The Full Ryan Moats Dashcam Video

Posted by Mike Florio on March 27, 2009, 10:45 AM EDT

The full, unedited Dashcam videos from the Ryan Moats incident have been posted on YouTube.
For those of you who claim that the situation has no relevance to pro football, please keep in mind that the driver of the car . . . is a pro football player.
The segment has been split into two parts.

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112 responses to “The Full Ryan Moats Dashcam Video”

  1. The best part is in the second video at the 4:20 mark, when the nurse comes out and informs one of the officers of the dire situation inside. The officer then says to the other, “This is the nurse. She says the mom’s dying right now, and she wants to know if we can get him up there before she dies.”
    Then the other officer replies, “I’m almost done.”
    Seriously???
    “I’m almost done”!!@#$!@$@#$!@%$@!#$%

  2. The people that claim it has nothing to do with football and whine about it being posted here always boggle my mind. They whine that it takes up the space and time, yet 1. They read it. 2. They post about it.
    I always wonder what goes on in the minds of morons.

  3. Wake me up when you get the full dashcam video of Megan Fox showering…or sunbathing…or walking…anything will do.

  4. This maddens me to no end, that guy should go to jail for life, hes just a terrible perso

  5. Was the officer a jerk? Yes.
    Did Moats cooperate? No. What did he think was going to happen when he told the officer to go find proof of insurance himself?

  8. Can someone explain why the officer would act this way? It is obvious that the driver was being reasonable. There was no question that he was lying about having a dying relative in the hospital, or that the situation presented any public safety hazard.
    Without knowing this officer’s past history, I would’t want to accuse him of being racist. But I doubt that his official training requires him to behave in this way. He seems to be exercising his discretion as law enforcement agent, and doing so in a very shoddy manner. If the driver had ignored the red light, and there was an indication that he was driving dangerously, that would help to explain the officer’s behaviour. But from the video, it seems clear that the driver stopped first at the red light to make sure it was safe, then proceeded. Ask yourself how the officer would have behaved if the driver turned out to be a cousin of his that he used to go fishing with when they were kids. Not likely that his duties as law enforcement agent would have required him to act this way.

  9. Leave the officer alone. Maybe he’s just angry because he didn’t win the QB of the future copy last week.
    Or maybe he’s angry because he did…

  10. My god what an abuse of police power, to serve and protect? My ass this guy is just out to get him, once he heard there was an emergency he should have helped them not detained them.
    What an asshole, fire his ass.

  12. How many more posts can we expect to see on this topic? I’m setting the over/under at 3.
    Seriously, Mike, if you want to be a neighborhood organizer go ahead and do it. If you want to march in protest of something, go ahead and do it. If you want to run a site dedicated to pro football, maybe you should start doing that.

  13. I don’t know how Moats kept his cool. I would have lost my mind having to listen to this guy lecture me about attitude and running red lights. I don’t want to claim I know the cops motivations but at the point he starts lecturing moats he clearly knew that his mother in law was code blue inside and every second counted. Dick move.

  15. I never comment here or anywhere else, but I have to on this one. That cop needs to be suspended WITHOUT pay! Why on earth couldn’t he get his info, let him go and give him the ticket afterwards or simply understand the situation and LET HIM GO. Lucky he didn’t start hitting him with his baton. There should be a lawsuit against someone here.

  16. I’m with Jake. Post a Megan Fox video not this crap.
    Way to stoke the racism fire, Florio. Every would be person of color is up in arms again around a dickhead cop that’s just having a power trip.

  17. “SHUT YER MOUTH,” “I COULD SO SCREWWWW YOU O-VER.”
    Once again, for everyone who says that Moats should have reacted better, if your wife’s mother was dying and she was in a panicked state, would you not try to get there as quickly as possible? And how would your attitude be in a situation like that? Unless you are a robot, you would feel some stress in the situation because of what your wife is going through and also the fact that you want her to be there so she can see her mom for the last time. If the cop can’t judge that situation, imagine how he would react in another situation that is more dangerous? I would like to say that in a situation where a more experienced cop might demonstrate some restraint and handle such a situation without anyone getting injured, this guy would pull his piece and start dropping folks.

  19. It’s so uncomfortable to watch that.
    The point where Moats is yes siring him to death – and the police officer just goes on and on and on with the lecture. The police officer is 25 year old with 3 years on the force and he is lecturing Moats like he’s some harden cop who has seen it all – meanwhile the cop is a child.
    That scene is bizarre.

  20. I don’t think this was racism, this was a cop being an over-officious jerk (to put it mildly). I watched the whole thing last night, and I applaud Moats for his restraint. He was obviously distraught, as anyone in that situation would be, but kept it together pretty well. I mean, after the nurse comes out and tells the guy what’s going on, he still kept at it. He had the drivers license and insurance, why not just let the guy go inside while the cop writes the ticket? How hard would that have been? Show some humanity, for crying out loud. It was clear after about two minutes what was going on.
    It’s cops like this that make every other decent, rational officer’s job that much harder. This guy clearly became a cop because he likes pushing people around, and does not deserve to wear a badge.

  22. I am outraged. The only thing this asswad cared about was feeding his overinflated ego. “I could take you to Jail, I could tow your car” etc. Common sense distated that he would help this man through this crisis by getting him to his dying mother. He should be banned from law enforcement for life. He has no empathy to serve the public properly.

  23. I give Moats so much respect. If I were in that situation i would beat the **** outta that guy. What an @$$hole.
    The cop is the reason that there is hatred in the world and i hope he burns in h3LL

  24. I’m pretty sure Moats could have outrun the cop (and lapped him if he wanted). Not that it’s the best thing to do, but in this case, he could have made it to the room and what’s the cop gonna do in a room full of doctors and nurses with a dying person on a bed?
    Sounds like this cop chased Moats into another jurisdiction. He was also lecturing Moats about stopping when lights go on, etc. But, in the very beginning of the video, that cop was waaaay behind Moats. He didn’t catch up until just before they entered the ER area.
    I’m quite sure this guy is going to get fired.

