Couple won't file complaint against trooper who ticketed them on way to maternity ward

God bless your little angel - let the drama go.

Obviously common sense is absolutely lacking with the afore mentioned trooper. I know for sure that there are many, many troopers that are willing to go above and beyond their call of duty. Very unfortunate incident indeed. Thank the Lord that Baby Charlotte is beautiful and healthy and kudos for the parents for doing the rght thing.

Congratulations and God Bless!!!

MW

yes, for sure this state trooper made the right judgment call

The Trooper,right or wrong should be ashamed of himself.
It's like depriving a thirsy man a glass of water.

What this incompetent police officer did to this couple is outrageous. Even if the couple doesn't press charges, this police officer should get a serious reprimand. What should that be? Unpaid salary and time off from his job so he has time to think about what he did wrong?

Maybe the Davises read the comments and realized their mistake.

I got a parking ticket in Back Bay at 3 am when I double parked for 3 minutes to run upstairs to get my wife (who was in labor) to bring her to the hospital. The person was ridiculous about it, so as a point of principle we brought it before a judge. When the judge saw the time of the ticket and time of the birth certificate he had the sense to waive it, but you'd think one wouldn't have to do all that!

Trooper Gallucio could not be reached for comment, as he was asleep in his cruiser.

Judgement call? What an absolute jerk that cop must be. What a shining example he is of the ideology people love to hate. Well done officer....Well done. Hope you made your quota that month.

Why is this story even in the news? Most likely this couple or someone they know felt compelled to contact the Globe, but why? Why has the Globe given this story more prominence then 99% of the murders that have taken place in Boston this year. Why must the couple pose for photos with their baby to accompany this story? Whatever the rights or wrongs about a ticket being issued in this case (to someone who already had multiple traffice violations), this does not below in the news at all.

Who would claim that who wasn't... Common sense should also be used in judgment calls.

Perhaps they realized their 15 minutes was over.

The trooper must be a doofus with the emotional intelligence of a potato. Couldn't he make eye contact with the parents and see what was going on.

The trooper didnt have to give them a ticket
but really dracut to cambridge ?
contractions 5 minutes apart and they thought that trip was smart ?

Man... If the woman gave birth in the car she probably would have been cited for not having the baby in a child safety seat!!

If it was truly an emergency then they should have called an ambulance, or had the Trooper escort them.
Breakdown lane violators should be ticketed.
Good job Trooper!

Police Officers act as they are above the law and lack common respect. Most of them are former trouble makers and go into law enforcement to be in positions of power. This officer should be investigated for being so ignorant and obnoxious. He is lucky they aren't filing a complaint, I wish these people were. Of course his force will stand behind him because they all stick together and cover each other with decisions of bad judgement. Their salaries and overtime also need to be reviewed as our tax dollars are going to waste on many of them.

this was a situation in which the trooper should have seen beyond the law for breakdown lanes and recognized that sometimes the principles of ethical reasoning, in this case the health and safety of an expectant mother and her unborn child, have greater priority.

Protect and serve...protect and serve......I would say taking care of the couple would be serving ; not making them wait and giving them a ticket ....they were not some rude jerks trying to beat traffic jam.......

And remember that when the state doughnut eaters are out there demanding their cop welfare crying about how they can't make ends meet without their "do nothing" details that rape the taxpayers. If either of the Davises were off-duty cops on the way to the hospital then they get an escort. But, if Trooper Tough Guy ever gets pulled over you know his badge comes out and asks for professional courtesy. I hope the day comes when a decent cop pulls him over they remember him for embarassing the rest of the guys on the job and show him no mercy.

rob

She should have used birth control. Then this whole incident could have been avoided.

Protect and serve is a slogan on the side of a police car, namely, the L.A. Police.
The job of the police is to enforce the laws, in this case, the traffic laws.
The circumstances of this event did not give the driver, a person with a record of more than a handful of speeding violations over the years, the license to flaunt and ignore driving laws.

Troopers are here to serve. If they forget this fact they need a slap on the wrist. If he does not like to serve the public he can find some other career - outside of public service. Souds like he would do just fine working for BlackWater in Iraq... ship him out!!!!!! He should be held accountable.

All of you people who have time to blog in the middle of a workday because you don't work, should be happy. Part of the 100 bucks they have to pay goes into the welfare fund you lazy people collect.

Maybe the State Police should be rquired to pass an IQ test instead of a "physical" exam, which is also given to third graders.

if this was such an emergency why didnt they ask the trooper to get them an ambulance? instead they broke the law and endangered thier life and thier unborn baby. lets say the trooper let them go and they were hit by somone. where would they be then?

This trooper shouldn't be disciplined - he shoud be fired - and his boss too!

Where do you people in Massachusetts get off being such complete tools?

Stuff money down your bra, blame racism for taking bribes and giving citations to a pregnant woman at 3 a.m.?
Gotta get new lives or move out West where you will perish very quickly. Your kind dont live long out here - its called natural selection, bud!

Civil Servant- The trooper surely lacked civility and the Davis Family, most certainly, was not served. A shining example of a perfect opportunity for a policeman to improve public relations, yet blew it by flexing his authoritative muscle. I wonder if he had the common courtesy to remove his "tough guy" shades, when he asked her to open her jacket to see her belly. Kudos to John Davis for keeping his emotions in check at that point for his wife and beautiful baby's sake. Cops wonder why people have such a poor opinion of them. Hmmmm?

