This is why it is important to assume good faith

[giza]

One of the things that greenreaper has beat into my skull over on WikiFur is that when dealing with new contributors, we should always Assume Good Faith. That is because someone might be well-intentioned, but may make a mistake due to being new to the wiki, making a typo, or whatever. As it turns out, this lesson carries over to real life...

Mistaken for drunk, Mr. Universe is arrested

REDWOOD CITY, California (AP) -- The reigning Mr. Universe faces assault and resisting arrest charges following a run-in with police who mistakenly believed the diabetic bodybuilder was intoxicated.

Doug Burns, 43, was sprayed with Mace and wrestled to the ground by officers who were summoned to a movie theater Sunday night by a security guard, authorities said.

Burns, who was trying a new diabetes drug that night, said Monday he was preparing to see a film when he felt dizziness and poor vision -- a sign of low blood sugar -- and hurried to a snack counter.

The security guard noticed Burns' strange behavior and asked him to leave, thinking he was intoxicated, Redwood City Police Capt. Chris Cessina said.

When officers arrived, Burns allegedly lunged at one of them, pushing him to the ground with both hands, and took a fighting stance, Cessina said. Burns continued being combative until four officers wrestled him down, the captain said.

During the scuffle, the officers did not notice Burns' Medic Alert bracelet. An on-scene medical test later confirmed that Burns had low blood sugar during the incident, Cessina said.

So, it looks like there were two mistakes made here. First mistake was the security guard who jumped to conclusions and assumed that the subject was drunk. It would have been far more prudent to ask, "Sir are you okay?" At that point, the subject would have had the opportunity to show his Medic Alert bracelet or mention that he was diabetic.

The second mistake was the police officers who appeared to not perform any sort of medical assessment, and who also failed to notice his Medic Alert bracelet. Assuming that said bracelet goes on the wrist, I'm not sure how they could miss this piece of metal when handcuffing him.

I think it's going to suck to be that guard or the law enforcement who responded. There will probably be a lawsuit in their future.

[Edit: camstone and sr_foxley have very interesting comments regarding diabetics and insulin changes. You can read their comments here.]

Comments

[furahi.livejournal.com]

Wow... how quickly people jump to conclusions...

[lockemaison.livejournal.com]

I can imagine missing a bracelet 'during a scuffle'. This is all the original security guard's fault.

Good faith applies to everyone

[greenreaper.livejournal.com]

It's true; they should have taken that into consideration. But let's assume good faith on the part of the guard and police officer as well. Chances are, they made those assumptions because a lot of times they do have to deal with drunk, or even aggressive people. A Medic-Alert is a fine thing when you know you're dealing with someone that's ill, but when (in the police's case) you've been told that someone is drunk, and he appears drunk, and acts aggressively, then that's a tricky situation.

The charges should be dropped, unless there is any further evidence that the article isn't mentioning. Maybe the police could apologize and the theater could give him a few free movies in compensation - and free snacks to go along with it.

[camstone.livejournal.com]

First mistake was the security guard who jumped to conclusions and assumed that the subject was drunk.

No.

My first wife was a type I diabetic, and "brittle." Her mood swings were not all that predicatble even for me. Someone can have an incident, not even know it, and unfortunately - it is not at all easy to determine they are having a "low." Crashing lows are even moreso the case, as a person's demeanor can change in minites. It took me awhile to recognize my first wife's "lows" and catch them beforehand. And I would not expect a modestly trained security guard to pick up the suttlities. Also, some Medic Alert bracelets are not all that visible until someone looks at them closely. They look like a standard bracelet, as the medic alert emblem is fairly small - in order to remain somewhat inconspicuous.

The second mistake was the police officers who appeared to not perform any sort of medical assessment, and who also failed to notice his Medic Alert bracelet.

Also, I say "No."

Some type I's with crashing lows, mostly from insulin dosage changes - that I have personally witnessed - can be very combative. I would not expect them to realize that they are dealing with someone who may have an illness until after they have the situation calmed down and then "in control." If he was "combative" and had no one else with him - they would act given what they percieved. Many of the indicators of Low Blood Sugar also, unfortunately, mimic that of someone with a drug abuse problem. I would not expect "security guards" or even police first responders to act any differently - until the situation was controlled - and even then it may take them a few minites to assess that the person is actually having "an episode."

If they somehow failed at that point, then I'd say they were in deep trouble... but having been at the end of a strong kick given by someone having an insulin reaction - I can tell you... it's just not as easy as you'd think it was.

So, I'd only offer that - in this case, we as well shouldn't jump to conclusions too hastily.

[sr-foxley.livejournal.com]

I agree completely-- my cousin was also a type I diabetic (and succumbed to the disease a year and a half ago), and often times would not realize when he was having a crashing low. And even when we did and would tell him so, he'd still be extremely combative until we could get him one of his emergency shots.

And really-- a combative person is a combative person regardless of the cause. I'd not blame the security guard for assuming he was drunk or high since the assessment would be accurate for 99.9% of the people behaving in a similar manner in public, and I think the police took appropriate action in subduing him.

Whether he should be prosecuted for assaulting an officer... well that's a tricky one. It's likely Mr. Universe didn't realize what he was doing at the time, and (if he's like my cousin at all) has absolutely no recollection of the event. I'd personally like to see the charges dropped. An apology from all parties would be nice... but really, I think the security guard and officers did their jobs like they were supposed to. (It's too bad they didn't notice the medic alert bracelet, but in trying to control a doubtless hugely-muscled aggressively-resisting man, I'm sure they just thought it was a piece of jewelry when they handcuffed him.)

[giza.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. I just updated my post with a link to your comment.

[giza.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. I just updated my post with a link to your comment.

[puctiger.livejournal.com]

I'm overly critical of anyone wearing a police uniform. Hell, I can be awfully critical of military personnel (there are people around these parts that put huge IRAQ WAR VETERAN stickers on their back windshields even though they never saw a single day of combat). But there's one line in the article that explains it all.

When officers arrived, Burns allegedly lunged at one of them, pushing him to the ground with both hands, and took a fighting stance.

You can't lunge at police officers no matter how unreasonable they're being. Do not physically assault someone. If they wrong you, take civil action later -- don't be violent. You also are required by law to follow a law enforcement official's instructions. That he didn't leave is a failure to adhere to this. Again, you can question why and later sue, but don't put yourself in a situation where they can use force. The ACLU even teaches you that -- don't provoke. React later.

It sucks the guy's a diabetic and it's obviously a misunderstanding, but you have to act according to the law.

[silverscalenaga.livejournal.com]

medic alert isn't necessarily clear to read. and not everyone has them in clear view. also a medic alert can be for a wide range of things. penicillin allergy, heart disease, pacemaker, allergies to other things in medications or contrast dyes, diabetes (or DIABEETUS as Wilford Brimley says it) also if you have to keep updating them often, they become difficult to read.

it just tells you /something/ is wrong, not what at a glance. if you even see it easily. the security guard had the power to ask him to leave, but yes it is questionable as to his people skills and judgement about when to use said power.

by the way, my mom is diabetic with II.

[thraxarious.livejournal.com]

This is not too rare, one of my friends is a diabetic, needing shots every day, and he remarked about problems with diabetics being tossed into the drunk tanks and dying.

[wildw0lf.livejournal.com]

Wow, give the man a chance to speak first...