  25. just out of curiosity, how many people would have believed Moats accounts of this story if he didnt have the video to back it up?

  27. It is obvious there is a lack of respect for the police from the driver.
    What is an officer to think when a vehicle does not pull over and then when persons who might being carrying weapons or contraband ignore the officers directions and flee from the scene of a traffic stop?
    Then the driver refused to get his license out!
    Is it so hard to explain the situation and get your license out at the same time?
    The driver is out of control early on the tape and the officer repeatedly tells him to settle down and then advises that if he doesn’t settle down he will be taken to jail.
    The officer calmly explains the gravity of consequences of further noncooperation. Only then does Moats begin to act civilized.
    The first half of the video show Moats wasting over 7 minutes of the stop!!
    1) Stop for the police
    2) Don’t scream like a banshee at the officer
    3) Don’t run from the police.
    4) Give him the required documents when asked
    The first few minutes are exactly what not to do when stopped by the police.

  28. Running red lights…with a cop chasing you…..failing to stop….driving to the Hospital.
    If I were the cop I would probably think:
    A. pregnant woman (but even the alien in Men in Black stopped)
    B. gun shot victim – happens all the time in the cities
    C. overdose – they usually get dumped curbside
    I don’t think I would have believed the dying mother in law story. But that being said….when the cop was told the real deal….he should have cut him loose.
    The cop was in the right…until he became a dick….and then he was in the wrong

  29. As a former police officer I have worked with guys like this, they just don’t see the whole picture. They were pulling up to a hospital with their flashers on, how that information does not enter his mind I don’t know. I understand that the tactics he was using by trying not to let them get out of the vehicle, it becomes a safety issue for both the officer, driver and passengers of the vehicle. Grey areas exist and some people just see everything as black and white, sometimes it is just as simple as a lack of common sense with some individuals. I never heard the officer ask if there was something wrong or if there was an emergency, it is simple things like that. The non verbal clues were there, he just missed it. Seeing the agitation from the passengers with out the first hand knowledge of them being there for an actual emergency makes them seem slightly aggressive. Had the officer asked that question it would have provided both sides with some understanding. There are officers who are so good at reading people, it is hard to understand how some officers just can’t! He missed so many clues along the way I could make this a two page article. The bottom line is he pooched this so bad I don’t think he should ever be on patrol ever again, time to find a desk or fire him. The sad part to this deal is had it not been a Professional athlete, it might have slipped through the cracks. I don’t get the feeling it was race related, just going off the officers reaction and responses I would hazard to guess that he treated everyonethe same way. I think everyone deserves second chances, whether this officer will get one or not I would say very unlikely. Would I give him one as his Chief, probably not unless this was a isolated incident. If he would have gone in the hospital with those envolved and talked to a nurse or a doctor this whole mess could have been avoided. Maybe just keeping the driver there for two or three minutes, check him for wants or warrants and then letting him go inside. If you feel that you must issue a citation, you can fill that out while they are in the hospital. Verify the informtaion you were given, don’t be a dumbass!!

  30. To all those who proclaim that Moats was wrong or uncooperative in the first place, none of you were ever racing to a loved one’s deathbed. Moats was very close to the hospital. If he was further away, then he could’ve stopped and asked for an escort.
    When Moats realized he wasn’t getting a break, he showed astounding restraint in showing respect when the officer dragged his feet.
    With many other athletes, this could have escalated into huge points on the Arrest Meter…

  32. I got a question…
    If the officer is sooo worried about the “perp” probably getting a way and him not being able to write his d*mn ticket. How come he didn’t just follow the man in to the hospital? Especially when you got people coming out and telling you that he’s not lying.
    Racial profiling at its best.

  33. this is a travesty he pulled into a hospitol what if he was having a heart attack
    this ooficer should be made to do community service at a hospice were the patients are terminal

  34. Maybe that cop should join the RCMP in the Vancouver Airport. I’m sure he would fit in very well – he doesn’t have a heart or respect for human dignity. Just give him a taser and he’ll do his part.

  36. wampag – community service for the officer at a hospice with imminently terminal patients, very nice.

  37. If I was the Chief of Police in Dallas I would be more worried about how in the hell did You Tube get a copy of the car cam without my permission?????

  39. WOW. What a friggin jerk. ANyone get his name? This guy needs to lose his job ASAP.

  41. If Moats would have stopped being confrontational, he could have been done with Officer O’Malley at probably 3:30 into the first video. Moats wasn’t nearly as effective as he could have been in getting this resolved much quicker but when dealing with this dim-wit, it’s understandable how frustrated he got too.

  42. Nothin new to me…..
    About 50% of the time i get pulled over i get hassled and 100% of the time there is nothing wrong and they let me go. Cops just like to abuse their power and feel like a man at times, it’s not like you can say anything back to them and they know that, it’s not my opinion its just fact.
    There has to be some sort of surveillance on officers at all times and not only on their dash, something like a mic on their uniforms at all times. Moats is lucky that the bastardddd was caught on tape because if not he would have got away free, I mean it happens everyday.

  43. Hey Bob_Nelson:
    Your post is written as if you’re wearing the same ridiculous horse blinders that the cop was wearing. Get a grip on reality. The guy TacoBill right below you put it best.
    Are you human or a robot programmed to ignore basic human nature?
    Stop ignorantly defending this cop. With all the situation management cops receive, it’s obvious his power trip definitely got in his way… and the department spokesman even acknowledged that.

  44. Cop could have easily walked with Moats up to the room as well and given him his two cents. Moats is older than this young cop too isn’t he? How disrespectful to continuously repeat “shut your mouth”. That’s some shit that gets your grill lit up if you’re not carrying a badge and a gun.