I can't believe the gall, callousnees, selfishness, egotistical and reckless attitude of this guy !!!!!! Not talking about the state trooper....talking about YOU, Mr. Davis !

Blog in the middle of the day? It's 9 PM here Einstein...

Some cops are different, when I was driving my wife, who was in labor, to the hospital, the cop pulled us over on the highway. We told him where we were going and why. He did not give us any citations instead he escorted us to the hospital where my 1st son was born.

Trooper was last seen giving a ticket to an old lady for jaywalking - she couldn't keep up with the lights...that is, after his 2 hour break at the local Dunkin Donuts...

Let's face the facts, Troopers are nothing more than Meter Maids with guns & Jack Boots. All they do is write citations... just like Meter Maids. They solve no crimes and prevent no crimes. Absolutley useless!!!

Trooper Gallucio was NOT asleep in his cruiser. He was out collecting this week's pocket money from the local grocers.

I drive through there every night and that spot is a cash cow for the state at $100$ a pop. One can drive safely in that breakdown lane. Not everyone does and that is a huge safety problem. Like tonight when I saw a tropper doing 60+ mph down the exact same breakdown lane these folk got a ticket for....it's ok he must have been on his way to the DD at fresh pond.

Anyone who has stated the cop did the right thing lacks both intelligence and common sense...wake up. The cop is a jerk. That's not my opinion, but a fact.

I LOVED watch CNN make this story national tonight on Campbell Brown's show. She basically said the same thing I've just stated..."the cop is an idiot!"

Probably one of your Marine Drop out Staties... I'm sure he would do it again. Unless he has private detail to milk!

It doesn't take the wisdom of Solomon to figure this one out! I can't stand this hard line attitude of "Rules are Rules". Where is the humanity? Honestly some of the people who blogged on the previous article about this incident are cruel. Imagine a poor mother on her way to deliver her child and is met with a ridiclously insensitive officer who is more interested in meeting his ticket quota! This trooper gives other police officers a bad name. Perhaps he will be able to weigh his decisions more carefully in the future. For now, the State Police should give sensitivity classes.

I am a Sgt. with a law enforcement agency in another state. It is stupid actions like that, that add to people's dislike for police officers. You can't teach common sense at the academy.........If I could, i'd be rich!!

I would have to agree with the Trooper. Allowing the couple to use the breakdowm lane puts the other drivers in danger along with the couple them selves. He has a job to do, and he did it as far as i am concerned. No one likes the police until you need them.

What do want from a guy who has to work all his days off too make a buck !! good luck too him as his wife and kids grow up without him around...
bace pay of a loser !!!!! but the hat looks great on ya

Idiot trooper. Maybe karma will greet him and his wife. Imagine being in the situation and dealing with a jerk like him. He probabaly makes 100k a year and this is the treatment he gives to law-abiding citizens needing his help? What is the world coming to...

Shame on the state trooper. First of all no need to be rude, second to ask her to show proof of pregnancy insane. What side are you on? Your suppose to be there to help, right? Really sad.

The trooper obviously had the IQ of a doorknob!! I agree that people like him get off on these power trips, they forget we are paying their salary and they actually work for all of us citizens. He should have escorted them in case she started having the the baby and he may have had to help deliver the kid, and thus would have been a hero instead of a moron on a power trip playing tuff guy. But tuffguys like that ALWAYS get what they deserve in the end and I'm sure he will too. I would have filed charges just because he was such a jerk to and make an example of him to others.

As a paramedic, I have always considered myself a strong supporter of the police and feel they are often maligned by the public due to a lack of understanding of the difficulties of their job. I have had nothing but positive experiences with both state police and local departments in the municipalities where I have worked. Clearly I have never met Trooper Gallucio. I do not agree with the conclusion that this was a “judgment call” centered on a traffic violation. I have trained many officers as they are required in the state of Massachusetts to be certified First Responders. To those of you not familiar with this, this requires them, while on duty, to provide basic first aid and forbids them from abandoning a patient. To me this is pure and simple, an act of negligence. I suspect, had the outcome been anything except healthy birth, a civil court would agree. I would be interested to see how many citizens would support this misguided officer had many of their tax dollars been redirected to a damages settlement. To those who have commented that they should have just pulled over and jumped in an ambulance, please consider this. While “officer judgment” seems to believe that he could make one just appear in heavy traffic, the reality is they would have likely created a significantly more dangerous situation. Navigating heavy traffic in an ambulance is not without risk. To complicate this, in many communities a fire truck would also be simultaneously dispatched. Anyone who believes the traffic miraculously parts at the sound of a siren is sadly mistaken. This officer had numerous options available to him, he selected the worst. Please don’t let this reflect poorly on the department or the profession. Trust me when I say from many years experience Trooper Gallucio is the exception, as demonstrated by appropriate actions of the troopers encountered earlier in the trip. We can only hope a meter maid position opens which would be compatible with both his judgment and his affinity for traffic enforcement.

This is a case of a power-tripping State Trooper putting his own ego in front of the safety of a woman and her child.

This doesn't surprise me. There are many decent and hardworking Massachusetts State Troopers, but the ones I've come across have been arrogant, rude and unhelpful.

This guy deserves to be punished for his actions.

