Detective Stephen LeBert jumping out of car in a red hot rage
Medford, Massachusetts detective Stephen LeBert is resigning from the Medford Police Department.
And he should.
LeBert was off duty and out of uniform on July 26 when he stopped a driver who had made a wrong turn into a rotary and almost collided with another vehicle.
A dashcam video later posted online shows LeBert telling the driver, "I'll put a hole right through your head." It shows him repeatedly using profanities even as the driver tries to apologize.
The detective had been on administrative leave since the outburst. His record included several prior disciplinary actions.
When you watch the video below the fold it is pretty frightening. LeBert jumps out of his vehicle, curses and says he will put a fucking hole through the driver Michael Coates' head. LeBert comes right at Coates, who quickly puts the car into reverse.
LeBert stopped Coates after he inadvertently went the wrong direction in a rotary. A bonehead move for sure, but not an executable offense even in a country where they exercise barbaric punishments on people, let alone the U.S.
Police Chief Leo Sacco said in July that although LeBert was off-duty, he had a responsibility to act because of the danger the driver posed to the public. However, Sacco said, there were other ways LeBert could have addressed the situation.
“The language, the demeanor,’’ Sacco said in July. “Just what is being said and how it is being said. I hate even being quoted as saying it, but ‘putting a hole in your head’ — that is uncalled for.’’
There are so many other more responsible ways LeBert could have
addressed the situation. Having grown up on the east coast I know, in no uncertain terms, that sans the dash cam video, Officer LeBert would be out and about, with his rage and his big stick bullying. These are the east coast version of "good ol' boys." They may have a different accent but the results are the same—they are bullies and mean and insecure and should not be in law enforcement.
You can watch the entire interaction below the fold.