  45. Police officers aren’t ordained by god they deserve respect only when they show it.

  46. WHAT??!!
    Bob_Nelson says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 11:31 am
    It is obvious there is a lack of respect for the police from the driver.
    What is an officer to think when a vehicle does not pull over and then when persons who might being carrying weapons or contraband ignore the officers directions and flee from the scene of a traffic stop?
    Then the driver refused to get his license out!
    Is it so hard to explain the situation and get your license out at the same time?
    The driver is out of control early on the tape and the officer repeatedly tells him to settle down and then advises that if he doesn’t settle down he will be taken to jail.
    The officer calmly explains the gravity of consequences of further noncooperation. Only then does Moats begin to act civilized.
    The first half of the video show Moats wasting over 7 minutes of the stop!!
    1) Stop for the police
    2) Don’t scream like a banshee at the officer
    3) Don’t run from the police.
    4) Give him the required documents when asked
    The first few minutes are exactly what not to do when stopped by the police. (THIS ISN’T A NORMAL SITUATION ASSHOLE)
    I’d like to see you act nice calm and respectful when this prick stops you in the same situation.
    HOW ARE YOU GOING TO RESPECT A POLICE OFFICER YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW WHEN THE PERSON YOU DO RESPECT IS DYING ONLY A FEW HUNDRED FEET AWAY FROM YOU???
    You either have a really low I.Q. or your dad was a cop… If so your dad should have beat you less so you’d have more compassion for others.
    No way would a cop have stopped me from going in to the hospital to see my mother before I die… Let him force me to the ground it’s just a lawsuit waiting to happen.

  48. tom3565 thanks for your perspective on this situation as an ex police officer.
    It mirrors my thinking on how it might have been handled but I couldn’t have stated it so succintly.
    The question I have is how many more Officer Powell’s are there on the Dallas PD and how will the Department monitor them?
    The Dallas PD has a major PR problem on their hands, it will be interesting to see how they handle this fiasco.

  49. Wow..im speechless.. Ryan Moats has the patience of a saint.. i honestly cant say i would of stayed there. When the officer started lecturing him and all you hear ryan say.. yes sir, yes sir, yes sir thats one of the all time dickhead moves. Unbelievable.

  50. Wow. This officer should never be allowed to wear a uniform again. He can’t handle the power that goes with it. The officer was on a power trip like i’ve never seen/heard!
    Moats seemed to do everything right. I couldn’t believe how calm he was as the officer was deliberately trying to goad him when explaining, slowly, all the things he could charge him with. Thats a credit to Moats’ character if you ask me, because I would have ran into the hospital to see my loved one. The officer be damned.
    Stay on top of this Florio, i’d like to know if this dirtbag is ever allowed to be a police officer again.

  51. buenon says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 11:41 am
    Maybe that cop should join the RCMP in the Vancouver Airport. I’m sure he would fit in very well – he doesn’t have a heart or respect for human dignity. Just give him a taser and he’ll do his part.
    —————————-
    So you’re saying Canadian police don’t have hearts? Thanks for this, Florio.

  52. This is really pretty simple.
    The cop WILL get everyone to RESPEC’ HIS AWE-THOR-A-TIE! His POWER is the ONLY thing that matters here, you WILL do what he says.
    Pretty typical of the authoritarian d*ckhead.

  53. I work for a DA’s Office, so I completely support law enforcement officers doing their job, because they make my job easier, but the bottom line is this guy is either too vindictive to be a police officer or he’s too stupid.
    If he lacks the common sense to understand the situation, which he still did not seem to understand even when nurses and hospital security explained it, then he also lacks the common sense to know when he should discharge his weapon and when he shouldn’t. Officers like this are why people hate cops. I really wish the force would get rid of these idiots, because there are a lot of really good honest cops.
    As for Moats, if I was driving my wife to her mother’s death bed, I wouldn’t stop for red lights PERIOD. That was a man’s primal urge to protect his family. I think the fact that he showed any restraint is commendable. The cop got his rocks off by being able to stick it to Moats, and that evident by listening to his conversation with the other officer at the end. He messed with him just because he could. I hope this guy doesn’t believe in karma.

  55. It would have been cool if his wife was having a baby, and she would have had to deliver it in the parking lot because he ran a red light and the officer was writing a 20 minute ticket while she was delivering the baby.

  56. Big Props to Ryan Moats for not losing his cool…and not once did he say “I’m Ryan Moats, I play for the Texans.” This cop was/is an ass. This cop’s 15 minutes of fame is gonna consist of being a jackass during a time of dire need.
    officer sir, “SHUT YOUR M(*(*)(*F()NG MOUTH, YOU A$$HOLE” – Hosstyle in Tampa

  57. >>>>>
    “if your wife’s mother was dying and she was in a panicked state, would you not try to get there as quickly as possible?”
    >>>>>>
    Absolutely. What guy would want to miss the opportunity to watch his mother-in-law die? I’d run 1,000 red lights if that’s what it took.

  58. I think they should make all law enforcement watch this video before every briefing. I just found out this morning about this and I am appalled. Who does this guy think he is? Judge Dredd or Cobra(Both Stallone by the way)? What if any one of us were driving to the hospital with a gunshot(for dramatic effect) hole in our heart and we were using our little finger to plug it, would he make me get out of my vehicle, put my hands on my head causing me to unplug my wound? Oooh, and while I’m bleeding out(because my hands are on my head) the nurse tells him and the other officer there that I’m about to die, could he please plug his heart? “Alright, I’m almost done.”
    What I fear the most is the future that didn’t happen. Imagine what he would have done to him if he took off with his wife and ignored him.
    Did anyone else notice that his father-in-law stayed with him to protect him because he saw what could have happened. Later, the two hospital security guards looked as if they were going to back up Moats if the cop went to subdue him. This guy is out of control. Three years on the job, he should know what to do. At the end of the video he says he’s “worded”(this is BS–doctored, lied, fudged, or any other synonym you can find) his report during a chase in January. Upon further research he’s also had previous abuse complaints.
    The formula should be simple from here…
    Previous History + Moats = Fired and dragged
    Question: Do they still drag people in Texas? If not, they should consider it in this case or, how about a good tar and feathering?

  59. What gets me thinking it was race related was at the tail end of the video the dick cop is talking to the other cop about how he was in a chase with “someone who looked like him” and the cop seemed proud of it. Sounds like the guy is at least a closet rascist in my mind.

