Assaulted Paramedic Wants Oklahoma DPS Trooper’s Badge

… and personally, I think he should get it.

Paramedic Maurice White could have done a better job at de-escalating the situation.

But that wasn’t his job. That role should have fallen to either Trooper Daniel Martin, or the other troopers who arrived as backup.

And in that role, they failed. Epically.

It doesn’t matter what Maurice White did, or that Martin thought his partner flipped him off. I’ve lost count of the times the cops have flipped me the bird, and how many times I’ve returned the salute. And with 99% of the cops I know, if they ever thought the gesture was something other than good-natured ribbing, they’d either have a word with me once I got to the hospital, or take it up with my supervisor.

You know, like professionals do. They’d never pull me over on the highway, patient loaded, and engage in a pissing contest with me over some perceived slight.

The dash-cam video shows clearly that the ambulance did indeed yield the right-of-way, when it was safe and prudent to do so. It also shows that, for the most part, Maurice White was the voice of reason, and Trooper Martin the raving lunatic.

The man may be a stellar cop who had a bad day. I’d like to believe he is. If that were the case, I’d think a short suspension or other departmental discipline, and some counseling would be just what he needs. Get him some help with his issues, and get him back on the highways.

But his actions and his public statements since then prove that the man thinks he did nothing wrong.

And that is even more chilling than watching the video of the man wigging out on a paramedic in front of a dozen witnesses.

Get him off the streets. He’s dangerous.