1970 504]

Now when I read the first story, I figured that it was some young kid with his first blue light and not much experience. Now reading that this was a 47 year old, member of 3 different companies, I have to wonder even more.

[Tapout 42]

I am wondering now, too... has anyone seen an article with a PHOTO of this EDP? Did the woman who was "pulled over" provide any kind of description of the guy? NYSP might be interested, given the same MO and even vehicle (blue SUV with flashing blue light) involved in the armed robbery on the northbound TSP a few months ago.

[Tapout 42]

I am wondering now, too... has anyone seen an article with a PHOTO of this EDP? Did the woman who was "pulled over" provide any kind of description of the guy? NYSP might be interested, given the same MO and even vehicle (blue SUV with flashing blue light) involved in the armed robbery on the northbound TSP a few months ago.

From the Journal News Archives:

September 16, 2008 •• 174 words •• ID: wst54684511

YORKTOWN - State police are searching for a man who, while impersonating a police officer, stopped a woman on the Taconic State Parkway and robbed her at gunpoint. The incident took place around 5:45 p.m. Saturday on the northbound side, just south of the Croton Reservoir, police said. The woman reported that she was pulled over by an unmarked Chevrolet Tahoe with blue lights on the dashboard. The driver was described by the victim as a light-skinned Hispanic male, about 40 to 45 years.

[Tapout 42]

I am wondering now, too... has anyone seen an article with a PHOTO of this EDP? Did the woman who was "pulled over" provide any kind of description of the guy? NYSP might be interested, given the same MO and even vehicle (blue SUV with flashing blue light) involved in the armed robbery on the northbound TSP a few months ago.

As per a fellow poster, RWC130, Sept. 16, 2008:

POLICE ARE LOOKING FOR THIS SUBJECT:

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Light-skinned Hispanic Male, about 40 to 45 years old

5 feet 9 inches tall with a muscular build. Bald and clean-shaven and was wearing a blue T-shirt with cargo pants.

[AFS1970 504]

No this is where I get unpopular.

When the media brings up someones affiliation with e Volunteer agency, we are the first to cry foul, and ask why this was important. In this case it is very important, because the individual apparently had a valid Blue Light permit from one department. But we still champion the cause of not throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Yet in discussions about this incident, both on-line and off line, I hear a common solution offered, that is to get rid of blue lights for volunteers. I have to ask myself why this would make sense, because one idiot played cop? Even if 100 idiots played cop, it would still be a small percentage of those who use these lights for their intended purpose. So lets champion our usual cause and not throw the baby out with the bathwater this time either.

[helicopper 1,050]

a "blue light" or even a "green light" in a persons car or truck is only a courtesy light.

And most people have no idea what courtesy is let alone a courtesy light. It's even more confusing in Connecticut where the police use red and blue lights.

No, BFD you're safe. I'm about to become really unpopular...

Sorry for stating a very unpopular opinion but the whole era of "courtesy lights" should be over. We should adopt the federal standards for warning lights - red and blue for law enforcement ONLY and red and white for all other emergency vehicles.

This way when ever you see the combination of red and blue you know it's law enforcement.

And as long as I'm going to cause this thread to become 100 posts long with the rebuttals to my viewpoint, we should eliminate the use of warning lights on privately owned unmarked vehicles. That will make it much harder to impersonate a police offier and much easier to get caught if you do.

OK, let's hear the case for the "courtesy" light...

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

Vermont has one of the better systems I have seen.

They have all blue while the fire department and rescue squads have red. There is no green from EMS, blue for fire and red for police. Volunteer police get blue in their POV while volunteer fire and rescue get red. All with sirens, and there has never been a case of pretending to be a police officer with legally obtained lights (to the best of my knowledge). This way it makes more sense I feel. If you look at this PDF, it outlines what you need here. It is a much further indepth process than in New York:

http://www.aot.state.vt.us/DMV/documents/T...Application.pdf

Here are applicable sections of Vermonts V&T laws:

http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/fullse...p;Section=01015

http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/fullse...p;Section=01251

http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/fullse...p;Section=01252

[Guest]

While I won't address the whole courtesy light issue, i think that's been beaten to death over the years, I will say that I don't think anyone is confused about the fact that in CT our police use red and blue lights. Also, it is virtually unheard of (at least throughout Litchfield county) in CT for departments to issue Chiefs vehicles for the chiefs like is commonplace in Westchester county and elsewhere. The three chief officers get red light permits, and are authorized to use sirens and emergency lights on their POV's. I do support better background checks and I do believe that we need better education for blue light users, a lot of guys think it is an emergency vehicle when they turn it on.

[TL2L31 8]

I think all lights, no matter what state , should all be the same on a national level. If this were to occur, there would be no confusion.

[Guest]

I think if someone is going to do something illegal it does not matter what the law says ( thats why its illegal) just my 2 cents

[abaduck 123]

No, BFD you're safe. I'm about to become really unpopular...

Sorry for stating a very unpopular opinion but the whole era of "courtesy lights" should be over. We should adopt the federal standards for warning lights - red and blue for law enforcement ONLY and red and white for all other emergency vehicles.

This way when ever you see the combination of red and blue you know it's law enforcement.

And as long as I'm going to cause this thread to become 100 posts long with the rebuttals to my viewpoint, we should eliminate the use of warning lights on privately owned unmarked vehicles. That will make it much harder to impersonate a police offier and much easier to get caught if you do.

OK, let's hear the case for the "courtesy" light...

Not from me. Now I'm not very experienced, but the more experience I get, the more I'm coming to the conclusion that "courtesy" lights are a barely-useful neither-fish-nor-fowl compromise. I wouldn't miss them. I believe I've heard of some states allowing POVs to use full lights and sirens, and operating as authorised emergency vehicles, with authority to exceed posted limits, stop-and-proceed at red lights etc. It seems to me that we should go one way or the other - either allow POVs *with properly trained and certified drivers* to operate as emergency vehicles (as Chiefs cars do now), or abolish all lights for POVs.

Disclaimer: I operate in a geographically-compact dense suburban district. I'm prepared to believe that FFs operating in large rural districts might find "courtesy" lights less useless.

I think the 'impersonating an officer' angle is a red herring; people who are prepared to do *that* with evil intentions aren't going to be deterred by having lights that contravene the V&T laws...

Edited February 2, 2009 by abaduck