  61. tom3565 – well stated.
    Bob Nelson – get a freakin clue. If your wife\girlfriend had cut her finger off and was bleeding to death (which is just as likely as guns or contraband) the last thing you are going to do is stop the car so the cop can see the bloody stump on your wife’s hand. To suggest otherwise makes you naive or a liar (possibly even both). There wasn’t a SINGLE point in time of that video where the officer even remotely recognized the potential emergency situation. While you’re bus breaking down the amount of time Moats wasted arguing withthe officer you should probably consider the additional 9 minutes the officer took writing the ticket while the hospital was waiting for the recessitation paper to be signed. You may feel the first few minutes proves what not to do when stopped by the police but the entire episode proves what police officers shouldn’t do in an emergency situation.

  62. ravensos says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 11:29 am
    just out of curiosity, how many people would have believed Moats accounts of this story if he didnt have the video to back it up?
    Good Point!!!

  63. And of course, he has a MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/powellrob2002
    (Seems like every offending individual in any controversial story always has a MySpace.)
    Current status: Blessed With Two Beautiful Children All I can do is HOLD MY HEAD UP HIGH n wait for this to blow over.Thanks to everyone that standing behind me n helping me get through this.Love U Honey!!!!
    Sadly, he’s probably right about waiting for it to blow over. DPD has placed him on leave, but they’re probably just making a show of it to quell the possible racial tension. I could see a situation where DPD waits a few weeks until the media stops reporting on the issue, then quietly lets Powell back on the force.

  64. The first half of the video show Moats wasting over 7 minutes of the stop!!
    To quote Bob_Nelson
    1) Stop for the police
    2) Don’t scream like a banshee at the officer
    3) Don’t run from the police.
    4) Give him the required documents when asked
    The first few minutes are exactly what not to do when stopped by the police
    ———————————————————————-
    Anyone care to chime in on what the officer did wrong as a professional who’s suppose to not abuse his powers?

  65. WOW, thanks for giving us white guys another black. . .er, purple eye. . . I agree, once people jumped out of the car, the situation got scary for the officer as per their training. But c’mon man. Wow, I feel for Ryan and his family. Both sides could have reacted better, but in the end the officer was at fault. BUT should not lose his job over it!!!

  66. That cop is the most arrogant prick I’ve ever seen. Justify it anyway you want but as he was bragging after he let Moat go, all he talked about to the ass-kisser not shown was “his last chase”. He never mentioned Moat or his mother-in-law dying. Self serving little prick that stands behind a badge. Moat must have said “yes-sir” 15 times, while num-nuts told him all the things he could charge him with. That little dick should be off the force. That was not a dangerous situation. He should have read that and let him go. Give Moats a ticket, follow him in to the hospital, whatever, but don’t hold a man back from saying good-by to a relative. What a dick that cop is. Fire him. His judgment is guided by his ego.

  67. How fast would you drive to the hospital if you’re loved one were on their deathbed? The cop showed no compassion- most don’t, but did show a gross abuse of his power by saying he could Screw him over? Why would you draw your weapon on someone who’s non threatening?

  68. First the guy had his hazards on, then is going in the direction of the hospital, then pulls into the hospital.
    Where does the officer not catch a hint that there maybe an emergency I wanna become an officer but this prick deserves to loose his job because it gives all of them a bad name.

  69. the least the cop could have done is accompanied Moats inside to verify his story. but no, this power tripping asshole doesn’t have enough decency to think “we’ll go inside, let him see his mother, and *then* I’ll deal with the red light he ran”, etc.
    but no, the cop probably didn’t want to wait around for Moats to say goodbye to his mother. he needed to wrap up the ticket situation NOW so he still had time to get to the donut shop…

  72. This is terrible. I’m a Texan and to me, this doesn’t surprise me one bit! The majority of these Dallas people are bred pricks.

  73. At about the 2:10 mark in the first video
    Officer: “You ran a red light”
    Moats: “My mother is dying right now!”
    Officer: “That doesn’t constitute running a red light”
    Skip ahead to 3:32 in video one
    Officer: “Do we have a problem?”
    Moats: “We don’t have a problem. My mother in law is dying! I don’t understand why you can’t understand that. I had my hazard lights on!”
    Officer: “Listen to me. Listen to me. (chuckles) That doesn’t matter.”
    All I can say is wow! The fact that the officer thinks that the imminent death of a loved one is not as important as running a red light is absolutely incomprehensible. As previous posters have said, the officer could not put together what was happening. A Distraught group of people in a rush to the hospital, nurses coming outside to verify the immediate death of Moats’ mother in law, what was the officer waiting to hear? If Moats had turned to walk inside would the officer have hit him with the taser or pepper spray?
    A question to Tom3565:
    As a former officer, how has training changed in the past 10~20 years? It seems that when I was growing up police were more inclined to talk to individuals and assess the situation, where as today the procedure seems to be focused detaining individuals and checking for warrants while asserting authority. What happened to community policing?
    I say keep it up Florio. This is the kind of thing that needs to be seen and heard. I keep checking the “world wide leader” to see if they have any info on it. I am sure it will be an “Outside the Lines” special once internet hacks and YouTube make it ratings worhty. All the haters that think this has nothing to do with football are missing the point. The police officer was more concerned about a red light than the death of an actual person.

  74. Lordy, if Moats hadn’t acted like a douche (“You find my insurance”) he would have been inside in minutes.
    You guys think it is okay to run stop lights and stop signs? Wait until you get T-boned by some other dickhead who feels the same way.
    Did any of you notice Powell let the wife walk-off, even when ordered not to? Of course you didn’t because most of you are stupid and want to blame the police for your problems.

  76. Cops abuse their power far too often. That’s why most people dislike them.
    This story came to light because he was a football player. Far too often things like this happen to regular people, and those never make the news.
    That ESPN commercial with the cop pulling over a guy going 36 in a 35, that shit happens. I didn’t find it too funny.
    My 4 year old nephew is afraid of the police. He cries when he sees them. No one taught him this, he just thinks the police officer will arrest him everytime he sees one. Cops are crooked and are too often on a power trip.

