Two Officials Arrested During HS Football Game

[Rich]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

If the officers were a problem, then I am not continuing until they either correct the situation or until game management speaks to them. And trust me then the police cannot arrest anyone and they are the reason the game is held up. Trust me, then the problem would be solved at that time.

Peace

Exactly.

We have all the power. There's no reason we ever need to try to demonstrate that.

I don't know the circumstance, but I doubt I would finish the game after my colleagues were taken away.

[HLin NC]

The key is to not be confrontational. I'm sure there are differing versions between the officials and the cop. Most officers are helpful but there are odd ones who are arrogant, self inflated, what have you.

What happens next will go on behind the scene- I'm sure there are attorneys who are officials who will rise to defend the two officials. It will be important not to appear too condemning of the officer publically or other officers will close ranks around him, no matter how right or wrong he was.

As is usual, it will be left to the lawyers and politicians to work out.

Personally, I would have had a difficult time completing that game if two of my partners were hauled to jail. It would be difficult to focus and since we're 5 man crews here, I don't think I would attempt to call a varsity level game with 3 officials.

[JRutledge]

I would have walked off as well. No way I am finishing a game for two officials being arrested for what they were arrested for this situation. They would have had to work the game 3 man, because I would be at home before that game ended.

Peace

[zm1283]

One of the articles I read earlier today said they were a 7-man crew and finished with 5 officials.

I don't work football, but if I did and I was on the crew I wouldn't finish the game. Suspend it and report it to the state. Let them and the school worry about it.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Adam

Exactly. After the officer informed the WH that he was going to start cuffing if anyone said another word, I'd walk away, call both coaches in and let them know we aren't continuing until the sideline is cleared.

Now, these officials have an arrest record to account for (it would require extra paperwork here in Colorado due to the new required "arrest report" that must be submitted to the state).

I'm betting once the LHSAA goes involved, those records will be expunged.

[Robert Goodman]

One thing I'd be interested in knowing is whether they were acting in their capacity as police, or moonlighting as private security.

[hbk314]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

One thing I'd be interested in knowing is whether they were acting in their capacity as police, or moonlighting as private security.

I believe one article I read said they were being paid by the school.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Adam

Exactly. After the officer informed the WH that he was going to start cuffing if anyone said another word, I'd walk away, call both coaches in and let them know we aren't continuing until the sideline is cleared.

Now, these officials have an arrest record to account for (it would require extra paperwork here in Colorado due to the new required "arrest report" that must be submitted to the state).

According to some folks around this site, an arrest means their is fire behind that smoke.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by hbk314

I believe one article I read said they were being paid by the school.

I was actually wondering if he just showed up, during his regular shift, to watch his kid play, planning to return to his shift after the game.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Adam

I was actually wondering if he just showed up, during his regular shift, to watch his kid play, planning to return to his shift after the game.

That's what I'm thinking. His son's team was the visitors. So my guess is though possibly on duty, he was there as a fan, not in official school employed security.

[HLin NC]

he was there as a fan

But he "flashed the tin" and bought along his pals. This may not go well for him although I doubt its a hanging offense. Probably gets written up and told to park his butt in the seats with the rest of the fans for a while.

Any lawsuit gets settled quietly, as mentioned above.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by HLin NC

But he "flashed the tin" and bought along his pals. This may not go well for him although I doubt its a hanging offense. Probably gets written up and told to park his butt in the seats with the rest of the fans for a while.

Any lawsuit gets settled quietly, as mentioned above.

I don't know. The sitting mayor fired the police chief in March for corruption within the department. My guess is this isn't going to sit well with him.

[HLin NC]

My guess is this isn't going to sit well with him.

Yeah but let's face it, we are about as popular as drunken uncle at Christmas dinner. In the big scheme of things, the voting, taxpaying public won't give a rat's rear end that some overzealous cop flexed his muscle on a couple of HS FB officials. Had they been cute little babies or fluffy kittens, yeah, dude's going down.

[CT1]

Originally Posted by Ianr

instead of trying to throw the police out of the game could they have just not allowed the game to continue until the fans moved? then talk to the coaches and have them exert pressure on the fans.

Certainly. Home management is responsible for crowd control. Once the police refused to comply with the R's request, the game should have been suspended and not resumed until the unsafe condition had been remedied.

I'm betting, however, that when the full story comes out the officials are found to be much less culpable than we've been led to believe.

New article if you have not seen it: 2 arrested referees, police clashed over authority, St. Paul's AD says

I did not realize they had a 7 man high school crew. They decided to finish the game with 5.