White cop disciplined for stopping black police chief

Some news clips on this. --- But Granahan's father, Richard, blamed Zeigler for the incident. He said the 60-year-old was in a department SUV parked at a hydrant in Corona with tinted windows rolled up and the engine off. When Granahan and his partner ran the license plate, it was listed to a rental agency - and the plainclothes anti-crime cops approached. They had made a gun arrest in the area the week before. "He said, 'Please roll down your windows,' and the guy mumbles something. At that point, Michael asked him to roll down all four windows completely. The driver rolled down all four slightly," the father said. That's when Granahan's partner saw the driver fumble at his waistband and hollered, "Gun!" the father said. As Granahan grabbed the door handle, Zeigler stepped out and "smacked Michael's hand," the elder Granahan said. "The guy says, 'Don't you know who I am?' and he starts ranting and raving. Then [Zeigler] shows him his ID." http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/05/11/2008-05-11_cop_who_stopped_chief_isnt_racists_paren.html --- Union members say that Granahan was doing his job when he and his partner approached the illegally parked department SUV with dark-tinted windows. It was the chief's responsibility to identify himself and say he was armed, union sources said. NYPD brass said Granahan was disciplined because he mouthed off to Zeigler after the three-star chief flashed his police identification. The video does not show the confrontation between Zeigler and Granahan, sources said. It did catch Granahan's partner, who was not disciplined, going up to Zeigler to calm the situation after the chief and Granahan had argued, sources said. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2008/05/14/2008-05-14_cop_union_eyes_video_in_stop_of_black_ch.html --- Illegally parked, rented van, tinted windows, man with a gun who refuses to cooperate with police. Reads to me Chief Zeigler was begging to be shot. Those two police officers were performing their duties quite responsibly. Reads to me Chief Zeigler deliberately was uncooperative with those two police officers and attempted to pull rank on them. Of all people, a police chief should know illegally parking, driving a vehicle which police officers cannot see into, refusing to roll down windows so they can see, being armed with a gun and being uncooperative with police is a virtual guarantee of being shot. Reads to me this police chief acted very stupid. Chief Zeigler should be stripped of rank and disciplined simply for felony stupidity. Al Sharpton is now involved. There is no chance this police officer will be treated fairly. Okpulot Taha Choctaw Nation

Why was the 2nd police officer not disciplined? Because he did not misbehave like his probably racist partner. Full stop.

Well, the code of silence and double standard is alive and well within just about every police force in this country. Maybe this will be an eye opener to the black police chief who probably has dismissed other black men who get treated like dirt by these thugs with a gun and a badge. And, way to go Rev AL, get into it just to tick the racists off, who can always come up with a lame excuse to defend racist actions and murders like Purl did with the guy who shot 50 times, according to her, it was justified since he as a black 'thug' in one of her diatribes. I'm shocked she didn't want to see this black guy on a tree, she came close.

Reminds me of an personal incident a decade back. I drive a very unique car, a thirty year old classic Corvette, a white Corvette. Leaving a grocery store parking lot, I am pulled over by police immediately, before I could exceed ten miles per hour. I know something is not right. Before stopping, I quickly roll down my driver's window. Pulling over and shutting off my engine, right off I stick both of my hands out my window to be in plain view of the police officers. I do not want to be shot. Those officers are embarrassed and one explains, "I pulled you over because of a report a few minutes back of an armed assault and robbery by a man driving a white Corvette. Obviously you are not this person." Of course, I had no knowledge of this armed robbery somewhere in the vicinity. I used good common sense and defused what could have been a fatal tragedy. My experience is when you fully cooperate with the police, there are almost never any problems. Chief Zeigler should have instantly realized he had placed himself in a bad situation. Chief Zeigler is the cause of this incident being falsely played up as a racist incident. Of all people, a seasoned police officer, Zeigler should have known he was creating serious circumstances. Based on his rank and years on the force, my personal opinion is Zeigler deliberately created these circumstances to masturbate his ego. There is no question Zeigler acted with extreme stupidity. Personally, in the position of the police officer, when I saw Zeigler reach to his waistband and I saw Zeigler’s gun in his waistband, I would have blown Zeigler's head off without hesitation. I have enough common sense to stick my hands out my driver's window when pulled over by police. I expect Zeigler to display the same common sense. I understand the police officer's anger with Zeigler. This police officer was, no doubt, scared half to death when Zeigler appeared to be reaching for his gun. This police officer experienced a fear adrenaline rush which would have most of us wetting our pants. Zeigler deserved to be cussed out, if not popped one in his face. This police officer displayed personal restraint I would not have displayed. Zeigler should be disciplined, not the police officer. Okpulot Taha Choctaw Nation

Purl go on and tell us about how if the indians had only laid down their bows and arrows they would still be alive too.

LOL, brucito, that was cold, but, well deserved, although isn't she only half indian? she is a hot mess and that tribe should make her/him take their name off her tag line, i'm sure they would not want to be equated with such out of touch nonsense. and maybe she can address some of the major issues with her 'people' like the 90% unemployment and 95% alcohol and drug abuse among the young?

That goes to show that no black man is exempt from racial profiling. It is sad and an eye opener.

This just goes to show that no black man is exempt from racial profiling.

White cop disciplined for stopping black police chief. WOW!! The media does a really good job of making race a non issue. I'm curious, would the headlines read white cop disciplined for stopping white police chief? Amerika still is and has NEVER stopped being racist. They no longer wear sheets in some states they wear regular clothes and police uniforms. it's disgusting.