It is against the law to drive in the breakdown lane. Of course they think they were justified but reality is they were not. They could have killed someone's family if they slammed into a car that had a flat tire for example. It happens all the time and that is why it is against the law REGARDLESS of why you think your situation requires you to get somewhere faster. They obviously didn't feel it was an emergency because they certainly would have taken the offer to have an ambulance come to the scene. They were just being really selfish and didn't care who they might have killed that day to get where they wanted to go.

If it was truly an emergency then they should have called an ambulance, or had the Trooper escort them.
Breakdown lane violators should be ticketed.
Good job Trooper!

Whom ever typed this is a complete loosah. spelled phonetically so your doppy mind could understand it.

Aw, c'mon. The trooper shouldn't be working for us.

Hey tprjmcdonald- Did you notice the first post here was at 7:36 PM? Most everyone gets home from work by then.

I am pretty sure that the trooper has to meet his daily ticket quotes on using broken lanes. The troopers are well know to do that on Route 2.

I'll be the one to throw facts into the middle of the foolish comments:

The couple stopped on the way to the hospital to drop off their 7 year old at school.

The couple TWICE refused the officer's offer to have an ambulance called to meet them on their way to the hospital. It was not an emergency.

The couple ignored his warning that they either require an ambulance (i.e. it was an emergency) or they get back in the traffic lanes. As a result, the driver was given his 7th traffic violation. The baby was born over 5 hours later.

Aw c'mon. This trooper should not be on our payroll!

i am forced to say it yet again...just another jerk with a badge, there are a lot of them out there.

The comments made about the trooper on this board have been incredibly rude. He was doing his job: enforcing the law. The law states that it is illegal to drive in the breakdown lane. It is illegal because it is dangerous, both for the person doing it and for the other people on the road. The trooper was doing his job by protecting everyone on the road, and not catering to the whims of a couple who, despite feeling urgent about the timing of her contractions, decided to go to their "preferred" hospital instead of the nearest hospital and to drive themselves instead of calling an ambulance.

If he did ask to see the woman's stomach, then that was wrong, but I'm sure he's had people try to fool him using that as an excuse before. I bet the same people criticizing the trooper would have been flipping off the car zipping by them in the breakdown lane while they were stuck in traffic, complaining to their passenger about how the police don't enforce the rules of the road. You can't have it both ways.

Next time have a case of Krispy Kremes in the car, then they will let you go.

"I think we've complained and they've heard it." Well, I guess that tells us what she's all about. Hope they enjoy their 15 minutes of fame, and I never need social services from Mt. Auburn Hospital!

She claimed to be having an emergency, but didn't want an emergency medical vehicle -- ambulance -- to treat her. Google says it's 42 minutes from Dracut to Mt. Auburn, and that's WITHOUT traffic.

It's illegal to drive in the breakdown lane. 2/3 of the cops she encountered used discretion and gave her a break. The other 1/3 chose not to when she declined an ambulance twice. Doesn't sound unreasonable to me.

And don't feed me anything about "but the ambulance wouldn't take her to Mt. Auburn"... ambulances take patients to the "closest appropriate facility" while while the patient's requests under advice. Mt. Auburn WOULD have been the closest appropriate facility, even if the Davises didn't want to go there.

Trooper Galluccio made $90,000 last year to serve and protect the public. His actions are an absolute disgrace to the uniform. It's unlikely he did this to reach a quota; he likely gets off on this own power, which is the sign of an abuser. If its true that the trooper made this couple wait while he wrote up a citation for someone else and then told them he'd mail them theirs then he should be disciplined. A dangerous man like this should never possess a gun.

Bad judgment on the parents to be for driving in an unsafe manner. Bad judgment on the trooper who could have insisted they get back in a marked lane or wait for an ambulance. A ticket is not really called for. This is what happens when you throw three morons into the mix.

In any emergency, I'd much rather have a local cop present. Troopers have a bad attitude, and like all state hacks, politicians, and so called officials, they forget who they work for.

First, women have been giving birth for 200,000 years and rarely needed police intervention...

However, in our testy society - would we be shrugging things off if the baby would have died, mom hemorrhaged, or there been an alternative outcome??

Trooper is not very bright and should have offered to give a escort it is an emergency lane and i would say this was an appropriate use of it and those who decide on the Cops side should be ticketed for their ignorance and lack of aptitude Wake up people Cop should be Released from duties disonerably discharged without pay rember they consider the general public as civilians so what are they ?

Dustin,
you must have missed the 1100 blogs by 5pm on the original article you clown. Now go back and watch Survivor you geek!

this trooper has had other issues in the past.seen first hand...train wreck waiting to happen.

What a power hungry, utter utter lack of discretion. The trooper didn't have to let them use the breakdown lane if safety were an issue, but he should have taken them to the hospital in his car utilitzing emergency lights and siren. I agree with Jay-- if she had had the baby in the car, he would have cited them for not having the baby in a car seat!
I think most of us will have less respect for the state police if they do not take a public step to reprimand this officer, or at least to apologize to this couple for the trooper's actions. Maybe he could have done it--but he shouldn't have.

tprjmcdonald , none of the responses to this story are before 7:30pm. Pull your head out of your ass before you bitch slap yourself.

After he saw that she was pregnant AND in labor, he still sent her a ticket?? That is a "JUDGMENT" call? Is there no accountability for utter lack of reasonable judgment?

Obviously, the Davis's thought so highly of themselves that the road laws should be re-written to suit them whenever the whim arises.

