____________________________________________________________________
Gabriel Falcon
AC360° Writer
The question is now being asked after an Erie, Pennsylvania police officer was captured on a cell-phone camera joking and laughing about comments he made about a murder victim.
James Cousins II probably wasn’t aware his remarks were being recorded on April 6th, but they were. And the video clip was quickly uploaded to YouTube, where it’s been viewed more than 12,000 times.
On the tape, Cousins, wearing a sweatshirt and baseball cap, teeters back and forth at the front of a bar counter. He appears intoxicated, and the police chief would later say Cousins was apparently drunk.
In gruesome detail that gathers laughs from several other bar patrons, Cousins describes how, as a patrol officer, he responded to a homicide on March 28th. He explains how he arrived at the scene to find a man shot in the head and says the dead man’s leg was twitching.
Cousins says he used his cell phone camera to take a picture of the dead man’s body. He also jokes when the victim’s mother identifies her son.
Cousins has been suspended with pay from the department pending the outcome of an internal-affairs investigation.
Benjamin Jealous, the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People believes Cousins should resign, saying "His job is to inspire trust and to make the people of Erie feel that they will be protected, that their cases will be taken seriously...he is being profane not just with his language but in his actions, not just towards the family but toward the entire community."
A friend of Cousins who was at the bar that night defends the officer’s behavior, telling a local newspaper, “He was hanging out and blowing off steam…It was just a night out with friends that someone blew out of context causing a lot of trouble for someone who puts their lives on the line for us every day."
Did the cop cross the line? Should he lose his job for what he said and did at the bar?
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All I want to say to all of you defending him...What if it was you and your son or daughter that he was making fun of? And it was reversed.
FIRE THE LOSER!!!!
WE DO NOT NEED PEOPLE LIKE HIM PROTECTING OUR FAMILIES... OUR RIGHTS...
IMMATURE & HAS WAY OVER STEPPED THE BOUNDS!!!
BIG BROTHER .... Everything we do is watched and taped what has this world come to ... 10 years ago this wouldn't have even been a story!
I think there is certain things that one should not talk about or do!!! I mean what was his reason for taking a picture of this dead person on his phone!!!!! I think his actions prove that he shouldn't be a police officer, if he can't respect and protect his victims. His actions make me sick!!!!
I dont like the way the officer acted because if it was his child laying on the ground with a bullet in his head let's see how funny that is going to be. Mr. Cooper I was born and raised in jersey city, New Jersey and I have lost many friends and family and sometimes i wonder when its all gonna end. Its real hard out here in the ghetto and for a officer to make fun of some one who lost their life its wrong and I hope that officer seek forgiveness because he's mentally ill.
P.S please read this on the show I watch you everyday keep up the good work, as for me i'll keep on being the soldier that I'am.
If you are not a cop do not comment on this. It is wrong what he did but as a cop i can tell you, you have to do something to block the horrible things you see on the field. It is not appropiate what this officer did but dont make a big deal about it, we all make mistakes. If you have not made a mistake be the first one to throw the rock!
I took the exam to be a cop after I got out of high school – since I was an A+ student taking AP classes, they refused to admit me because I was TOO SMART TO BE A COP. Despite being 6'5", being able to run a mile in six minutes and bench twice my own weight, I was still turned down. Good job, LAPD...
Sick, just plain old sick!
what he did isnt so terrible, who hasn't said something they shouldn't?
if my friends are at the bar and i need to vent, i should be able to go out and have a good time without worrying about the things i say coming back to haunt me. the person who posted it on YouTube should feel bad. because now everyone is aware and offended. stuff like that isnt meant to be shared with the public, it only makes matters worse.
The officer was OFF duty. You can't be a cop 24/7. How many people act just like they do at work when they are not at work? A little dark humor is just something that helps officers with the many things they come across at work. Most people talk about work. Officer's work just happens to be more interesting and graphic than most jobs. The officer was simply talking with friends off duty and had some drinks. It's not right to hunt him down for his badge. People are just quick to try and get an officer fired over nothing.
The harsh judgments expressed here are disheartening.
As one who works with people in difficult, private, and often extreme situations (medicine), I know how lonely it can be. It is rare to find someone who can listen to my stories of my experiences no matter how benign. People do not generally like to hear about bad things that can happen. In fact, I can usually rely only on colleagues for an ear. And yet, some folks egg me on to tell them about things they find shocking or amusing; a popular one being what objects I have had to remove from rectums and what excuses people give for them being there. Most agree that this is amusing but, I can tell you, it is not; it is dangerous, tragic, and horrifying for the affected person. IN SHORT, perspectives are different depending on which side of the service counter you stand on.
If this officer gives no information that identifies the person he is speaking of, he has done nothing wrong.
His behavior in this random incident gives absolutely no information about his professionalism while at work.
If it is his attitude or the fact that he is drunk-in a bar-is objectionable to you, then, to borrow-judge not lest ye be judged.
Cops are only human and cannot be anything more and do not deserve these attacks.
OMG is this man Benjamin Jealous serious??!! I support this cop. He was probably just making a statement. Maybe is way of dealing with it was making a small joke. Give me a break. This man puts his life on the line everyday for people like Benjamin Jealous and he wants him to stop being an officer. Please this guy Benjamin needs to get a life and stop worrying about others.
Totally unacceptable!!!!
1. Who laughs at someone who is on the ground dead? THIS COP
2.Who laughs at a mother ID her son? THIS COP
I would never want to call the police and have him come!! Suspesion with pay.............................he needs to feel the blow. Take his money away,then he'll feel the pain the family feels. I work in the medical field. It's not funny!! People come in to my dept sick,disturbed ,overwelmed. If I feel like I can not help, I am burned out,I don't care...................then I need to find another job!!