  77. pkenny says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
    Lordy, if Moats hadn’t acted like a douche (”You find my insurance”) he would have been inside in minutes.
    You guys think it is okay to run stop lights and stop signs? Wait until you get T-boned by some other dickhead who feels the same way.
    Did any of you notice Powell let the wife walk-off, even when ordered not to? Of course you didn’t because most of you are stupid and want to blame the police for your problems.
    —————————————————————-
    Did you notice that Ryan had already stated why he ran the light and SOMEONE WAS DYING!!!
    The cop should have followed him in the hospital immediately… To verify the story before being a dick.
    And have you read elsewhere that Ryan stopped at the light, the only car there waved at him to go through before he did… How is he going to get in an accident if there are no cars there to hit dip shit.
    Go back to the chat rooms and stay out of this serious conversation.

  78. Kudos to Ryan Moats for keeping it together, even while frustrated out of his skull. Kudos to the nurse for trying to get the officer to understand the situation. Kudos to the Dallas PD for immediately coming out and admonishing the behavior of Officer Powell and offering an apology to Moats and his family. Kudos to Florio for finding and posting this.
    Anyone who whines that this doesn’t belong here shouldn’t waste their time or our time by commenting on it.

  79. Moats admitted he was wrong to run the light. He was willing to accept the ticket. But, he needed to get inside. He was obviously distraught and trying to deal with the cop while also trying to get inside.
    Guess what? Cops deal with rude, uncooperative people all the time. It’s in the job description. Their job is to make the situation less confrontational so it is safer for everyone. It is not to make it worse. This officer did nothing to deal with an obviously distraught person.
    As for everyone who says “How was the cop to know Moats wasn’t lying?” Umm, the INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY NURSE AND COP who came over and told the cop what the situation was. Geez, this cop was so full of himself, he wouldn’t even listen to another cop about the situation.

  80. Due to the fact that the police officer is in a union, he cannot be suspended without pay. Oh, the glorious benefits of organized labor! I think we can ALL agree that the officer handled this inappropriately. He could have escorted them into the hospital and gathered whatever information he needed or verification of the truth at that time. Now the city of Dallas or Dallas County will be sued, and should be sued, due to this officer’s malfeasance, negligence and utter lack of common sense. I do not think that Ryan Moats did anything wrong. In fact, if I was in the situation, I would have encouraged the officer to go into the hospital with me or two my vehicle or whatever else, but I would not have stayed there talking to the officer. True, as a Black man in America (or anywhere else for that matter) the officer would have felt licensed to shoot me in the back, leading to another massive lawsuit. this serves as yet another example of why Blacks do not trust the police and for the most part do not cooperate with “the law” in investigations. Even if/when you do the right thing, you still get harassed for no reason at all.

  81. pkenny says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
    Did any of you notice Powell let the wife walk-off, even when ordered not to? Of course you didn’t because most of you are stupid and want to blame the police for your problems.
    Of course we did. I would have done the same thing.

  82. Knuckles: The unfortunate part is that violence has permeated society from bottom to top, this has effected how policing has changed. Getting officers out of the cars and back out walking the streets helps the citizens and the officers relate on a personal level. Traffic stops are the greatest risk for officers and citizens, officers have to be able to interpret alot of data from the vehicle he or they are pulling over. This envolves dealing with dispatch on the radio keeping everyone in the imidiate area safe, and approaching the car and verbaling talking to occupants inside the car. If someone initiates a hostile situation you need to be level headed enough to not make the problem worse. These situations can not be trained totally out, unfortunately sometime thing are learned in the real world the hard way. It comes down to perception, our personal nuances blind us to information that we receive verbally and non verbally which inhibits us from seeing things without personal prejudice. The bottom line is everyone has to make things better, as the citizen you have to realize the officer is trying to just do his job, as an officer you have to realize not everyone is a bad guy. An FBI agent told me one time that 95 % of the people you deal with in your career you would be having dinner at their house if you were neighbors, the other 5 % you don’t want in anyones neighborhood. I had a very hard time watching these videos, it makes me sick to my stomach! In big cities the odds against of you running into the same person makes it easier to treat officers and citizens differently than you would if you saw the on a consistent basis. I hae been yelled at and threatened by little old ladies who could barely see over the dash board, after almost hitting me in my patrol car in broad daylight. I have dealt with respectful adults and teenagers, most of everyone is respectful and polite. I have been pulled over for speeding and made to feel like I was an ax murderer. Both sides need to get it together to make everyone safer. Oh packer 666 my Father told me one thing when I was litttle, it works really well” if you walk like a duck and talk like a duck and act like a duck someone will think you are a duck don’t get pulled over!!!

  83. I don’t think it was about race, it was about EGO. The cop didn’t know that they were black when he was trying to pull them over, he just wanted to be the big man and be a jerk. I would have been more of a dick than Moats was, I would of walked away and I’m sure arrested by cop with the huge ego. I hope he looses his job.

  84. pkenny says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
    Lordy, if Moats hadn’t acted like a douche (”You find my insurance”) he would have been inside in minutes.
    You guys think it is okay to run stop lights and stop signs? Wait until you get T-boned by some other dickhead who feels the same way.
    Did any of you notice Powell let the wife walk-off, even when ordered not to? Of course you didn’t because most of you are stupid and want to blame the police for your problems.
    —————————————————-
    Moats did not blow through a red light. He was driving with his hazards on and stopped to check for traffic(which was verified by the officer in the video), he then proceeded through when no other cars were coming. What should he do? Sit at a red light while his wife’s mother dies because he needs to obey a traffic signal? He did not put anyone in danger nor did threaten the officer in anyway.
    Since your so willing to throw around the “douche” tag why not apply it to the officer who thinks a red light is more important than a human life? The officer told him to “shut his mouth” in addition to threatening to tow his car and take him to jail all while saying “I can screw you over”. Law enforcement officers are trained to react calmly to stressful situations. If the officer in question can not figure out what is going on here, how can he be trusted with a service weapon?