There was no emergency, the baby wasn't born for five more hours - perhaps the new parents might have planned their routes better, or pulled over and asked for an ambulance, if she thought birth was imminent.
Of course these snotty idiots thought the trooper rude, he didn't change the rules JUST for oh so special them!

Once again the Mall Cops we call State Troopers are at it full time. Traffic Details?? Nah .. let's nab the real crooks here.

This State has more police than the former Soviet Union. Boston PD, Muni's, Staties, Sherrifs, constables, MBTA -- are you freaking kidding me? And where are all these brave screwballs? Not in Mattapan ... not in Roxbury ... not in Dorchester or Southie. No, these brave chicken hawks are running around the state highways giving out tickets to pregnant people TRYING to get to a hospital

These cowards should have their badges and guns taken away, and they should be sent packing to a venue that might relish their zeal -- like New Orleans.

You folks should wake up to the fact that we have a police State here in the Commonwealth. Witness these "protectors" acting like the real hoods they are up in Woburn protesting some poor kid doing traffic duty.

Cowards.

Fire them all

Blake,
I'm surprise you being a Sgt and all that you would comment with only knowing one side of the story.
You've probably been hiding and teaching at that academy for your whole career and never did a day on the road. I bet you never had to deal with four thugs at 3am all by yourself on a dark highway.
Just go to bed and stay off the blog

That trooper should be stripped of his badge and fired. He obviously has neither the intelligence nor courtesy to be a representative of the State of Massachussetts. Shame on him, and shame on the State Police for defending that townie piece of trash.

Judge not, lest ye be judged. Any of us could have been in this poor officer's shoes. If we were, we would have learned from this experience. Thank goodness we were not. Move on. Forget it. The couple has shown how Christian they are. Be like them. Don't drag them down into worldly self-righteousness.

My guess is the cop is probably burnt out. I'm sure he's heard all kinds of excuses and lies throughout his career so it would be only natural for him to assume the couple was lying. I'm sure that dealing with the crap he must deal with on a daily basis has made him quite cynical. He most likely needs either a vacation or a career change. I bet if he had let them go ahead and she had turned out to be carrying a bomb strapped to her belly, these comments would have been about how he didn't do his job, should have checked her belly, and more blah, blah, blah from the all knowing public

If the pregnancy had complications, and the child or mother died due to the delay, how would the police have responded? My guess is that policy would have changed from the current 'judgement call" to an immediate escort or ambulance call. Had the child or mother died because of the judgement call of the officer, then I would imagine a huge lawsuit would have been forthcoming. One that would have taken a lot of traffic tickets to cover. Not only was it poor judgement, there should be a clear policy for officers to follow in these cases, and one that first focuses on the life of the mother and child.

Why dont you all calm down and look around: Look at our country, the world, the ongoing wars, AIDS epidemic, you losing your homes and pensions, people have no funds to send their kids to college or even daycare and you have time all day to blog about this stupid incident? Look into yourself, each one of you and say it with a straight face that you have never did anything ignorant, stupid, reckless, self serving, smug, egotistical etc (quote from Shawn4, well said!) in your life, like the so called father of this baby. Jennifer, where did you get this guy from? Or maybe you deserve each other! Can you people who blog all day interpret the old Roman saying: Bread and Circus to the people? Thats exactly what you are getting:CIRCUS, to mask the enormous problems the county has.

Judgment call, folks, in in this case the judgment was correct.

The trooper did offer to call an ambulance for the Davis family, and they declined. The birth was not imminent. Contractions do not constitute an emergency. Ask any labor and delivery nurse.

Two troopers allowed them to pass - job well done.

One decided to exercise his "judgment" and gave them a ticket. I can only hope he's married, and his wife is making his life a living hell tonite.

Read the original Globe story. This couple made a concious decision to break the law well before they even started the trip. The drive is about an hour in normal traffic and twice that at least in rush hour. Knowing this they decided to drive in the emergency lane with no good reason. Her desire to use a particular hospital in no way absolved them of the obligation of obeying the law. Good for the trooper.

LTWD .. what comments were you reading .. over 1,000 comments, a vast majority against the Trooper and most of the ones defending him only came after y'all sent out an APB for all troopers to post

I was pregnant with my second child and was at a my Mom's in Dorchester and went into labor. My husband worked in Framingham and I said I would not go to the hospital which was in Roxbury until he came and took me. He got stopped by an officer for speeding and told the officer he was taking his wife to the hospital. The officer looked and finding my husband alone in the car said "It looks like you forgot someone." My husband explained he was going to get me.The officer took our names and the name of the hospital and said "Your wife better have a baby tonight or you will get a ticket in the mail."

the couple needs to sue, have him fired. he needlessly and intentiony delayed you medical treatment.

I can't believe this officer is going to get away without so much as a verbal reprimand. Unreal. The State Police should be ashamed. But, anyone who has lived in Massachusetts for any amount of time knows that most of them don't exhibit any class in their interactions with folks like these.

If the staties had any shame they would discipline this power-happy moron. Are they not there to serve us? Why didn't this jerk offer to escort them to the hospital? Call me naive but I just would never have thought that things have come to this. The cops perceive us as the enemy. Pathetic. The Globe should publish his name.

Judgment call? What a joke of an excuse that is Mr. Procopio. That's almost a universal way for people to get of of taking responsibility for their actions.

