the Ogre Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 OREM - Two days after Independence Day, 70-year-old Betty Perry experienced an ordeal she said shouldn't be happening in America. The retired military and U.S. government employee answered the door at her home Friday morning to talk with a police officer about her bone-dry lawn and ended up getting arrested and suffering a bloody nose. "What have I done?" she asked. "I'm old now. I can't believe this." The Orem police officer, as yet unnamed by city officials, cited Perry for violating a city ordinance with her "sadly neglected and dying landscape," which resembles dry hay. When Perry refused to give her name and tried to walk inside to call her son, the officer tried to arrest her, police say. According to a police news release, while she was struggling, she tripped and fell on her doorstop, cutting open the bridge of her nose...http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_6319911?source=rvI can understand why people get upset when people do not water their lawns, but who would have thought it would be a crime.Aaron the Ogre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yediyd Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 hooo brother!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushka Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 Wow! That's what I call heavy duty policing!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the Ogre Posted July 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 I was thinking that instead of arresting her, the city ought to have a system to help seniors and shut-ins set up lawns that would be easier to care for. There are other options to grass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushka Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 I agree.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yediyd Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 I was thinking that instead of arresting her, the city ought to have a system to help seniors and shut-ins set up lawns that would be easier to care for. There are other options to grass. Funniest thing I ever saw...A guy had paved his lawn, painted it green, then painted his lawn mower gold and had it mounted on a pedistal in the middle of his asphalt green lawn!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 I guess the crime wave in Orem must be at a all time low for a bored Police officer to arrest someone for not watering their lawn......wonder if this person had a Poster on the wall at the Post Office..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the Ogre Posted July 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 Funniest thing I ever saw...A guy had paved his lawn, painted it green, then painted his lawn mower gold and had it mounted on a pedistal in the middle of his asphalt green lawn!!!That's pretty kool.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushka Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 LOL Yediyd!! I'd love to do something like that...I have a worm and insects phobia so I once wished that the whole world could be concreted! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 <div class='quotemain'> I was thinking that instead of arresting her, the city ought to have a system to help seniors and shut-ins set up lawns that would be easier to care for. There are other options to grass. Funniest thing I ever saw...A guy had paved his lawn, painted it green, then painted his lawn mower gold and had it mounted on a pedistal in the middle of his asphalt green lawn!!!there you go putting ideas into my head...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yediyd Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 Pale, you would not believe the press this guy got!!!!! So many people drove out to Chittinango just to SEE his lawn!!! He's practally a celebrity here in upstate, NY!!!!I guess the crime wave in Orem must be at a all time low for a bored Police officer to arrest someone for not watering their lawn......wonder if this person had a Poster on the wall at the Post Office..... Probably the same guy that arrested someone in SLC, Utah for not having his ski rack properly latched!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the Ogre Posted July 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 I guess the crime wave in Orem must be at a all time low for a bored Police officer to arrest someone for not watering their lawn......wonder if this person had a Poster on the wall at the Post Office..... Oh yeah, America's Most Wanted segments as well. She was pegged by an anonymous 800 call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 <div class='quotemain'>I guess the crime wave in Orem must be at a all time low for a bored Police officer to arrest someone for not watering their lawn......wonder if this person had a Poster on the wall at the Post Office..... Oh yeah, America's Most Wanted segments as well. She was pegged by an anonymous 800 call.where was Dog....the Bounty Hunter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prisonchaplain Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 Just to play cop's advocate here: What if the lady in question was obnoxious, called the officer several unsavory names, told him to get off her property, and was of such a temperment that he really thought she might be going in to retrieve a weapon? Not saying any of that was so...but so often these outrageous stories end up being skewed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the Ogre Posted July 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 Just to play cop's advocate here: What if the lady in question was obnoxious, called the officer several unsavory names, told him to get off her property, and was of such a temperment that he really thought she might be going in to retrieve a weapon?Not saying any of that was so...but so often these outrageous stories end up being skewed.Sure, we had that in Salt Lake with an old guy who the cops though had a gun in his pocket. They tackled him and broke his arm. Turns out the old guy just couldn't raise his hands or something like that.Pathetic.I generally like the police, but the Orem and Provo ones find some creative reason to keep their arrest numbers up sometimes.Aaron the Ogre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiannan Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 One might expect something like this in North Korea where the state owns the property of the people but in Utah? Talk about trying to impose control over people in the name of everything looking nice. It's her property and that is just the way it is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prisonchaplain Posted July 8, 2007 Report Share Posted July 8, 2007 One might expect something like this in North Korea where the state owns the property of the people but in Utah? Talk about trying to impose control over people in the name of everything looking nice. It's her property and that is just the way it is! NOPE. You're unkempt yard drives down my property values. Plus, this was a blatant neglect, followed by a refusal to cooperate.I do not want government micro-managing my household upkeep, but neither do I want my neighbor to have the liberty of setting up an auto-wrecking shop in his front yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john doe Posted July 9, 2007 Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 Quickly: 1- It was not an arrestable offense she committed or was accused of committing. It was a ticketable offense. He was attempting to write her a ticket when she chose not to give him her name. That's when things took a turn for the worse. She escalated the incident by not being cooperative. She could have chosen to be polite, given her information to the officer, then went to the proper authorities and explained why she didn't, or couldn't, keep her yard in somewhat decent shape. Yes, the officer may have overreacted, but as Ben has pointed out, when an officer has you at the door and you retreat into the home, training teaches an officer that there can be danger in that action, and he needs to prevent that from happening. Today, I believe both people wish they hadn't done what they did in the situation. 