Kid Drowns while in Police custody.

[Bodhi]

Tragic story, but there are some parts missing. The article did not state what he was doing to get pulled over in the first place. I have many friends in the law enforcement field who will attest to some marine patrol cops trying to "justify" they're existence by pulling people over at random or "on a hunch" and looking for a problem, this might not be the case here but a bunch of kids on a boat would be considered an easy target when looking to find a problem. As far as a life jacket coming off.....inexcusable, any seasoned boater knows how to use ALL types of pfd's. As the article stated, the officer was used to highway patrol not marine. No certification class can make someone an educated boater over night, so the fact that he was out busting people and arresting by himself should raise the most questions. Its unfortunate that this young man lost his life in all of this.

[Tom D.]

Crazy world we live sometimes.

[milkdud]

Protocol is to have them sit cross legged on the floor.

The article interviewed the IOWA DNR on how they transport people in custody. The IOWA DNR responded that they make people in custody sit on the floor of the boat. They also said its mandatory that the lifejacket goes on first then cuffs.

This happened in Missouri, and as far as I know Missouri has not said a darn thing. But I have not been in the loop the past two days to see if anything new has been released.



C

[milkdud]

If the following snippet from the news is correct, then the officer is at fault most likely. Kinda makes me sick thinking about it.

Once Ellingson was arrested and handcuffed, the trooper planned to take him to a zone office for further tests.
“The police officer threw a life jacket around his shoulders — that’s what the boys said,” said Gloria Ellingson, who was with family a week ago when some of the boys replayed what had happened. “He just draped it over his shoulders.”
The trooper used a Type III flotation device, Reinsch said. That device is pulled on like a vest, with the wearer’s arms going through armholes. It is still unclear how the trooper placed the device on Ellingson.
“Normally you place the life jacket on and then the handcuffs on — that would be the proper order,” Reinsch said.
Piercy reportedly told the others on Ellingson’s boat that Ellingson would meet up with them later, Gloria Ellingson said. Four hours would pass before they realized something had happened to their friend and cousin.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/local...#storylink=cpy
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local...is-arrest.html

[tony97gt]

At least that article gives a bit more detail. But nothing is for sure until the official report comes out. It's a difficult situation to be in as a marine patrol officer I'm sure. If the officer didn't properly place the life jacket on him because he was being lazy then there's a huge problem there. If he didn't place it on properly because the young man (don't think he's a kid at 20 years old) was being combative or resistant due to his impairment (I don't say intoxication because impairment includes other substances besides alcohol that could be combined with alcohol) then there's some type of justification for his actions. I know the article said they have a different type of vest if someone is combative but it doesn't say if that boat had one or not. Unfortunately, until the official investigation is complete we are all left to ASSUME the missing details. All I can say is that it's tough dealing with people who are impaired sometimes, much less being in a uniform and telling them you are arresting them in front of all their friends. I've been called everything, kicked, punched in the face, spit on, etc by impaired drivers on land. The young man was told to sit and remain seated I'm sure until they reached their destination. Why he got up and went overboard as well as how his life jacket came off will hopefully all be discovered in the official report.

[milkdud]

I know the article said they have a different type of vest if someone is combative but it doesn't say if that boat had one or not.

That quote was from Minnesota officials. This happened in Missouri. I don't think Missouri has officially said squat. But I am not totally up on this as I have been gone for a day.

I will be very interested in Missouri's official report. Until then who knows. Its a tough thing any way you look at it.

C

[whipper]

That cop NEVER should have been on patrol alone. A partner was essential to control the prisoner. You can't control a prisoner and operate a boat.

Yes thats for sure!! When I was 17 years old camping on an Island in the pacific the cops took me from my camp site left my boat at the wharf and took me hand cuffed hands behind my back in a police boat to the main land and I never did a thing? Even at 17 years old i knew this is messed up. I said to the one cop its dark out I have no life jacket on and if you hit a reef or a log and I go over Im screwed! Can you please take these cuffs of and give me a life jacket. They looked at each other and agreed.