Also, you can bet if the officer knew the people in the car he stopped his judgment call would have been different.

And not to worry all you Mass. residents...this cop will be running the State Police in 10 years.

Look everyone we have only received one side of the story, yet many seem very quick to condemn the trooper, chances are we won't get to hear from him what happened because the State Police will not let the trooper involved talk about what happeend with the media. Yet we get to hear the biased accont of the couple who seemingly have nothing better to do in their lives then invite the print and tv media into their home with their baby as a photo op to garner sympathy while we never hear from the trooper. This is one sided journalism, furthermore it is a non-story totally undeserving of the press attention is has recieved. Why doesn't the media write about something important?

Hey prjmcdonald (see comments 21 & 24)...
1) one comment is enough
2) it's 12:11AM (CLOWN)
3) the cop's a JERK-anyone can see that - classic MA State Trooper Story

I think the strangest aspect of this is the demand from the trooper to see
the woman's belly. A voyeur/fetishist? For this alone, he should be required
to get counseling, this was far beyond the pale. It's unfortunate that the
supra-legal protection that police officers always seem to get allows
them to get away with things they shouldn't.

Mr. and Mrs. Davis, please reconsider not filing a complaint - you'd be
protecting a number of victims "down the road"...

Disturbing. One more reason why ALL of their pensions and grandiose retirement benefits should be WIPED OUT. Call it a tourniquet. I hope this scumbag tropper is in confession right now, along with David Sargent, Chuck Turner, Ms. Wilkernson and the REST OF THE HACKS.

the trooper must be related to Anthony Galluccio, another "idiot winner".

It's amazing to me the amount of people who lack big picture thinking. The trooper is one of those people who can't see the big picture and is only able to follow the letter of the law. This shows a lack of ability. When someone is in a time of need, you would hope that they'd be able to look to the police for help--the police should not make the situation more difficult (and compromise the health and safety of the mother and unborn baby). I fully agree with the person who said that judgment calls need to (always) incorporate common sense (and I would add to that--logic, empathy, and compassion).

Another dumb cop and what is worse is that his leadership supported him.

Way to go, Massachusetts State Police!

You REALLY served the people... by DELAYING A WOMAN FROM GETTING URGENTLY NEEDED MEDICAL ATTENTION

I hope that the officer had to pay the $100 back themselves.

More likely they were threatened and strong-armed by the cops to keep their mouths shut about it.

Second-guessing? Byzantine if you ask me. Kind of like genital mutilation in some countries. Who are we to presume that our system is the most advanced culture and civilization in the world with such draconian police state practices? Judgment call? Clearly an F in judgment. Kind of like our Iraq policy to date.

While I have tremendous respect for the state police, when my wife woke me up at 3:00am to tell me "it was time." I made it from weymouth to Brigham and Women's Hospital in what seemed like 15 minutes flat. I assumed that routes three and 93 would be trapped AND I DIDN'T CARE. I would gladly have watched the growing number of pretty blue lights in my rear view and I wouldn't have even thought about taking my foot off the accelerator. Fortunately, I either hit the road on a shift change or someone was asleep in his cruiser. If we had stopped to ask a trooper for help and his response was: "wait here while I finish ticketing motorist a and then I'll come ticket you" my only reply would have been laughter and squealing rubber. Some things are more important than the rules.

The couple was offered an ambulance by at least one of the troopers they interacted with-- and with contractions five minutes apart, why did they decline, and why were they still on the road? Between Dracut and Cambridge are at least six hospitals and at least that many ambulance stations; each of which could have provided expert obstetric care.

Driving in breakdown lanes is dangerous: every year, many people are killed because they (or the car they were in) were struck by someone speeding down the breakdown lane. State trooper Ellen E. Engelhardt was nearly killed and now is brain damaged and paralyzed from just such an incident (she was parked in the breakdown lane on route 25 in Wareham in July 2003 with her blue flashing lights on when a drunk driver slammed into her cruiser at 50 MPH), and the 'Globe even covered her story in several articles.

The trooper had every reason to act the way he did, legally and morally. Next time, the Davises should consider calling an ambulance, each one of which has lights and sirens and can use them to safely avoid traffic.

To protect and to serve. Did the trooper forget his basic duty?

the cop is an idiot, has no judgment, needs to be assigned to desk duty until he completes sensitivity training. every pregnant woman's nightmare is being stuck in traffic in labor, the traffic in the alewife area at rush hour is always horrible.

The State Trooper in this case needs to be retrained. If it was his wife it would have been overlooked. Lots of Massachusetts State Troopers act like the SS.
I lived in Massachusetts once, glad I don't anymore.

Come on people, why is everyone surprised. I mean, have you ever met a Massachusetts State Trooper? They are all jerks and they all act like police state nazis. I would have been surprised if the trooper showed an ounce of human compassion and common sense. His actions are par for the course among State Troopers.

Only one with below-average intelligence would agree with the officer on this on. Apparently, there are quite a few living in the Bay State. Go figure.

she should be glad he didn't ask her if she'd like to shoot his uzi

It was the troopers duty to render emergency help by immediately clearing a roadway path to the hospital. This trooper used poor judgement and needs furthur training.

I am in shock anyone is agreeing with the trooper!! Cops drive in breakdown lanes and speed and basically do whatever they want. If an ambulance were driving down the breakdown lane would he ticket that driver too? Or a towtruck that works for the police dept? I don't think so. And what do the man's previous speeding tickets have to do with this situation? So ridiculous someone would even bring that up. Must be related to that heartless, arrogant policeman.

