If every police chief were as ethical as Chief Gene Wilson of Rockdale County, Georgia (metro Atlanta), the world would be a better place. Recently, Chief Wilson accidentally parked in a handicapped parking spot at everyone’s favorite southern fried chicken eatery, Chik-Fil-A, while nomming on some breakfast (donuts and coffee by chance?).
After exiting the restaurant, and realizing he had parked illegally, the Jesus-like cop gave himself a ticket, “I come back outside, and there is the handicapped parking sign with my city police car sitting right in it, and I’m thinking I didn’t do this, but I did,” he said. He said he didn’t notice the sign or pavement markings because of a new light bar on his car, which blocked his view. Excuses!
Soooo….since a police officer can’t literally give himself a ticket, he drove himself back to the station and turned himself in, paying a $280 fine; a steep price which made me shocked/happy all at once to discover (are all tickets for people parked illegally in handicapped spots that high elsewhere in the country?).
Was being honest, fessing up, and paying the fine enough for Chief Wilson to not feel guilty? Nope. He even went so far as to write an apology letter to the city’s newspaper. Damn. A guilty conscious is a super good thing when it comes to police officers (Rodney King; lack thereof), but this is crazy. There are PERKS to being a cop, man, and breaking traffic laws and not getting reprimanded is in the top 3!
Funny enough, this isn’t the first time Chief Wilson has turned himself for breaking the law. He last gave himself a ticket (by proxy) for running a red light. A red light. I run red lights all the time! (it's good the the environment; saves gas). He should not be feeling guilty about this...
Anyways, I have nothing more to add to this blog entry. All I know is that Chief Wilson has a super bad case of relenting to the Man. While the responsible citizen in me knows him being this way - as a cop - is a good thing, the bad girl in me can't help but keep thinking what a weakling he is. Yes, I'm a rolling contradiction. I know.
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