Two Officials Arrested During HS Football Game
 

WWL - AM870 | FM105.3 | News | Talk | Sports - 2 Referees Arrested At Covington Prep Football Game



Is there rule support for the officials' actions?

The officiating crew came ask game management to remove anyone who is interfering with the proper administration of the game. However, ejecting a police officer is a little over the top.

This story seems a little far fetched to me. Why would the first official be arrested for simply asking the officer to move the crowd back? I think there's more to this.

On paper, yes.

In reality, no.

I would hope that an official would have more sense than to enter into a heated argument with a law enforcement officer. In the end, just like any other citizen, we are going to lose in the end. We need them way more than they ever need us.

Really odd.

As with any situation where there is a dispute between me and someone else also hired by my boss/manager/person-paying-me, and I couldn't resolve it amicably with the other party, I would bring the matter to the attention of my boss/manager/person-paying-me.

That person is ultimately the person in charge of the event and gets to make the decision of what to do.
Hopefully, he'll instruct the cop to keep the fans to the restraining line, since that's the boundary adopted by the league for where the field (and my authority) begins and ends. If management wants fans standing on the chalk of the sideline, fine. I'll pack my crew up and report the suspended game to the state association.

It's been several years ago but I had a uniformed officer making comments about the officiating from his crowd control position near the corner of one end zone. I told the AD that I no longer felt it safe for my crew to officiate if our security was going to berate the officials. About 10 minutes later that officer was repositioned and after the game the chief of police came to the locker room to apologize and ask if we'd like to file a formal complaint. We declined.

Were they arrested and taken away during the game? How did the game continue with only 3 officials? This article needs more information!

Typical of today's news media.

Very wise.

Most LEO's I have found to very helpful and cooperative over the years. There is the odd duck who wants to be chummy with the crowd. Those are usually the local, GOB, deputy who doesn't take his job very seriously in total.

From the police version of what happened, at least one officer looks like a prick. "You do your job and I'll do mine" is not an appropriate response to being told you're not properly doing your job by the person who's ultimately responsible.

Granted the officials could have taken a much better approach. None of what's been reported would appear to justify an arrest.

The rest of the story!

Two football officials released from jail after arrests at Mandeville-St. Paul's game

""While I was being detained, I found out that the (arresting) policeman's son plays on the Mandeville football team and the spectators were his friends," Radcliff said."

That about sums it up.

Sounds like an easy lawsuit to win, if that's true.

No way they'll win a judgment. Defense will settle, and it will never see a courtroom.

bad use of authority
 

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.

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. 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).

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

It always strikes me as a little odd when the visiting team brings their own police officers. I've seen that a few times here.

There was an incident at a game here in the Beaumont area either last year or the year before that resulted in a bench clearing brawl between both teams. Each team had their own police officers and there are some stories of confrontations between even them during the fight.

It's pretty normal around here when the visitors are from out-of-town. They escort the team to & from the game.

I cannot recall that I have ever seen that at the high school level where the visiting school brings their own police. If it does not happen, it is not something I have ever noticed. Usually there are enough GM people around that most places have almost no police or not a major presence.

Peace

Further update:

Arrest of two football prep officials still under investigation by LHSAA | Home | The Advocate — Baton Rouge, LA

I'm a volleyball official but if this were me I'm taking the rest of my crew off the field,suspending the game,and filing the appropriate reports with the state and my area.If I'm not getting cooperation from the cops I'm not going to argue about it just leave and deal with a boatload of paperwork.

I can't imagine being one of the guys that stayed and officiated the game after that. How do you look at your crew members again after that...? Because you know full well how they're looking at you going forward.

I wonder if it was a 7 man crew, who works together every week ... or if it was 7 guys hired separately. I think in either case, I would not continue working the game, but I can see, possibly, the likelihood of 5 guys sticking around to work the game might be higher in the latter than in the former.

Of course we can never control others, but we can only control ourselves. I would have easily walked off and had no problem with doing so. For one if a cop cannot follow a request and rises to the level where someone is arrested on the officiating crew, you do not need me to work the game. Let the stupid cop do it themselves and see how that works over. Or work 4 man at this point and see how that works out for you too. I know even if I was not on the game I would look side-eyed to all those guys. This was not an SEC game or BIG game and likely they go paid less then I would get paid to work a college football game to waste my time. At some point we have to take a stand and if I would take a stand in other areas of my life, this is one where I would gladly be home early. "Public intimidation" my azz. The guy has a gun and he is intimidated by a guy with a whistle in a uniform. OK.