My God, we sure live in a law and order society! I can't believe all the people who are writing in support of the Trooper's actions in this case. It seems that a little compassion and common sense on the trooper's part could have been a bit more helpful to this situation. Women about about to give birth using the breakdown lane... surely the End of Times is just around the corner! If the authorities allow such behavior to continue our society is doomed.
Really people, is it too much to ask law enforcement officers to use a tiny bit of common sense?

This is a prime example of State Police at its worse. He should be reprimanded.He should be working at a desk job.I never see State Police on Rte 93 where there should be some.

On word describes this trooper and all the bleeding heart liberals here who think the trooper was right. IDIOT!

I need to agree with the trooper on this one. What if the Davis' actions caused a severe accident. As for the statement s about what happened, it is the Davis' story being told. No one really knows what went on when they stopped to speak to the trooper. Comment 42 states law abiding citizens. Law abiding citizens know NOT to drive in the breakdown lane. If the contractions were so close and it was rush hour, why didn't they go to the emeregency room of a hospital closer to Dracut.

and this story is why i am SO happy that I moved out of the communist-wealth of massachusetts. good lord, stupid politicians breed stupid police officers. kudos massachusetts for setting a GREAT example of human kindness and common sense.

Why would the Trooper believe them. How many times a day do drivers who are speeding, using the breakdown lane or both get caught and lie about why they are doing so.
Talking about a Poor Judgment call, how about deciding to drive from Dracut to Cambridge with contractions at 3 minutes during rush hour. Wow. Even as it turns out that the birth was not for another 5 hours, the correct call is for an Ambulance.
Let's hope these "parents" will be making better decisions in the future and if not please have them call the Globe when they let their child play in traffic.

I'm not suprised by this at all. My interactions with State Troopers lately have been the worst in 20 years of working hand in hand with Law Enforcement. It is a sad commentary when instead of trying to help this couple, he held them up to write a ticket. Judgement calls are part of their job but common sense is a bigger requirement I would think.

This trooper needs to rethink his priorities.

Let's not forget. The trooper was doing what we pay him to do. If he hadn't done anything and these people had an accident or caused an accident, they would be suing him for not doing his job. Get over it.

Please mention the husband has 6 speeding tickets and refused he offer of an ambulance twice why did he forgo the local hospital and drive 30 miles? Because it was not an emergency the baby was born 5 hours after the stop but all you morons chose to knock the Trooper for doing his job This is just 2 people that feel they are entitled

Common Sense isn't very common and this trooper is proof that he is one of the ones with no common sense. The reason this woman was trying to get down to Boston hospital is because that is where her doctor was meeting her. It isn't her fault - you go where the doctor is. This state trooper is a bozo and no amount of training is going to give him what he needs - good judgment. I fear for the people in Massachusetts that this man has a gun and needs to use good judgement (which he doesn't have) every day. For his superiors to say that he gets no reprimand or any penalty for this is awful.

The trooper most definitely should be punished for his actions. A law enforcement person should not be allowed to make judgments that might affect someone's health and welfare. Would he have detained a person complaining of chest pains? I think not. He made a determination at that moment that the couple could wait for him to process a ticket, and HE should thank his lucky stars that everything turned out for the best. If the wife or baby had suffered ill effects - well I would bet there would be charged filed Thank goodness that mother and baby are fine. If anything positive comes out of this incident it should be that state troopers are to expedite all medical emergencies, rather than make judgments that could potentially be harmful.

It's easy to judge after you have all the facts. Do you have any idea how many liars the cops have to listen to? The couple refused an ambulance, so obviously they did not think it was an emergency. If it's not an emergency, they should not be endangering others by driving in the breakdown lane. What's next? People keeping pillows in their cars so that they can fake being pregnant and drive in the breakdown lane?

Lesson to learn -- do not stop for the police. Call 911 and tell them what you're doing and keep driving. Think he'll assault your vehicle when he knows there is a pgenant woman on board? Eventually it will get escalated to a smart trooper who will call you back to tell you they'll escort you.

Both the trooper and the couple are at fault. The couple shouldn't have gone to a hospital 30 miles away just to have her second birth there. She should have went to the closest hospital. The trooper shouldn't have given them a ticket. He should have provided an escort. Both made bad judgement calls and acted stupid.

This trooper should be fired, plain and simple. Clearly he is not so much concerned with protecting the health and safety of the public, as he is with exerting his authority to the fullest extent no matter how unreasonable the outcome.

They were caught performing an illegal act. What if the was a car actually using the breakdown lane for it's intended use....broken down. And there was an accident. Would there be complaints about being ticketed? Probably not.
The trooper was doing his job, protecting the public.

iI am tired of everyone in this commonwealth making excuses 4 people to do what they do. Nobody takes responsibility for their actions. Bottom line they broke rthe law by driving in the breakdown lane. This guy knows the consequences when he did this yet took that chance. The people complaining about this trooper r the same clowns that would blogging the next day saying ... we saw a car in the breakdown lane and the trooper did nothing. He can't win. Is that all we have 2 do is drive anyway we want and when we get stopped is say we r pregnant. Then people complaining about him asking 2 see if she was indeed pregnat,whats wrong with that. This country is f??? up because of idiots like u people who think u can do what u want without regards for others. U try 2 justify everything do. Don.t break the law act curteous and u won.t need to justify your stupidness. If u choose 2 do what u want prepare 2 pay thats what laws r 4.