2- There are reasons for cities and communities to have rules concerning yard upkeep. As PC has stated, one of the biggest is the ability of one slob to bring down the property values of the rest of his neighborhood. Who wants to live next to the guy with the rusted-out 1957 chevy on cinder blocks in his front yard with weeds growing up through the hood? And that old freezer on the side of the house is just asking for a little kid to play hide-and-seek in it. I agree, some rules, especially in HOA's can be over the top, but there are usually good reasons or intentions behind them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the Ogre Posted July 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2007 Quickly: 1- It was not an arrestable offense she committed or was accused of committing. It was a ticketable offense. He was attempting to write her a ticket when she chose not to give him her name. That's when things took a turn for the worse. She escalated the incident by not being cooperative. She could have chosen to be polite, given her information to the officer, then went to the proper authorities and explained why she didn't, or couldn't, keep her yard in somewhat decent shape. Yes, the officer may have overreacted, but as Ben has pointed out, when an officer has you at the door and you retreat into the home, training teaches an officer that there can be danger in that action, and he needs to prevent that from happening. Today, I believe both people wish they hadn't done what they did in the situation. 2- There are reasons for cities and communities to have rules concerning yard upkeep. As PC has stated, one of the biggest is the ability of one slob to bring down the property values of the rest of his neighborhood. Who wants to live next to the guy with the rusted-out 1957 chevy on cinder blocks in his front yard with weeds growing up through the hood? And that old freezer on the side of the house is just asking for a little kid to play hide-and-seek in it. I agree, some rules, especially in HOA's can be over the top, but there are usually good reasons or intentions behind them.Dude,You and PC are right, I just thought it was silly.Aaron the Ogre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Just to play cop's advocate here: What if the lady in question was obnoxious, called the officer several unsavory names, told him to get off her property, and was of such a temperment that he really thought she might be going in to retrieve a weapon?Not saying any of that was so...but so often these outrageous stories end up being skewed.PC, since when is it against the law to be obnoxious, and swear on your own property? The last I heard it is not. She is 70 years old for heavens sake. If he would have backed away out of her personal space and humbled himself more, he probably would have gotten further.I can understand why a 70 year old woman did not water her lawn. She is probably on a fixed income and can not afford to. The neighborly and christian thing to do would be to water the lawn for her with your own water. Mow the lawn for her when you mow your lawn. Dig up the dandelions before they go to seed so they don't seed and thus grow in your lawn. Not call the police and complain.Just my worth.NOPE. You're unkempt yard drives down my property values. Plus, this was a blatant neglect, followed by a refusal to cooperate.I do not want government micro-managing my household upkeep, but neither do I want my neighbor to have the liberty of setting up an auto-wrecking shop in his front yard. That is why there are zoning regulations, to prevent auto-wrecking shops popping up in "bedroom" communities. Big difference from not watering the lawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenRaines Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 If the article had been read by some they would know she had just spent $25,000 on improvements to the inside of the house. This is not some financially poor lady. Where was her home teacher, her ward. If she was, which I doubt from the article, so poor then where are the scouts or deacons doing a service project for scouts or Duty to God award. I would say unless you have put on the uniform and been attacked by the woman you go to defend as her scum boyfriend is beating her up you have no idea how people act with police officers. Officers have died because a victim has attacked them when they arrive. A victim. As I said earlier in the post he did not know what she was going back in the house for. I would rather read this article than one of "Officer shot by 70 yr old woman while attemting to write ticket for dead lawn". Ben Raines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yediyd Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Quickly: 1- It was not an arrestable offense she committed or was accused of committing. It was a ticketable offense. He was attempting to write her a ticket when she chose not to give him her name. That's when things took a turn for the worse. She escalated the incident by not being cooperative. She could have chosen to be polite, given her information to the officer, then went to the proper authorities and explained why she didn't, or couldn't, keep her yard in somewhat decent shape. Yes, the officer may have overreacted, but as Ben has pointed out, when an officer has you at the door and you retreat into the home, training teaches an officer that there can be danger in that action, and he needs to prevent that from happening. Today, I believe both people wish they hadn't done what they did in the situation. 2- There are reasons for cities and communities to have rules concerning yard upkeep. As PC has stated, one of the biggest is the ability of one slob to bring down the property values of the rest of his neighborhood. Who wants to live next to the guy with the rusted-out 1957 chevy on cinder blocks in his front yard with weeds growing up through the hood? And that old freezer on the side of the house is just asking for a little kid to play hide-and-seek in it. I agree, some rules, especially in HOA's can be over the top, but there are usually good reasons or intentions behind them. I agree with most of what you said, JD...the only thing I dissagree with is the assumption that they BOTH regret what they did that day...I think this woman is going to milk this for whatever she can get!!! I'm sure she WAS tramitized...but she dissrespected the law and the police officer, ow HE will pay for doing his job and she will make out like a bandit!!!!I agree, he could have handled her differently...but none of us was there, and I highly doubt she was just a sweet little old lady that got roughed up by the bad ol' police officer!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prisonchaplain Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 PC, since when is it against the law to be obnoxious, and swear on your own property? The last I heard it is not. She is 70 years old for heavens sake. If he would have backed away out of her personal space and humbled himself more, he probably would have gotten further.We're both speculating. However, it sounds as if a lawsuite is pending now--which leads me to favor my own version.The neighborly and christian thing to do would be to water the lawn for her with your own water. Mow the lawn for her when you mow your lawn. Dig up the dandelions before they go to seed so they don't seed and thus grow in your lawn. Not call the police and complain.Just my worth.Sounds like that has since happened. Then again, so has talk of a pending lawsuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.