We did a post the other day spotlighting one citizen’s supreme satisfaction with an experience involving the SFPD.
Stu wrote in today with a very different perspective:
I broke my hip on 24th and mission after being jumped a year and a half ago. The EMT asked me if I had “had a little fight with my friends” and also asked me to stand up AFTER I had told them where I was having pain. Then they told me it was not likely my hip. When the police arrived they were having a jolly time laughing and when I raised my voice to try and get some actual help they treated me like a suspect and told me to “take it down a notch”. I couldn’t believe the way they handled my situation. It made me sick. A miserable time all together. My friend ended up driving me to the hospital because i was so pissed with the police and the EMT workers. I have 8 screws and a plate now in my hip and three assholes walked. Probably high-fiving each other as the cops did nothing.
Not good, SFPD.
[Photo by Troy Holden]
Ok so I was a witness to what happened after Stu got his hip broken. If anything he is under telling how ridiculous the situation was. I was 100% sober at the time and I remember the moment perfectly: he was lying on the sidewalk in pain and agony, and getting 1 comment after the other from police AND emt’s, all sounding very blamey and unsympathetic. It makes me angry to this day. These so called professionals asking a man lying on a sidewalk moaning in pain to “stand and see if he can put weight on it” vs. assuming it is seriously injured until proven otherwise. Crazy.
I am fully aware that not all Mission cops and EMTs are bad at their job. But every single one I interacted with on that night disgusted me AND the doctors and hospital staff who helped Stu once we got him to General.
Oh, btw. We learned from hospital staff that if we had taken the cops and emt’s advice that nite and just brought him home vs. straight to the hospital, the short window of oppty to do surgery would have come and gone & Stu would have needed a complete hip replacement.
You were a victim of the local dictum, “Victim today, perp tomorrow.”
If you have badge or ID numbers I would file a complaint. That’s close to criminal negligence on their part. I’m glad you made it to the hospital, dude I don’t know.
I feel for you. The precipitating incident, sucks, but losing faith in something you otherwise trusted fucking hurts.
I woke up in the hospital with a shattered sinus cavity, two broken teeth, and a concussion. Dropped off by some “good Samaritan”, but I still think it was someone involved that was scared it went too far. A result of getting my ass kicked by three dudes outside a bar as I walked by. Long story short, I did not have this coming.
I reported it to investigators at 850 Bryant and they gave fewer shits than someone fasting for lent. They wouldn’t even go to the bar that it happened at to talk to bartender that was working that night.
I am fully over the actual incident, but the interaction with the police still bums me the fuck out. If they would have put even minimal effort in, I would have at least thought they cared, but I have no faith in their purpose anymore.
I have a congenial relationship with a few cops in my neighborhood (and my situation has more to do with the department, while yours is beat cops), but I have little faith in the department giving a shit about anything.
Best of luck in the future, but I have infinitely more faith in a random dude standing next to me than the police force… and to tell you the truth, it’s kind of relieving.
Peace,
Mark
As Stu’s friend and witness to this incident, I have to say those cops and that one EMT lady were assholes. They questioned me as a witness, didn’t write down anything I said, didn’t take me seriously, and basically thought I was a dumb drunk bitch or something. I was completely shocked to see the EMT lady tell Stu “Hey man, yeah you can get up, let’s go, get up”, like it was no big deal. I mean, at the time we didn’t know the hip was broken, just that he was in a lot of pain and could barely get up.
Better yet, the cops were all having a pow-wow and smoking cigarettes and laughing. They eventually questioned the idiots that caused this, and LET THEM GO and DRIVE away when they were obviously intoxicated.
I wish I did get a badge number, but I was too in shock over the bullshit.
Yeah, getting a badge number or deciding to press charges is the last thing on your mind when you have a broken hip. They should have done their job, arrested the the suspects (for which there were at least 3 witnesses) and taken me to get the proper care I needed. End of story.
For the record I am no cop hater. I just think their priorities are often fucked up. I don’t know why some of them have such bad attitudes. I know it’s a tough job and all but you must do it for a reason.
this situation vs shutting down a child’s lemonade stand at delores park. fuck here the cops have something to do that’s important. this is the way vacaville cops treat you because they have nothing better to do, and that in itself is not an excuse.
Where da good po’s at?