It's quite disturbing to read these responses. Why, is it acceptable for someone to speak like this act like this and people think because of the type of job he has it's should be excuable? NO, if your not able to stomach your job find a new one. If your not able to have respect for your job,Find a new one. If I were the mother I would DEMAND he be fired. No training can take away the extra heartache .
Also, for those of who – who think it was wrong of someone the video tape the off duty officer in a bar. What about the man he video taped with consent don’t you think he deserved the same privileges and respect you want extended to the officer.
Cops, Fire Fighters, EMS workers, Medical field....this happens everyday.
And we talk about it. We have always talked about it. And we will contine to do so.
If you don't work in this type of enviroment you would NOT EVER understand.
But not once is disrespect ever intended.
The person who did the secret video, that person is the one messed up. The ones who sneak around in secret...thats the sick one.
So, now our secret is out, people in our field, we are a different bunch. And if we want to say something about it WE CAN.
Because we ARE the ones who handle the gun shot wound to the head.
The teenager who hung his self.
Dad who killed the family and then him self.
Mom who OD'd.
Grandma who was beaten and murdered.
Sister who was raped and cut all to hell.
Your friend who slit his wrist.
A man who is drowning his son in front of you, high on PCP, and though you have hit him with a pipe and shot him twice, he still can hold that 2 year old underwater.
I dont see any of YOU helping. SO we help ourselves, and sometimes it takes a few drinks AND WORDS!!!
I dont care what anyone says: I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
I SUPPORT THIS COP!!
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. What this officer said "OFF DUTY" cannot be held aganst him. It would have been one thing if he said it on duty, in uniform in front of cameras etc..........
Police often use humour as a coping mechanism, we do this to deal with the things we see on the street that no one should be made to see.
Take it in that context and leave this officer alone.
As a police officer myself let be just say it doesnt matter if he knew he was being recorded or that he was intoxicated. Yes its true us police officers deal with the worst of life but its the life we choose. Helping people in there worst of times is just what a police officer does. I love what I do and know the diffrence between good and bad. There's a place to vent and obviously a place not to. Venting in your own home with a family member = good. Venting to strangers in a public place = bad. I do though believe the officer did cross the line but I also do think he does not deserve to lose his job, a suspension yes. I obviously understand what the officer did was wrong, however the one thing most of us can agree on is that witnessing an event such as a possible homicide "that of which isn't very common most areas" would be a very tramatic expierance. Also most of us have hard of something called PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). We don't know the officer personally and unless we can all say we do and that witnessing a possible homicide wouldn't fall under being stressful. I dont think anyone can say. If it were up to me I'd put the officer in therapy for PTSD and suspend him untill he finished.
I am repulsed by this officer’s action, he is a representive of the law and he is out discussing and making light of this tragedy. I have lived long enough to know that this is a glimpse into this officer’s heart condition and I think it presents a problem to him being able to really protect the public. Should this officer loose his job? Yes. How can this officer be trusted to protect the public. This officer was drunk rambling and joking about something that is privileged and protected information as it may relate to a crime, he should loose his job because he’s in a bar full of strangers discussing an active open case that should be enough for this officer to loose his job…A note to BRENTW get a education, learn how to construct a proper paragraph.
YES, his behavior was unprofessional on the highest level. As a police office he is obligated to show good judgment at all time. If he can’t control his behavior on his own time how can the public except him to show control it on duty. After this incident not even this colleagues will trust him. (He obviously wanted to be the center of attention, well he got it.)
He shouldnt loose his job because of what he said , he should loose his job because of what he did, taking a picture of the dead person with his cell phone was wrong. As long as we live in America he can say what ever he wants, but we are taught as young children is isnt nice to look apon the dead, that means taking pictures for no reason.
Yes...it was unprofessional, unethical and ignorant of this officer to act in such manner. If he was intoxicated and depending on whether he is a problem employee, I would say "no" he shouldn't lose his job. I would, however, make him give a personal apology to the family and others at the bar and suspend without pay for a period. At least it gives him something to think about.
Lol. ok, for all of the sheltered individuals out the who have never experienced anything like this guys situatuion their whole lives. Shut up, you know nothing. If you said something against this guy in a comment then your definatly not a cop, firefighter, or emt. if you say you are then your lying. So, once again you know nothing of his situation. Who really cares what he said? Did he show the picture? Did he say a name? No. This is how peaple in this line of work cope. If you think he should be fired then you might as well fire all cops. They all do it. Besides he was in a bar and drunk. Should he be a robot and show no emotion when handeling cases. No hugs for the orphans, injured, raped, battered, or sympathy for the disabled. Just do the job and write a report. Yeah you would apreciate that wouldnt you. This guy is human and as long as he does his job in a prof. maner when he is in uniform I say let him be.
This officer was not too smart speaking about this in public, loud enough for people to tape it on their phone and play it back clearly. But, studying criminal justice , many of my teachers told us students that the only way for some officers to deal with the day to day scenes of death and such, is to crack jokes to smooth the situation over a bit for their head. This officer hurt many people, but it wasnt ment to be posted on u- tube. I feel this officer is prob going to loose his job over one person taping him in a drunk stuper with his friends, blowing off steam. He deserves another chance, he should apoligize and be able to move on.
Blowing off steam is right, though of course people are going to take offense. Just read all the postings above! We all have our opinions and I respect that. I have experienced loss many times before, and would have been angry as well, but this incident should not have made headlines. I try to understand both sides as well as I can, but this should not have his morals come into question. Of course taking the picture was rather morbid, but that does not make him a crooked cop. As for who he should speak to, I have had to speak to a theripist but sometimes I find more solace in a friend than a stranger.
Though held to a higher standard, he should not be exploited.