  85. Daryl_S says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
    Did you notice that Ryan had already stated why he ran the light and SOMEONE WAS DYING!!!
    **************
    Yeah Corky, I noticed that. Did you notice the person dying was already in the hospital? Does that constitute a medical emergency?
    You think it is okay for Moats to endanger other people’s lives by blowing through stop signs? Do you think you might hit a car if you ignore a stop sign? Are you old enough to drive?

  86. I’m totally disgusted by this officer’s behavior. I hope he gets the sack for sucking at serving and protecting.

  87. As a previous office I can understand the officer stopping Moats. But, when he found out the situation he could have let it go; Moats was at the hospital.
    This surely could have been handled better; a suspension should be punishment enough.
    Being an officer of the law is a tough job and at times the bounds are over stepped.

  88. Moats showed unbelieveable restraint. I would not have stopped. I would have run into the hospital to see my mother in law before she passed away. If he arrested me so be it. Then I would have sued the Dallas police dept. as well as the officer who detained me.After what I just saw I would sue the police Dept. for sure. This is typical government abuse of power.That officer at the very least should be fired. He should be prosecuted for his abuse and indifference to humanity.Moats was right in running the red light. He slowed down before the light and also had his hazard lights flashing. That officer and others like him give law enforcement a bad name.WHAT A DISGRACE to the police dept. that officer is.

  89. pkenny says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
    Daryl_S says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
    Did you notice that Ryan had already stated why he ran the light and SOMEONE WAS DYING!!!
    **************
    Yeah Corky, I noticed that. Did you notice the person dying was already in the hospital? Does that constitute a medical emergency?
    You think it is okay for Moats to endanger other people’s lives by blowing through stop signs? Do you think you might hit a car if you ignore a stop sign? Are you old enough to drive?
    He didn’t blow through a stop sign, he ran a red light…
    He stopped at the light to make sure no cars were coming…
    He had his hazard lights on…
    Now idiot, do you THINK Ryan Moats has eyes… Is it possible he looked BOTH WAYS before crossing the street… If there are no cars coming why sit there when you only have a few minutes to get somewhere as important as a dying relative.
    Am I old enough to drive? I Sure am… I’m also old enough to spot someone who is clearly not smart enough to completely read and research something before commenting on it like a “douche”. You my friend, are that “douche”…

  90. FIRE THIS COP!!!! I’m a big supporter of the police. I even donate money to them every year understanding they have one of the toughest jobs in the world and have to deal with situations us normal folks hope we never have to encounter. But, this guy is an insensitive, moronic, ego maniac who should be fired. If he reacts this way in this situation, how do you think he’ll react when the chips are down and it actually requires an inkling of intelligence.

  91. When Officer Powell said “I can screw you over,” the enitre scenario changed. He knows what power comes with a badge and a gun, he knows to what extent he can he can abuse that power. The officer could have had security escort Moats into the hospital, done his search, wrote his ticket, etc. Obviously Officer Powell doesn’t have the patience and investigative abilities necessary to handle patrol duty, put him behind a desk and if he doesn’t like it I hope the door does hit him in the ass on the way out.

  92. God it sickens me to no end to see that video.
    That “officer” was more concerned with showing who was boss and his massive ego (I can make your life miserable) then the situation inside. He should be fired immediately. Protect and Serve, not Push Around & Intimidate.

  93. sickening. remember folks, if your not driving an emergency vehicle you have to stop when you see flashing lights. If your mother-in-law is coding, your pregnant wife is giving birth, your best friend got shot in the chest, etc. Does not matter when dealing with an idiot who has no common sense. I don’t think it has to do much with race ( I dont know the guy so it could), but I think the officer would have been just as condescending to anyone because he thinks hes a big boy. I know if I lived in that community I would not believe this guy would ever have my best interest at heart and would request he lose his badge. At least this way though, the village can keep an account of its idiot.

  94. This is infuriating. Police Officers are paid to protect and to SERVE the public. They’re paid BY US to do this. As a person who has been in this situation I can tell you that I would definitely NOT have been as calm as Ryan Moats was here. Unless you have had to say goodbye to a dying parent or loved one you have no inkling of what emotions he was going through. This junior, piece of crap, arrogant asshole robbed a man of his opportunity to say goodbye to a dying loved-one on her death-bed.
    A more experienced officer would have shown compassion with the situation the MINUTE that he became aware of what was happening. I come from a family of cops. And I’ve listened to my Dad, (who’s deathbed I had to rush to 3 years ago), and my Uncles bitch about dumbass, inexperienced cops forever. This guy’s ego got in the way of doing the right thing. I hope to God that he pays for it. Because idiots like him are why people hate/mistrust good cops. And there are infinitely more good cops than bad ones, like Officer Powertrip here.

  95. THIS IS WHY OUR NATION HAS SO MANY RACIAL PROBLEMS!!
    Both parties need attitude adjustments.

  96. Ok, I’ve been hesitant to post on this topic, but I believe that I have enough information to state my desired point.
    1) Moats does not have the legal right to run a red light, whether you have you hazards on or not.
    2) Moats handled the situation terribly for the first few minutes of the incident.
    3) Had Moats acted differently in the beginning, the length of time in this encounter would have been greatly diminished.
    4) This is my problem with Police Depts…after 6 months probation to start the job, they are allowed to go out on their own. Obviously, this officer was not prepared for this situation, and managed to screw up his end.
    5) Instead of understanding that there could possibly be an actual emergency(This wasn’t one, FYI), the officer did not ask questions regarding the ‘why’ of the incident.
    6) The officer continued to show poor judgement by demanding proof of insurance, followed by a lenghty lecture about his power. It was not necessary, and only pushed the two (Officer, and Moats) further apart in the non-apparent attempt to reach a quick conclusion.
    7) This video will serve as a training video in academies all across the nation. Cadets will be asked to observe and correct the behavior of both persons.
    8) This was not racially biased, it was an ill-prepared cop with little common sense abusing his power. However, in his defense, police officers are faced with many dangers everyday, and much of what he did comes straight out of the academy.
    I was in an academy before I had an injury that required time and rehabilitation. In there, we were not taught to be kind to and to ask these questions. It was a para-military academy that brooked no nonsense. You leave there pissed off and ready for action. I heard twice in a few months that the #1 complaint about PD was that they were insensitive, which they would then defend. The problem lies, I believe, in the training. They teach you to be mean, and aggressive, because it can keep you alive in a dangerous situation…but they completely miss the part where you have to be sensitive to the needs of the people you are sworn to defend. I will sum up my opinion of this situation by simply calling it what it is…sad.

