Does LVMPD need better defense attorneys?

The recent article in the local paper (RJ Story) on Sunday stated a local defense attorney, Kristina Wildeveld, had settled a claim against LVMPD for a civil rights violation involving Officer Richard Goslar, a traffic officer.

According to the article, she was injured when Officer Goslar grabbed her.

The incident happened 3 years ago and she filed the suit in June 2010, two YEARS later.

Question #1.  Why did it take a supposedly well-educated person to determine the injuries that she endured for two years were a result of her arrest, two years prior?  Oh yeah, and she’s an attorney.

Question #2.  Her initial lawsuit demands were over one million dollars.   Her medical expenses were in “excess of $10,000”.  So how did everyone settle on $125,000.00?

Question #3.  The incident took place in front of the Regional Justice Center.  There was no video from any of the surrounding surveillance cameras?  Oh yeah.  It took her two years to file the lawsuit.  All footage, if any, probably was deleted due to the time.

Question #4.  Her attorney, oh, I’m sorry,  she’s the attorney, stated that Officer Goslar stopped her before the violation took place (an illegal U-turn) and he had stopped her on the pretext that she was going to make the illegal U-turn.  (Again, no video).  If she was stopped by the police for an alleged violation, why did the altercation occur?  Not described in the article.

Question #5.  The LVMPD attorneys stance is “the arrest and the imprisonment of the plaintiff (Wildeveld) was completely justified under the circumstances alleged and was perfected pursuant to probable cause and reasonable cause in believing the plaintiff had committed a criminal act”. Further stated, the officer used a “reasonable degree of force and that any damage suffered by Wildeveld was “a direct and proximate result of her own misconduct and actions”.  So why are they even entertaining the thought of giving Wildeveld a dime?

It has been the rationale of Metro’s legal department to “pay off” persistent plaintiffs due to the costs involved in the litigation of their case. If word was to get out, and I’m sure it has, that LVMPD would pay you off to get you out of their hair, the greedy, anti-authoritarian, leeches of society would be suing the crap out of the police department for every little incident (Unless you’re an officer that allows yourself to be videotaped beating a civilian, (Police beat a LV Man ).   Surely the legal department, Internal Affairs, supervisors (Sgts., Lts., Capts., Ass’t., Deputy Chiefs, Ass’t Sheriffs, UnderSheriffs, Chief of Staff and the Sheriff) can do better than allowing that to happen.

I worked with Officer Goslar (Rick) for over a decade while in Metro.  During that time, I witnessed professionalism beyond compare.  He is a caring, dedicated family man.  He loves the public and is a genuine good-will ambassador for LVMPD, the county and city.  I have stated that if any of my family was to be pulled over or an officer dispatched to the scene of their accident, I would want Rick to be that officer.  He is compassionate, caring and understanding.  He would leave you laughing and thanking him, even if he wrote you a citation.

Wildeveld has a website (Mr Ticket LV) that depicts a police officer as a satanic figure, complete with red skin, horns and a forked tail. 

Do you think she already has a dislike towards law enforcement?