Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Man Arrested In His Own Home During Fire

From Firehouse.com: A Memphis firefighter and his son were arrested on Saturday as Southaven, Miss., fire crews attempted to put out a fire at his home.
Firefighter William Land and his 14-year-old son were both charged with disorderly conduct and interfering with the fire department, Southaven Police Chief Tom Long told WMCTV.
"Officers were contacted by the fire personnel that the owner of the residence would not come out of the house, and they needed him removed from the residence," Long said.
There was no physical altercation, according to Long, but he was taken into custody along with his son after they wouldn't leave.
Crews responded to the home early Saturday morning in the 5000 block of Kuykendall after receiving reports of a kitchen fire.
Police told WHBQ-TV that Land was upset about the department's response time.
He wasn't wearing any protective gear, and yet refused to wait outside of the home, according to the report.
He faces charges of disorderly conduct and failing to obey a police officer, obstructing operations on a fire scene and disobeying an officer on the scene of a fire.

http://www.firehouse.com/news/top-headlines/memphis-firefighter-arrested-during-blaze-his-house
At first glance, I thought the arrests may have been appropriate but then thinking this incident further, this is really nothing more than an out of control fire and police departments who think they are gods and you have to do what they demand.
First, it is quite obvious that this was a minor fire that may already have been put out. If this would have been a serious fire, the smoke would have forced the kid and his father out of the house. This firefighter knows a thing or two about fires and he would not have put himself or his son in harms way.
This is the man's home and he has every right to stay in his house, if he chooses, unless he put himself in danger or put firefighters in danger, which was not the case here.
Next, why was the 14 year old arrested? He was only doing what his father asked. And if the child was in danger, then why wasn't the firefighter arrested for child abuse or neglect?
This is just another case of your government worker who thinks they know more than you and so when they say jump, you have to yes yes sir, yes ma'am and then jump.
And then you have the cops who, instead of using common sense, decide to throw the book at the firefighter, who will probably walk when all is said and done.
These kind of cases are something that you would expect to find in Pahrump and Nye County, here in Nevada. I guess their form of policing is leaking down to Mississippi. But then, this is Mississippi, I suppose.

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