  97. In that situation, Moats really should have put both arms up to show he was unarmed, and continue into the hospital after stating that someone was dying
    No cop is that stupid as to shoot someone who is clearly unarmed, as it is unquestionably a lawsuit waiting to happen

  98. You don’t have to believe in Karma for it to come back and bite you. Officer Power Trip has an awful lot coming his way. This sorry sack needs to be fired.

  100. What a douche bag! I registered on this site solely for the purpose of posting. This is some DORK who became a police office so he could wear a badge, carry a gun, and be a total CHODE to people in times of crisis. Talk about a power trip. I would’ve ran in the hospital if I were Moats. And I’d damn sure be suing the police department.

  101. Niner Nation: “Moats does not have the legal right to run a red light, whether you have you hazards on or not.”
    Are you kidding me? If you were to accidentally cut your femoral artery and had to get yourself to hospital, are you seriously telling me that you would wait at a stoplight at midnight when no cars are coming? Bull sh..t!
    Moats should be commended for the way he conducted himself from the beginning to the end of that event. The cop did nothing right and should be fired and sued!

  102. D-Mac: “If you were to accidentally cut your femoral artery and had to get yourself to hospital, are you seriously telling me that you would wait at a stoplight at midnight when no cars are coming? Bull sh..t!”
    No, actually, I would call 911 while applying pressure to my wound. An ambulance would come and pick me up and THEY would run the red light because THEY have the legal right.
    For those of you who don’t understand this, this incident doesn’t even constitute an emergency. This woman was dying, presumably, she has been dying for a while now. I have had dear friends and relatives die from terminal illnesses…I said what needed to be said before the time came, so if i didn’t make it, they already knew how I felt. It’s called being prepared. Just because YOU feel the need to get somewhere quickly, doesn’t mean you have the right. If you disagree, then you can sit and spin, because that’s the truth and it’s just how it is.
    And as for all the people who say they would have attacked the cop, get over yourself, you would have been beaten down, put in jail, and the cop would be vindicated.
    Also D-Mac, I hope I’m not anywhere near you if you feel that you can do whatever you want because of an ’emergency’. Lets all keep one thing in mind, if he had just waited the extra 30 seconds at the light, he would have saved himself quite a lot of time. However, if you read all of my post, which you may not have, I had criticisms for the officer too…

  103. This is an example of how almost every cop operates these days. It is completely ridiculous. Bunch of power tripped douche bags that get a hard on harassing everyday citizens. Protect and Serve my ass.

  104. NinerNation, You may be the most narrow minded person I’ve ever seen post on this site. And thats saying a lot. If you can’t understand a man being there for his wife at the worst moment of her life an emergency, please don’t reproduce. A man would understand that, you (and ex-officer numbnuts) are not a man. You only have one mother. EVER.

  105. I can understand the officer being skeptic at first and wanting to know further what was going on but based on common sense, he shouldn’t have acted the way he did. First, Moats had his hazard lights on which would be the first sign that this wasn’t your typical running of a red light. Secondly, they show up and illegally park in front of the ER entrance. I’m ok with the officer stopping Moats and asking him for identification but he should have let him go at that point or escorted him to see the situation for himself. The fact that Moats’ mother was dying was verified twice by two credible individuals makes it that more outrageous. The dickhead spent at least 5-7 minutes explaining what Moats did wrong. To me it was as if he intentionally held him longer out of spite. The officer is lucky that Moats was so “calm” about the situation. I have a feeling that if that was his “real” mother, the shit would’ve hit the fan and he would’ve been shot.
    This guy deserves to lose his job.

  106. Just so you understand that I am not abdicating what this officer did please understand that if he was an officer in my department he would have a 99 % chance on not having a job !!!The most important thing to remember in the middle of this whole mess is that **** happens, the officer was in the wrong on what he did and said. He is bound by policies and procedures from his department and the state of Texas. These policies tell him what he is supposed to do, not necessarily how to do it. As I stated before as a former police officer, he didn’t say or do anything to make anyone think he isn’t a dumbass. After some of the comments I see the typical responses of I would have knocked him on his ass or I would have done this! So you take this time to act on the same level as him or worse. Do you want a police officer to come in a take charge of a situation or who would stand around and let it get out hand. Put on your thinking hats just for a minute. Take the knowledge that you now know to be true and forget it. I will place you in this same scenario with out the benifit of 20 /20 hindsight. How would have you acted, say this was a make believe situation and you allowed this individual or persons to enter the hospital. After they get in the hospital they cause injuries or a death. You just became responsible for everyone who could come under harm by you allowing an unknow individual to leave their vehicle. I could come up with at least 15 different senarios that 98 % of you would fail. It is easy to sit back and say I would have done this or that, and I try not to get in these dabates just because I know that there are no easy answers when you have not been provided the questions. I hate the racial implications that are coming up or being insinuated by some here, it may have been, it might not have been no ones knows for sure. Moats handled it very well he was patient even though he didn’t want to be. You will get no where other than in hand cuffs and jail by posing a threat or causing problems. Being a police officer means you have to put up with other peoples problems and issues on a daily basis they are there to help and protect you, sometimes even from your self. To the person who said his nephew was afraid of police officers that is to bad, but I will tell you a story to think about. One day I was having lunch with other officers, I was off duty and they were in uniform. In a booth towards the door was a mom and dad with two little boys, as the officers came towards the door the mother turned to the boys and told them the officers were here to arrest them for not eating all of their food. Now I sat in the booth next to them, she was not aware of who I was ,but what she did scared those two boys, now was that fair to those boys!!! What I did after the mother said this was probably not right but it was kind of fun. I got up and introduced myself to the boys, I showed them my badge and how we didn’t care if they ate all of their dinner.
    I have worked with some people who should never have been police officers, but I have been blessed to work with some very good people, like them or not they put their life on the line every time they go to work. I just recently found out how one of my girls used to cry after I would go to work because she was scared I would never come home. This officer was so wrong on many things, but please don’t take it out on the good ones, after all their kids worry if the will come home too, the very thing they do to protect you, so you can go home safely to your kids.