911 is there for as reason.

Asking to see a stomach can be either a) a violation of the Americans with Disabilities act or b) sexual harassment. Even if he made a judgment call on the ticket, asking to see a woman's body parts is an abuse of power

This cop did the correct thing and we should thank him for his service. There are many people complaining but he performed a valuable public service which is all too often lacking in taxachusetts, he actually did his job. We are a nation of laws which fortunately pregnant women are not exempt from. We have a way to get rapidly to a hospital in this country and they are called ambulances. If you do not view your situation as important enough for an ambulance then you are expected to follow applicable traffic laws period. If this couple was crusing along the breakdown lane and plowed into a car or they were struck while being escorted you'd have the troopers head. For once an excellent job was done by a public servant.

I had a run-in with a trooper who pulled me over who I suspect is the same guy who did this.

I cannot believe he made her prove she was pregnant. I know when you're in labor you are terrified and feel very vulnerable when you aren't someplace safe. SHAME ON HIM.

This is why I was so happy when Gov. Patrick cut State Police overtime for doing nothing but wasting taxpayer dollars at construction sites. I hope he cuts it further.

Mass. state troopers aren't here to serve and protect. They're here to generate revenue for the Commonwealth via tickets, therefore he WAS doing his job.
Welcome to the People's Republic of Massachusetts (PRM).

If the parents thought this was such an emergency they should have called an ambulance. Driving from Dracut to Cambridge is not a quick trip. If anything he should have driven to the closest hospital if they believed this was a true emergency. It doesn't matter if they are not followed at a certain hospital, they all are trained and equipped to deliver a baby. The parents and the people that believe the trooper was wrong cannot cry ignorance AND have the rules bent for them. I'm told the parents were offered an ambulance and refused; so that means they didn't think this was an emergency (which is wasn't). So they shouldn't get to break the rules just because. And just for those who seem to hate the law and the people who enforce it, how many times a day do you think the police and the state troopers are given stories or lies just so people can get their own way or get out of trouble. In a perfect world I'm sure they would believe everything that people said. Funny thing about common sense; It's not that common!!!

During my time as a Trooper for 20 years in Western Mass , My comrades and I have locked up untold numbers of domestic batterers, taken illegal firearms off the street, seized major weight hard drugs, been spit at, punched, crashed into by drunks, and shot at on occasion. As a detective I have investigated more homicides in five years than most cops will in their lifetime. Yes, part of our job is to enforce traffic laws and sometimes we write tickets. This being said, the current mind set of management is to pressure us into writing tickets at the risk of unsatisfactory job ratings. It doesn't take brains to go out and write a book of tickets an hour. It does take brains to constructively enforce the laws that most of us want enforced and to have compassion for others in the right circumstances. After seeing the carnage that bad people inflict, I cannot in good conscience hammer the hell out of good people for doing nothing more than trying to get to the hospital .

How about the trooper and his wife and kids if they have any,get together with this couple and there new baby,have a nice dinner together, a glass of wine and put the whole little mess behind them. Peace on Earth!!

Have any of you that are defending Mr. Law Enforcement ever seen an ambulance trying to get through rush hour traffic? They were close to the exit, two other officers allowed them to pass, and they asked permission from number 3 (the moron), he didn't pull them over. They were asking for HELP, and this guy not only didn't help them, he made a situation worse. Facts are facts, he did the wrong thing! Before I am attacked I am her sister. No, she was not looking for 15 minutes of fame. She was hurt. Thank god it was her in the situation and not myself, as she is the much calmer out of the two of us!

The officer was correct, you people that feel he was wrong are the same ones to complain that he was wrong to allow them to drive down the breakdown lane and get into an accident.
PEOPLE CALL AN AMBULANCE!!!! They are equipt to deliver in the rig, you are not. They have the training and equipment to handle the situation, you do not!
California had a couple that wrecked they car racing to the hospital. They tried to sue the good samaritans that pulled them from the wreck... they were hit on the side of the road by a driver that tried to avoid the over turned car in the road... gee who's stpidity lead to that accident? The officer was right and should be given an award for doing his job, the couple should get a ticket for using poor judgement!!!!

When a police officer stopped me in Connecticut 10 years back, he told me that you just killed somebody!!! I could not understand what he was saying at all, but it turned out that I had just jumped a red light. By overlooking this situation I would say that the trooper just killed the baby and the mother !!! Do I need to add anything else?

THIS SEEMS TO BE SOKME TYPE OF ETHICAL ERROR ON BEHALF OF THE DONUT EATING OFFICER. HOW COULD, AND WHY WOULD SOMEONE LIE ABOUT GIVING BIRTH TO A BABY WHEN THEIR STOMACH IS AT LEAST 2 FT. LARGER. THIS WAS A BONE-HEADED CALL BY THIS POLICE MAN. I THINK BOSTON SHOULD RETURN TO WHAT THEY USED TO DO IN THE PAST, GO BACK TO USING RENT-A-COPS.

Here we go again.

Massachusetts EMT 14 years here.

The Davises were in the wrong here. Period.
Ambulances and the EMTs and Paramedics who staff them are trained in EVOC - Emergency Vehicle Operator courses-. We have Lights. Sirens. You know, for moving through traffic in a medical emergency. And some medical equipment in the back, just in case. The Davises made a reckless decision and are paying.

