Traffic incident brings response into question


Friday, July 25, 2008 | 20 comment(s)

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On April 9, I was at Valleymart Store when a police car cruised through. I left right behind him. He pulled over on the fog line, and I passed him on the left. He pulled out behind me and turned on the lights.

I pulled over on the shoulder. He walked up and said I stopped you for crossing into the other lane. I replied, “I thought that was what you were suppose to do.” He asked me for my license, registration and proof of insurance, which I gave him.

I called my folks and asked my mom to stay on the phone because this officer was trying way too hard to find something wrong. The officer told me I was not insured to drive this truck. I said, “I am, and I have the registered owner on the phone, will you talk to them?” He said no and to hang up the phone. I just set it on the seat. He then asked me when was the last time I used meth. I said, “What kind of a question is that? Am I under arrest or something?” He repeated his question. I said, “I think I need to talk to my lawyer.”

He then jerked me from my truck and handcuffed me. He took everything out of my pockets and put me in the back of the police car. He took everything out of the truck,  making little piles.

It got really interesting in the jail. You are supposed to be given reasonable time to contact counsel or others. Sounds good, but they will not let you use your cell phone. You must use their phone and every number I called came back as restricted. As the officer was reading the DMV Implied Consent form, he was removing and replacing a wallet and my driver’s license in his left hand and clicking a pen in his right hand. On the wall is a drug and alcohol reasonable suspicion poster. I pointed at it and told him I have had that training and you are a classic example.

My reasonable suspicions were based on specific, contemporaneous, articulable observations of his behavior and appearance, not hearsay or intuition.

I believe in the laws we have and I don’t think anyone has the right to twist or manipulate them, whether they are in uniform or not.

Randall L. Harless

Coos Bay
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Linda wrote on Aug 8, 2008 8:11 AM:

They lie,lie,lie. Do they teach that in the academy? People need to remember you don't have to tell them anything. That's your right, but then they say you weren't co-operating. I've been pulled over before just to be asked which brother I was married to. He got a few choice words and isn't it ironic I didn't get a ticket.

Darlene wrote on Aug 4, 2008 8:55 PM:

To the GENIUS Would have been proud to attend Coos Bay or North Bend however schooling--midwest college---Oregon I am in my seventies and a couple of typos I am on drugs?? SHAME ON YOU this forum is about an OSP officer bending the laws and lying under oath and that is my concern (gosh I hope I spelled everything right!)

 wrote on Aug 1, 2008 7:43 PM:

DARLENE, WHERE DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL AT? Coos Bay OR North Bend? CHECK YOUR SPELLING AND LEAVE THE DOPE ALONE!!!!!

pril wrote on Aug 1, 2008 8:35 AM:

don't believe everything you read, "not so innocent". I have had friends ticketed for mj possession and seen it in the paper as methamphetamine possession. Just before I moved away from Coos Bay, I was pulled over 14 times in 10 months, and was never ticketed or arrested. I'm not making any implications about my own experience except to say that it was disturbing and weird that it happened.

Darlene Harless wrote on Jul 31, 2008 9:51 AM:

to not so innocent YOU stopped by OSP Trooper he says you weaved over the fog line documents all okay however trooper notices hand shaking knoew sure sign of drug use small tin on console you have over $500 in pocket arrest booked next day in newspaper your name and METH-possesion manufacture delivery tested the tin residu oops breat mints any retraction or apology no live with it and be judged

Darlene Harless wrote on Jul 31, 2008 9:45 AM:

to RW please get your facts straight before you start slinging mud in the press Mr Harless is NOT on parole or probation He has never been charged with assualt theft burglary. meth pending????

Local Lady wrote on Jul 30, 2008 2:33 PM:

I myself have been lucky in that I have had fairly uneventful encounters with our local law enforcement. But I know of a disturbing amount too many that have not been so lucky. My brother, for one who was profiled. We did report that officer to his superiors but of course I'm sure nothing came if it in the way of punishment. Our judicial system has been corrupted and twisted into something that doesn't even remotely resemble fair or right. All the police seem to know how to do anymomore is judge and jump to ridiculous conclusions. Never mind the truth. Apparently truth doesn't matter anymore.

WHATEVER wrote on Jul 30, 2008 10:03 AM:

This same thing happened to me in Marion County. At the time, I was a 27 year old single mother and we were at a park. I fit the description of somebody else plain and simple. I never believed that something like this could happened unprovoked but it did to me. So all of you self-rightous people who have never experienced this, feel fortunate. I am well educated and have a decent job in the community, and I have never been in trouble with the law in my life except for a speeding ticket. I was drug out by my hair in front of my children without warning. It DOES happen! I had a hard time explaining to my children that not all police officers are bad and that most of them are out to help. But there are a few especially in Coquille that abuse their authority. Not very many but the ones that do make it hard for the wonderful ones we have here.

SABRINA wrote on Jul 29, 2008 11:45 AM:

THOMAS AND SAMUEL, I totally agree with you. The cops, sheriffs, pretty much any law enforcement are not our friends! It is sad that in our community people are guilty until proven innocent. I have never been in trouble for anything and have not even had a ticket, but in dealing with them on issues they are jerks! I have no R-E-S-P-E-C-T for them because they have no R-E-S-P-E-C-T for us!