  107. I agree…total abuse of power by cop. Did he run the light – yes. Did the cop totally mishandle every part of the stop- hell yes. The cop was on a complete power trip – big man with a badge who has all the power. His comment that he could “SO SCREWWWW YOU OVER” shows where his attitude was at the time. The cop was rude and threatening to Moats. I agree that he is the type of cop that makes the decent, rational officer’s job that much harder. This was not really about race – I think the cop would have been just as big of an ass to a white guy Moat’s age in the same situation.
    He does not deserve to wear a badge. Let him go work as a security guard at a middle school – then he can really push people around and feel like a big shot.
    p.s. – Mike keep up the good work. Thanks for posting info like this on your site. It is related to fooball – no one would be talking about this nationwide if Moats did not not play in the NFL.

  108. Niner Nation you are kinda wasting your breath, you would just hope he wasn’t next to someone else when he passes out from blood loss!! You speak the truth about the academy, you would write a ticket to your own mother. The only thing worse than over reaction is no reaction at all. Heh bdud you don’t get it !!

  109. Hey NinerNation,
    For someone who was cautious to post without checking the facts you still don’t get it.
    The issue isn’t that Moats broke the law by running the red, or that he didn’t stop immediately. Moats admits guilt, and made sure he wasn’t endangering anyone.
    The issue is that the guy’s Mother-in-Law was dying – not dying like next week, but dying like next minute. This cop takes the time to act like a total ignorant egomaniac asshole instead of taking the time to properly evaluate the situation and possibly hold off a whopping 10 minutes before writing the guy a ticket to ensure everything was OK inside the hospital first.
    If you can’t see the real issue here then you need some sensitivity training.
    And pkenny, nice job picking the wrong thread to troll in without reading facts, smacktard. I thought brothers and sisters marrying and reproducing was outlawed a long time ago.

  110. Niner Nation: “No, actually, I would call 911 while applying pressure to my wound. An ambulance would come and pick me up and THEY would run the red light because THEY have the legal right.”
    What if you did not have access to a cell phone or couldn’t provide your actual location to the 911 operator? Good Luck! You have to be willing and able to save yourself! The bigger point, which you are apparently incapable of grasping, however is that exigent circumstances are valid reasons to break the traffic laws (and many other laws as well).
    Niner Nation: “…this incident doesn’t even constitute an emergency. This woman was dying, presumably, she has been dying for a while now.”
    Wow! You’re really an ass!

  111. Y0u know, for all that Moats is making of this and how urgent he says the situation was for him, his actions that night sure do not jibe with what his words are now. Watch the end of the video AFTER the officer gives him the ticket. Does he urgently dash inside to more swiftly get to room 316? No. Does he urgently jog inside to more swiftly get to room 316?? No. Does he urgently BRISKLY WALK inside to more swiftly get to room 316??? No…the pace of his walk inside can best be described as a mosey for it’s LACK of urgency. Maybe saunter is a better term. Either way, apparently since there was no more ticket to get out of, there was no more emergency for Moats that needed his immediate attention.
    Listen, I don’t think that every decision that the officer made was the correct one, but I certainly don’t agree with how much Moats is pushing this. Watch the tape, the cop gets 3 different stories about who is dying. Depending on the version it is either Moats’ mother, Moats’ mother-in-law, and at one point is even Moats’ father. Sorry, but if I were a cop, that would raise a yellow flag with me.
    I also don’t think that the officer was seriously threatening Moats by saying “I could screw you”. Unless you put those words in the context that they were spoken, you will see them and come to the conclusion that those words were a threat by a power hungry individual. In the context that they were used, the officer is saying “Listen, I’m trying do my job, check your information, and let you be on your way. There are a bunch of things that I could do that I’m not going to, but all you want to do is argue. I’m tired of it already, so be quiet for a minute.” I mean seriously, listening to Moats bicker is like listening to Dino on the Flintstones. Yap-yap-yap-yap-yap! Even Moats’ own relative tells him to tone it down. I honestly think there is a good possibility (I’m not saying probability) that the cop was on his way to just letting Moats off with a warning until he asked for Moats’ insurance and Moats tells him “You get it! I don’t know where it is!” I’m sorry, if I’m just trying to do my job and you’re going to be an a-hole to me and make my life miserable, then I’m going to be an a-hole right back at you. Capiche? Moats then wants to start the argument back up when the officer hands him the ticket. Again, if you urgently want to get upstairs, you don’t start the argument back up. You just sign it and go.
    Did the officer make a bad judgment call? Yeah, in retrospect he did. Is Moats blowing this out of proportion? Absolutely. His actions at the end of the video clearly shows that the urgency he is stating now just wasn’t there for him that evening and for whatever reason he is playing it up to the point of insinuating that the officer was racist even though the officer is actually pretty lenient in ticketing him for running only one red light (instead of 2 red lights, 2 stop signs, illegal parking, etc.) and referring to Moats’ grandfather-in-law who is also black as (using a term of respect) “older gentleman”. That labeling of the officer as racist was completely uncalled for and now that the officer has apologized to Moats and his family, I think it is time for Moats to apologize for calling the officer a racist.

  112. that police officer is a real jerk. if it had been his mom dieing, would he have ran the red light…….DUH!!!!! who wouldn’t?

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