Even though the couple diserve the ticket, the officer should have did something. They better be thankfull they weren't in Virginia. Depending on how fast they were going, they could've ended up in jail.

Judgement? what judgment. . It is quite apparent that he lacks the judgment need by an officer to perform his duties and that makes him a liability and very dangerous. Should he be reprimanded? You bet. In fact, he should be set behind a desk before his so called judgement gets him and the force in dire straits. What next. He shoots a poor kid who is playing with a water pistol, but he thinks it might be a weapon. His kind of judgement is dangerous for all citizens.

This Trooper is a real piece of work. I would have had more respect for him if he gave these people who were obviosly in dyer streights a Police escort and gave them a ticket at the hospital. This guy jeprodized the mother and baby. How does he know that the womans condition was normal ? Is he a MD. ? and then ask to see her belly and she shows him and he gives her a ticket any way. Sounds to me like he was angry he did not catch her in a lie. This Trooper should be fired or at least sent for sensitivity training. Good luck with the new baby and God bless you and your family.

Did the story state they were SPEEDING in the breakdown lane or just using it? No, it said he was using the breakdown lane. If the traffic is typical mass gridlock, its 15-20 mph with lots of stops. If he was doing 40 in the breakdown lane, hes UNDER the speed limit for the road and he certainly isnt driving fast enough that he couldnt stop for a car in the breakdown lane. What the trooper should have done was assist them getting to the hospital. If he felt they should not have been doing what they were doing, then issue the ticket as well, but you dont potentially put the mother and baby in harms way. Instead he chose to be an jerk and hence the national publicity. Thank god I dont live in this state anymore...

This trooper certainly did not use any common sense. He should have escorted the car to the hospital instead of him issuing a ticket. The troopers supervisors should remind him that he is there to protect and serve the public honorably, and he failed to do that. Some sought of comment should go into his permanent record.

An absolute tool. How many of us have been pulled over and been given the cop attitude. Meanwhile, when his shift is over, he'll go get loaded and drive home with immunity because of "cop courtesy"

If these allegations are true he should be fired. However these are still "allegations" I know they received a ticket but the rest of the story hasn't been proven I'd like to see thevideo from the cruiser.

First of all, They were previously allowed by two troopers to operate in the breakdown lane? This would have made the previously troopers liable by allowing the use of the breakdown lane.
Second, The couple should have never attempted this drive in rush hour without the use of our medical vehicles. They really seen irresponsible on that part.
Finally, This trooper probably saved the taxpayers a lot of money that would have occurred if he had allowed this couple to operate their car in the breakdown lane and they got in a serious accident. People love to put down cops without getting both sides of the story.

You know what the scariest part is? This guy is so thick he asked a woman who was so pregnant she was IN LABOR to prove her pregnancy.... and he carries a firearm. Thank you, Massachusetts State Police, for making have to defend my home state to my friends in the Midwest.

EMT here as well, and the previous post from the EMT is an embarassment as he fails to account for the fact that the couple TRIED To get out of the way and asked a cop for help in doing so. The cop KEPT THEM IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE LONGER as he was busy being an ingnorant jerk. Seriously dude, as an EMT you should also know that cop completely failed in duty to act. Are you a practicing EMT, or did you just go and take the course?

This couple is doing a grave injustice to their community not filing a complaint on this man. This man is not capable of serving as law enforcement making such poor judgment calls. He lacks the very fundamental ability of common sense and the very basic function for which he serves - to protect and serve. What if there were complications with the delivery and the baby died because they were not at the hospital in time. What is this cops next power hungry act going to be? Is he going to shoot at a little boy carrying a water pistol? This guy carries a gun and needs to make good judgment calls, not act in incompetency. This is a disgrace to law enforcement and this man needs to be fired. It is this couple civic duty to file the complaint.

As a retired NYC Police Officer I am not suprised at some officers making "stupid" decisions and mistakes. I have to say that by far, this is the most riduculous story I have ever heard. Rest assured that the other officers that work with this idiot, will make his life a living hell for the rest of his career. Noone will want to work with him or eat with him. He is on his own from now on. He's probably the kind of person that was hung from his underwear as a kid. I can also bet the farm that in his career path he has applied for a job with the Internal Affairs Division He will make a fine"RAT!"

Why wasn't an ambulance called?

What of the two troopers who allowed, gave permission, to drive in the bdl, before they encountered the ticket?

Seems like a little bit of blame could be passed out to a few people.

I am glad everything worked out for the baby and mother.

Wow, a couple who isn't immediately contacting lawyers or filing complaints and ridiculous lawsuits. Maybe there are still a few people in out country not just waiting for a lawsuit to make them rich.

I cannot understand where is the human sensitivity of the officer who decided to ticket the couple, instead of just helping them to make it to the hospital safely. The citation should be dismissed and a apology should be given to the couple. What if the pregnancy would have been a complexity and the birth would have went wrong on the freeway.

What political hack is the trooper related to?
Is this just another case of a low score on
the trooper test and political pressure appointment?
Just what we need more morons with power and guns
Dissolve the Massachusetts State Police
Is all they do “ guard orange cones….”

Abolish the Massachusetts State Police.....
Who cares if the children steal the orange cones?
More street hockey goals, less useless state troopers.