Peace

For anyone that's interested in writing the mayor of Covington, his name is Mike Cooper. You can write him at [email protected]. I've already written.

I hope you have more information than has been published in these sorry excuses for newspapers...

Covington Police Department interim chief Jack West didn’t return phone calls on Saturday, but gave a statement on Friday following the incident.

West said the referee was asking that a group of people on the sideline be moved, but the officer said he should handle the situation if someone needed to move. The referee allegedly became confrontational and was later removed from the field, along with Gambino, West said.




Interesting how he seemed to think that was a defense of his officer's actions, when it fact it's an admission that the officials were right and the officer failed miserably at his job.

Officials Association weighs in...

Football association supports refs arrested in Northshore game | wwltv.com New Orleans

I live 30 mins from this and it is the exact story I heard Sat morning from a fellow official in the area. Arrogance by a single individual was the major factor here.

I hate this part of the press release:

It is their goal to be as invisible as possible so that the game and the teams are the only focus.

No. That is not the goal of officials.

There's the basis of the Public Intimidation charges. They're claiming that the officials threatened to have them fired by involving those higher on the totem pole. What a load.

If that last article is accurate, every officer involved should be fired. Unfortunately they're not personally liable.

I totally agree. We are not going to be invisible even if we do not throw our flag or blow our whistle. We can be noticed because of what we do not call in certain moments in the game. This is an old and silly standard that does not work in this day an age of social media and phone camera video.

Peace

So, the official was actually doing as we suggested and going to game management. This makes the arrest 100 times worse, IMO.

Was it ever an actual standard? Or was it always what it is now, a made up standard from people who don't know anything about officiating?

I cannot answer from where the standard came from, but I have heard a lot of official claim being "unseen" or not noticed is a great thing. Not sure why, but that seems to be the case for many. It just is ridiculous when you consider all the times we come under scrutiny and we are simply doing our job.

Peace

If my choices are to be: 1) as visible as possible, or 2) as invisible as possible ... I'm choosing #2. It is a goal. Mind you, it's not the only one nor the most important one. But, if we have a choice in the matter, choosing to be less inconspicuous is a solid choice, IMO.

If you are motivated at ALL by whether you are visible or invisible, they your motivation is flawed. Being either is not a goal. Our visibility, high or low, is a variable completely unrelated to whether we called a good game or not. No offense, but if you ever, even once, make a decision on the field based on a choice to be inconspicuous, then frankly you shouldn't be out there at all.

Must be poor training in your area, I've not heard it from varsity officials here. ;)

I completely agree with you from a "making calls" standpoint. My thought was the release from the New Orleans officials group was trying to make the point the officials were not trying to be gregarious and draw attention to themselves. That's where I'm coming from with regard to visibility vs. invisibility.

I agree, it shouldn't even be a consideration. Anyone who has any desire one way or the other with regard to visibility needs to reassess the goals.

Don't do things to be noticed. Don't do things to avoid being noticed. Just do what needs to get done.

Even outside of making calls, though, it shouldn't be a concern either way. For example, the official indicated he was going to talk to game management; that's the right thing to do whether it draws extra attention or not. Moving people off the sideline is the right thing to do.

I agree that trying to be visible is not a goal. Where you went off the rails, imho, is stating that trying to be invisible IS a goal.

No goal should include visibility vs invisibility in it at all. It's a by product.

Any one able to find out any more info, like the court booking document.

Maybe the new chief will be sufficiently embarrassed that he cleans house.

From my officiating class notes:

Officials Have Four Objectives

1. Ensure player safety
2. Ensure games are played fairly, according to the rules
3. Help players develop skills and knowledge of the sport
4. Promote sportsmanship

"Being invisible" is a bonus.

Apparently the new police chief has appointed another officer who was at the scene to do the PD's investigation.

Wonder how that's gonna work out?

A witness is leading the investigation???!!! Mayor Cooper may want to back up and punt on this one. Call the LSP and let them handle it.

Not just that, but one who's ALREADY been quoted as saying the redass officer did nothing wrong. This whole thing stinks and I hope that the publicity this has received will cause them to tuck tail and drop these ridiculous charges. Even if EVERYTHING the cop says is true - and I doubt very much of it is at all - that shouldn't even be a crime. It's basically outlawing being 'uppity' however some power-mad bully with a badge defines it.