Tony wrote on Jul 29, 2008 10:31 AM:

One look at the Para-Military outfits and gear tells you all you need to know about local law enforcement.
Would not trust them with my cat.

Samuel wrote on Jul 27, 2008 7:27 AM:

You know this kind of behavior on the officers part makes me wonder just what is being proffessed in the Police Acadamey in Monmouth Oregon. I am former Law Enforcement Proffessional and one of the primary items that they really drove into us is courtesy towards the public. Everybody in the United States of America under the Constitution is suppose to be innocent until proven guilty. The Local Law Enforcement around the Bay Area seem to forget about the Constitution and the Due Process. They seem to trick people into talking and have been know for entrapment. Many of these officers need to know of their surroundings and know who they are dealing with. People are not fools and most seem to know what their rights are. Lawsuits are being filed by the millions against the Depts. They better start watching their backs. What goes around comes around!

Samuel wrote on Jul 26, 2008 6:56 AM:

One morning while on my way to one of my obligations, I was traveling south on Hwy 101 from my home to North Bend when I was suposidly clocked doing 65 in a 55 zone and in a construction zone of top of that! This young trooper who was so fresh this his unform had that new smell to it decided that he had to approach my car with his hand on his side arm and the thumbsnap released. I really wondered just what information he pulled up on his screen because I am a former Law Enforcement officer who left the line with a clean record for better things! I started carrying my weapon in my car afterwards just in case... I would rather be tried by 12 then carried by 6! Never-the-less, I won my ticket by argument and the trooper left as one pissed off individual who would not even look at me when I told him to have a nice day. Huh! LOL......

Senior wrote on Jul 25, 2008 8:31 PM:

I was stopped in Florence as I was entering town at the far north end, after following a van a long way down the coast road that was putting out very nasty exhaust fumes, making me sick, I speeded up to get past him and get some clean air to breath, and I was stopped by a Florence officer, for speeding. When I saw him get out of his car I thought what a nice looking young man, he looks very nice. Well He was not nice to this senior lady at all. I was very co-opertive and he was so nasty to me, I could not believe it. I was treated so RUDE I couldn't understand why he was being so awful to me. Then he gave me a BIG ticket even after I explained why I was trying to get past the van. Bad experience for sure. First ticket for speeding.

Cant wait wrote on Jul 25, 2008 7:05 PM:

Cant wait..... for the REST of the story to come out in court... and then read Mr. Harless's response to it... though he probably wouldnt want to comment on it once the cat is out of the bag.

He wasnt so innocent wrote on Jul 25, 2008 5:16 PM:

A Coos Bay man was arrested on drug-related charges Wednesday after Oregon State Police stopped his vehicle on state Highway 42.

According to an OSP press release, at about 6:33 p.m., troopers stopped a white 1989 Ford pickup truck near milepost 2 after it failed to maintain a single lane. They arrested the driver, Randall L. Harless, 51, on charges of possession of methamphetamine, manufacture of methamphetamine, delivery of methamphetamine, felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a dagger, driving under the influence of intoxicants and possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

He was taken to Coos County jail, where he is being held on a $182,500.

Just An Observer wrote on Jul 25, 2008 5:16 PM:

Is it any wonder that Coos County votes down law enforcement levies and in the past has voted to do away with the search and seizure laws that benefited law enforcement? We have so many examples of corruption and criminality from various local law enforcement communities that one might as well have biker gangs patrolling the streets and save the tax dollars for something worthwhile...LOL!

Thank you for speaking up Mr. Harless and I hope you successfully sue the pants off this officer and his agency. We the people will not get professional law enforcement until we hit them in the pocketbook HARD and thus force a reform that way.

Coos Bay Resident wrote on Jul 25, 2008 5:11 PM:

HEY RANDALL AND THOMAS, If you think their job is easy, why don't you guys sign up for the police acadamey. You guys would be the first people to call them if you needed them. Maybe Randall and Mrs. Winfrey should get together and compare notes sometime. HEY RANDALL, if this happened in April why are you still CRYING about it? GET A LAWYER! Just remember lying under oath is called PERJURY. I have been stop a few times by local (Coos County Agencies) and NEVER had a bad experience with them. By showing them a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T, you would be amazed how much easier things would go for ALL involved. Mr. Winfrey and his buddies should have showed OSP a little R-E-S-P-E-C-T the night of July 4th,2008.

CB Lifer wrote on Jul 25, 2008 5:11 PM:

More and more we hear about law enforcement officers being in trouble for breaking the law. They think nothing of violating your rights and they create laws as they go and assert themselves in a threatening way. As citizens we must be voice our concerns and file complaints against these type of officers. They are employed by us to serve us and protect us. We should not tolerate anything less from them.

Thomas is right, the cops are not our friends anymore.

Kay wrote on Jul 25, 2008 4:29 PM:

In what town did this happen?

Thomas wrote on Jul 25, 2008 3:16 PM:

This is typical, and it is only when 'ordinary' citizens contact our current police state that anyone takes notice.

The cops are not our friends anymore.


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