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November 19th, 2007 By Justin Williams

“Welcome to the Police State”

I don’t know how I missed this one, but the Courier & Press picked up on it. The video below is Indiana State Excise Police officer Ron McDonald yelling and cursing at a 29-year-old outside of Boney Junes. Ever had a run in with Ronald? Tell us in the comments.

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19 Comments...add one

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Brian Wolf

November 19, 2007 @ 10:44AM

If you see the article from C&P it says from a “bar”. It was taken at Booney June, which is a Westside music venue that does not serve alcohol.

Justin Williams

November 19, 2007 @ 11:47AM

I updated it to reflect that. Thanks.

Mark Glover

November 19, 2007 @ 12:52PM

NEWS 25 reported on this on October 31

http://www.news25.us/dsp_story.cfm?storyid=3775

Kate

November 19, 2007 @ 04:55PM

I’ve never personally had a run-in with him, but the way he behaves in this video is pretty much exactly how other people have told me that he treated them, e.g. screaming obscenities and claiming to have witnessed them doing things that they didn’t do.

mike

November 19, 2007 @ 05:21PM

what a douche … the west lafayette cops are just like that too - assbags on a power trip thinking they own the town just because they have a badge

Brian E. Buxton

November 19, 2007 @ 06:43PM

I recently had a “run-in” with the Warrick Co. Sheriff’s office where they destroyed private property and basically told me I would have to sue the county to even attempt to be paid back and made whole. Unfortunately the private citizen really doesn’t have as much freedom or as many rights as we think. The police can detain you or pretty much do anything to you or your property with no real responsibility to anyone. And the police will push boundaries unless someone like the gentleman in the video stands up to them and questions the legality of their actions.

In my opinion Ronald McDonald was way out of line and completely overstepped the boundaries of his authority, not to mention how inappropriate his language and behavior was. The club was non-alcoholic in the first place, and he was asking questions about irrelevant things such as who owned a vehicle in the parking lot, as well as misleading the “suspects” into thinking they were under arrest and not free to go simply because he was asking them questions.

Completely ridiculous and he absolutely should be reprimanded.

Brian

Infinion0

November 19, 2007 @ 07:12PM

Wow, I’ve ( and my I, I mean this guy I know) dealt with Ronald McDonald way to many times to remember. Never any real trouble though. There were usually the requisite “I hate Ronald McDonald” signs waiting in storage for such occasions.

Dylan

November 20, 2007 @ 01:19PM

RM’s been doing stuff like this for many, many years. Nothing new here, except that it got taped.

John

November 20, 2007 @ 01:36PM

This guy has been in the news twice this week, once for being sued by someone he allegedly abused and then this.

Why is an excise officer badgering patrons of a non-alcoholic establishment in the first place?

His reputation is storied as a complete ass. This clown has no right wearing a badge and obviously suffers from a small member syndrome.

Kudos to the media for exposing little man.

Carolyn

November 20, 2007 @ 05:10PM

What a jerk! I’ve heard lots about him and now this confirms everything I’ve heard. No police officer has the right to cuss at someone and yell like that. Those people stayed calm the whole time. Bravo to them!

SUPERBANANABOMB

November 25, 2007 @ 12:51PM

Boney June’s doesn’t serve alcohol but there are a couple places within a short walking distance that do. This guy is a notorious jackass. He treats everyone like second-class citizens and needs to be stripped of his job.

Kassie Parrish

November 28, 2007 @ 01:32PM

@ Mike, I am great friends with several police officers in West Lafayette, I have known them for many years due to my uncle being a sheriff in White County. While there may be a few rookies who have an attitude, most all of them are genuinely very nice, and just ask for respect and honesty, when you do something wrong. They only get an attitude or act hardcore, when the person who is in trouble or could be in trouble cops an attitude or cockiness back. Maybe that is what happened to you…….

As far as the police officer in the video, he is very far over the line and should not treat any person that may be a suspect, like that. It only puts himself in danger, however, all the people that were around him and being questioned, were very rude and also had attitudes. If that were me questioning someone and they were back talking and having an attitude, I would get my feathers in an uproar as well. Since, he is notorious for doing this, he should be punished, but it’s no reason to say that that is the way all cops in Indiana are/act because they are not.

Mike

November 28, 2007 @ 10:03PM

I’ve personally never had a negative run-in with the WLPD, so watch the alluded accusations. I have a friend however, who was being responsible and walking back from the campus bars instead of driving and he was almost run over by a drunk driver. He called WLPD to report the incident, and their reward for being a good citizen was a public intox citation. He’s not the kind of guy who gets hammered and goes staggering through the streets either, so its not like there was an obvious reason to cite him.

I’ll admit that I may have wrongly labeled WLPD officers as guilty by association. It probably was some rookie cop on a power trip who cited my friend when most other officers would have appreciated the tip on someone more dangerous to society than a pedestrian. However, if your only indirect experience is not a positive one, its difficult to imagine a better one.

Kassie Parrish

November 29, 2007 @ 09:42PM

Yes, most likely he did run into a rookie with an attitude and if he was walking home from the bars, chances are it was late, and all the late shifts get handed to the rookies, and they hate that shift!

Greg Schaefer

December 07, 2007 @ 03:37AM

I agree with everyone here, the dude is an ass, but to the untrained ear, he’s saying a lot of stuff he’s not allowed to. I’m a criminal justice major, and he doesn’t really step as far out of line as people might be thinking; he just has no tact or respect for anyone in general. Here’s an example:

Brian E. Buxton- you said he was an ass for asking them about the vehicle.. you don’t have to be driving to get a DUI or related charge; there is a possibility he was wondering about that.

Not that I support this guy; I hope he is fired. And incase anyone is wondering, he is currently under review by the Attourney General.

greg

May 12, 2008 @ 11:30AM

Not Bad Ronald McDonald, especially when the person you pulled out is
an idiot. How many times did you have to tell him he was being detained.
It kills me how much the common drunk knows more about the law that the police do, they’ve been watching to many episodes of COPS, then try to resite there 30min tru TV law lesson. Keep up the good work ISP.

ZachryWD

July 15, 2008 @ 10:00AM

Ya I’ve ran into this asshole several times…Mind you I just happened upon him, not that I was ever the one being harassed. Never have I seen such a stereotypical pig, All this guy does is harass proprietors and people in commerce. His appearance is not what I would want to represent my police force…. Fat, Clumsy, Rude and Arrogant. He fails to speak to anyone as if they are an equal human being to himself.

Kendra.

July 27, 2008 @ 10:51AM

So I had an incounter with him last night. And I really dont like the man. Yes, I was underage and drinking, that is completely fine with me and I realise that I should get into trouble for having it in my system but the way he handled talking to me was very disrespectful. My brother which is 26 years old walked up to see what was going on, and he talked to my brother like he was a child. I blew a .018 and the man took my cup and threw the alcohol out and then launched the cup which ended up in the middle of the sidewalk. I understand that I shouldnt of been doing what I was doing, but he was completely rude to me and had absolute no respect for me when I was trying to be as honest as I could. This video reminds me a lot of my encounter with him.