I am truly fascinated by all of this. All of us have looked at vehicles with dark tinted windows. We notice you cannot see inside one of these vehicles. Zeigler's rented SUV is described as having "heavily tinted windows." How can this be racial profiling when the police officers cannot clearly see who is inside the vehicle? This is why Zeigler was asked to roll down his windows. Amazing how our media and how people so easily overlook simple science. Of equal interest, Michael Granahan, the white police officer being disciplined, is romantically involved with a black woman. Incidents like this lead police officers to be fearful of questioning suspects. Hesitation on the part of police places all at risk, police officers and public alike. Zeigler is at fault for this incident, but none dare to question him on this because he is a police chief. His rank and social position provide him with impunity from wrong doing on his part. Zeigler should have commended those officers for performing their duties, instead of being arrogantly uncooperative with those cops. Is not this precisely how some politicians, judges, corporate executives and others of high social position get away with crime? Is not this how George Bush got away with victimizing our country, victimizing our world, got away with this because none dared to question his actions because he is the American president? America cannot afford to have our police officers fearful of taking on-the-spot decisive actions because someone might be a prominent citizen. God is talking with a dead police officer, "Why did you allow that murderer to kill you?" "Because he told me he is the chief of police." Okpulot Taha Choctaw Nation

If what is printed here is true about the officer mouthing off to the chief after the chief identified himself and his partner had to pull him away then this negro needs to resign as fast as he can if this officer is not fired. If he sticks around then what the black community has here is a black man who makes Condoleeza Rice's position as the head of the State Department (when she had to get permission from President Bush to reel in Paul Bremmer)look less like the top step-n-fetchit position a negro in this country could hold because he just took the prize from her. The men he supposedly helps to control are armed and spread out throughout the black community. This makes it even more dangerous and sends the wrong message to the rest of the officers if he is not fired. Why waist your time killing an unarmed young black male when you can kill a black police official who might one day sit on a panel that might get you fired. Lets just kill all blacks regardless of their position or even if they do identify themselves. Nothing will happen to you and a white police official will not doubt take his place. What more proof is needed that regardless of rank if you are black your life does not mean a damn thing to white officers in the NYPD and you are not worthy of THEIR respect? If I were on the NYPD and this officer is not fired I could not respect this Negro Chief. He has no clout. No support what so ever within the higherarchy of the NYPD. He has nothing but a token position. Imagine you are a police chief and YOU had to get Al Sharpton.

It is Police Week here in DC so COPS from all over the country come to DC to honor their fallen comrades and then basically act like a bunch of drunken fools with guns. I watched their parade today (I had no choice, since they blocked the damn street) but felt ill when a contigent from the Philadelphia Police marched by. All I could think of was the video of those thugs beating and kicking those suspects they pulled from a car. I lost all respect for them and they really made me lose a lot of respect for police in general. The behavior of the cops in NYC is not even surprising. Many of these cops have personality disorders and need to be off the streets!

Well lets see the entire story on this and then move forward. Even though I do not live in NYC anymore. Patrick Lynch and the PBA are full of shit when it comes to minority officers. And the NY papers do not always get a full account of the story. This was told by the officer who is in trouble. After all facts are out. Then everything will be settled. But I must say Purl Gurl you really have a problem with us. Why do you continue to critique Blacks and comment at this site? That is very stupid and idiotic of you. Talk about racism. Chick really needs to get on.

In the same circumstances, only one of the two white cops was disciplined. So, this has nothing to do with the circumstance, but the conduct of one of the two cops.

In 1998 then mayor Giuliani fired two firefighters and a police officer within minutes after seeing video proof that they had donned black face and afro wigs and dragged a dummy behind a float during a parade in Queens. They were mocking the dragging death of James Byrd Jr. in Texas. In 2003 it was determined that their right to free speech was violated but because they demonstrated that they were unfit to serve african americans they were not getting their jobs back. Fast forward to 2008 and what do you have here? An armed out of control officer who has to be dragged away by his partner AFTER both discover they had drawn their weapons on a black police chief. The NYPD, as any other police department in the world, is a paramilitary organization. That makes the deputy chief the equivalent of a Lt. General. You do not draw your weapon, snatch open a door, and then yell at and have to be dragged away by your partner from your superior and still keep your job. After the Sean Bell tragedy you can only wonder how many more young white officers out there are bucking to earn their I killed a n....r badge. This is a loose cannon that needs to be thrown overboard. Talk about Giuliani all you want but we must remember that the Louima sodomy case took place while he was mayor and that officer is still sitting in jail.

After hearing and reading several comments here, I am very disgusted and related to the statements made by one Perl Gurl. Never being African American, you WILL never know what it is like to be racially profiled by a white cop. Take the Sean Bell incident. Even if this man was acting a fool, there was no cause to unload a full clip, reload, and empty that clip. If a cop feels threatened, ehy not shoot him in a way that does not make him look like Swiss cheese afterwards? All too often, KKK members throw out the white garb and don a uniform of the local police, harassing innocent black men stating such BS as "You fit the description". What, do every black male in America look alike? I was pulled over several times here in my home state just because I looked like someone that did something. I just cooperated with the officer to diffuse the situation, but the whole time he kept his hand on his gun. And when he realized that I actually had an education and was smart enough not to provoke him, he just walked away. People of lower intelligence always say that the cops are doing their jobs....what if a family member of your was killed? Would you be saying all of this if 50 bullets were pumped into him? Probably not. Equality does not exist here in American, but disguised as acceptance of the civil rights movement. Segregation still exists..are you smart enough to see what is in front of your face?

It's not the first time something like this has happened. Answer one simple question. How many times do you read or hear about a BLACK officer doing this to a white person? How many times do you see a Black officer pulling a white female out of her car? How many times do you see Black officers beating white people? How many times have you seen BLACK officers shoot a white person 30 times and get away with it? If you will, notice how some of the comments try to justify the officers actions! Racism is sick. When will it end?