I don't want to just see dropped charges (which, honestly, should be a given). I want disciplinary action taken against the officer.

I'm going to go extreme and go with legal action for false imprisonment under color of authority. If anybody is subject to "public intimidation", it should be that officer.

Good luck. I don't know how small of a town Covington is, but my buddy had a run in with the police when we were in college (and Pullman is a small town). Long story, but in the end the officer's police report was full of bull#*$?, and there were about 10 of us that were there that could testify against it. Initially my buddy was going to fight it, but his discussion with a lawyer went like this:

Lawyer: "Do you like living in Pullman?"
Friend: "Yes."
Lawyer: "How many police officers does Pullman have?"
Friend: "I don't know."
Lawyer: "25. Now, if we pursue this complaint, and succeed in having it entered against him, how many of those other officers will know about it?"
Friend: "All of them."
Lawyer: "How many of those officers will know who filed the complaint?"
Friend: "All of them."
Lawyer: "Would you still want to live in Pullman after every single one of the officers knows who filed a complaint against a friend and fellow officer?"
Friend: "Probably not."

In the end, his lawyer negotiated dropping the charges. No complaint was filed, and my buddy had no convictions (though he does have an arrest record).

The police have _a lot_ of power, even beyond just their simple authority granted by law. Their influence is often enough. And if Covington is small enough, I bet every single one of those officers would know who these officials were if they pursued some sort of complaint against Short.

True, and we already know the department has corruption issues to begin with.

Which would be a concern for any of these officials if they live in that community.

Which is why I don't automatically judge somebody who has been arrested. It's easy to get arrested, especially if you have pissed off the wrong person.

The farce is over...charges dropped

***************************

Charges Dropped: Covington Police Chief & Mayor Apologize to Arrested Referees

See bio, contact info, and more articles from Vanessa Bolano

13 hours ago
by Vanessa Bolano
Weekend Anchor & Reporter

There has been a new development in the arrest of two referees at a North Shore football game last week. Wednesday night we were the first to report charges would be refused and they have.
“On behalf of the city of Covington I offer my sincere apology to Mr. Radcliffe and Mr. Gambino,” says Covington Mayor Mike Cooper.
“We apologize from bottom of our hearts for the events that took place last Friday night. It should have been handled differently,” says Covington Police Chief Tim Lentz.
The Mayor of Covington and their newly appointed Police Chief are now apologizing nearly one week after two referees were escorted off the field, put into the back of a police cruiser and arrested.
It all happened in front of hundreds of fans attending the St. Paul’s home game versus rival Mandeville last Friday. Only WGNO cameras were rolling as the confrontation unfolded.
Jim Radcliffe and Christopher Gambino, two referees with 20-plus years of experience, we’re facing criminal charges. The two had been booked with public intimidation. Now, newly appointed Covington Police Chief Tim Lentz, who has only been on the job for days, is saying what his officer did was wrong.
“We spoke with District Attorney Reed and requested that the case and the charges against these two gentlemen be refused. He agreed with us that that’s the right thing to do,” says Chief Lentz.
President of the Greater New Orleans Football Officials Association Eddie Allemore is pleased, but says much of the damage has already been done.
“It’s quite an embarrassment, and their mug shots are still out there if you look at a lot of the articles they still have their mug shots up, and we hope it goes away,” says Allemore.
Allemore says it’s up to his men to pursue legal action against Covington Police. Chief Lentz says he’s still unsure whether disciplinary action will be taken against the arresting officer. At this point everyone is just trying to put last Friday night behind them.
“As an official you never want to see your name in the paper. I’ll be ready for that to get over with,” says Allemore.
“At the end of the day the Mayor and I, the police department, we truly believe this was the right thing to do,” says Chief Lentz.
Allmore originally wanted to keep Covington officers away from his referees. He says for Friday’s game at Covington High St. Tammany Deputies will still be proving on field security. St. Paul’s plays away so it is not an issue this week. In the future though he says eventually a plan will be hammered out. Allemore says it’ll take a bit of time for the two to once again create a trusting relationship.

Read more: Charges Dropped: Covington Police Chief & Mayor Apologize to Arrested Referees | WGNO

The farce might be over, but the games have just begun! :)

Is unsure about disciplining the officer code for putting it off until people are no longer paying attention and then sweeping it under the rug?