There is no way this person should have his hands behind his back in a boat. Its just wrong and if they cant see that then there blind and nothing you can do about dumb. They should have to wear a life jacket and as you said no way be transported without help. If ya cant have the assistance of another person you just have to let the criminal go if he even was a criminal until you have the proper help unless he is a serial killer then good he drowned. Just another power tripping pussy uncaring case of concentrating on the general public instead of the real criminals that rule our governments and municipalities. if public safety was such a concern then the guy who probably doesn't have a boaters licence who killed the kid should go to jail for manslaughter. If not why shouldn't he? He was trusted to protect this person and the person died. Therefore he killed the kid. Case closed. Thats what would happen if was anyone else but a cop ,politician or drug dealer. They all have to be let go because they keep these guys in business unfortunately these days.

[tony97gt]

You're right, should have never taken an impaired boater to jail until after he slammed into your boat and sent your passengers overboard I guess. At least that's what I think your trying to say. Can't please everyone.

[Chaz]

Chaz = sober 9076 days .. but I have occasionally sped in the manatee zones ...

[olboatman]

You're right, should have never taken an impaired boater to jail until after he slammed into your boat and sent your passengers overboard I guess. At least that's what I think your trying to say. Can't please everyone.

The impaired boater slamming into my boat is a possability---Handcuffing the "Prisoner" behind his back and not having his pfd on properly -- He was "screwed" as whipper said. JMO Gary

[racerx]

He never was shown he was drunk they assumed he was and with all his friends getting together to get there storys straight about what happened that cop is done....

[Ron V]

I don't drink at all anymore for health reasons and am not defending intoxicated boating, but I'm with racerx. There is this thing called "innocent until PROVEN guilty". BWI also does not carry the death penalty and the cop isn't the jury and executioner, so he'd best do it right if he's going to cuff someone.

Bottom line here is you have a cop with minimal training in the patrol boat (though it doesn't say whether he had experience in pleasure boats or not) who threw a lifejacket around the shoulders of someone after they were handcuffed. Even if a Type III vest stays on, it is not designed to RELIABLY turn an unconscious (or handcuffed) person face up in the water, the way a Type I is. A Type II will do it most of the time but I wouldn't even want to wear a Type II vest in heavy waves if I was unconscious because the adult Type IIs float me vertical and I'm only 130 lbs. A Type III is designed for watersports where help is right there.

Truthfully the only safe way is Type I vest, no cuffs, and a second cop keeping an eye/gun on him.

[mrcrsr]

i know here in florida we have fwc, (fish,wildlife conservation) which have to be the biggest pack of undertrained idiots to roam the waterways. they'll pull people over in the river for speeding, meanwhile in the background there are clearly buoys/traps in the middle of the channel-which is their job to enforce. the best is i got pulled over at river ranch a few years back in the boat, for slowing down too quickly with someone behind me that i didn't even know was there! the fwc cop says i almost caused a wreck because of slowing down(officer looked like he wasn't a day over 25), i said to him don't you know the rules of the road, that it is the overtaking boats responsibility? the guy was clueless, at that point i said let me call the coast guard and maybe they can explain it to you. needless to say, i was let go. if they can't get the simple things right, god only knows about the rest. this isn't bashing all leo's, i have friends that are cops, but it is upsetting to read something like this, there is no reason for it. that could be your child that happened to, kids do stupid things but shouldn't have to pay with their life for someones incompetence.

[tony97gt]

He never was shown he was drunk they assumed he was and with all his friends getting together to get there storys straight about what happened that cop is done....

do yourself a favor and read a law book. When someone is placed into HANDCUFFS because they're under ARREST for BUI because they failed field sobriety exercises that's your proof as well as physical observations and other factors. You don't need a breath test to prove someone is BUI. Not to mention the possibility of underage consumption of alcohol which is a criminal charge if that was observed as well. You can probably bet there will be a toxicology test done by the medical examiners office to determine exactly what was going on inside him at the time too.

[delawarerick]

Tony bottom line is a young man is dead and I challenge you to tell me you never made a mistake when you where young. If the boy was that intoxicated then back-up to ensure his safety would have been nice. I have alot of respect for law enforcement officers but yall got your bad ones also. I listen to two officers brag about giving the Coast Guard a hard time when stopped and yes they were intoxicated. When I had my stroke a neighbor a state trooper would check on me and had keys to my house. He now is with the FBI most of my wife's family is Nation Security in DC so I will say it again this just plain stinks.