A police officer in Orlando, Florida, has reportedly learned the hard way that he is not above the law.
Officer Alexander Shaouni allegedly blew threw a 45 mph zone at 80 mph in his marked Orlando Police Department SUV — right past a deputy of the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
The deputy flipped on his lights and pursued the speeding Shaouni down a local road.
The now-viral incident was caught on the deputy’s dashcam video.
(Video: YouTube)
“Over 100 miles an hour trying to catch up to him,” the deputy can be heard saying.
Shaouni activated his own lights before finally pulling over and storming up to the deputy.
“What?” Shaouni demanded. “I am going into work, my man. Why are you trying to pull me over as I’m going into work?”
“Because you are going 80 in a 45,” the deputy informed him.
Shaouni quickly got snarky.
“I am going to work,” he said, pointing to his uniform. “What does it look like I’m dressed for? What does it look like I’m dressed for?”
The deputy asked Shaouni to produce his driver’s license.
“No,” he replied, before turning around, getting back into his vehicle, and speeding off.
The deputy can be heard telling dispatch that he has an officer “taking off from a traffic stop.”
“He refused to stop,” the deputy stated.
According to the New York Post, Shaouni was identified by authorities via his badge and police cruiser.
The officer was subsequently arrested and charged with resisting an officer, reckless driving, and fleeing/eluding a law enforcement officer with lights and sirens active. Shortly after, he was relieved of his duties, pending an investigation.
“The Orlando Police Department was notified by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, June 9th that OPD Officer Alexander Shaouni was involved in an incident that occurred in Seminole County that resulted in criminal charges,” the Orlando Police Department said in a statement to WESH 2 News. “Officer Shaouni has been relieved of duty pending the Seminole County Sheriff’s criminal investigation and OPD’s Internal Affairs investigation.”
On Twitter, there is little sympathy for Officer Shaouni.
“Good!!” exclaimed one user. “[It] shows NO ONE is above the law!!!”
“As it should be,” another stated. “Police should not believe that they are exempt from the law.”
“They need to do a better job of making sure their brothers/sisters toe the line and don’t go over,” the user added. “They need to weed out the bad in their ranks and not tolerate their own being criminals.”
“Law enforcement is rotted from the locals to the feds,” noted a third.
Good !! It’s shows NO ONE is above the law !!!
— Kim Lardizzone (@KimLardizz64320) June 14, 2023
As it should be.
Police should not believe that they are exempt from the law. They need to do a better job of making sure their brothers/sisters toe the line and don’t go over. They need to weed out the bad in their ranks and not tolerate their own being criminals.
— NH/Wynter/FTW (@WynterythTX) June 18, 2023
Law enforcement is rotted from the locals to the feds.
— EBG ☠️ (@HalfVastPlot) June 18, 2023
Others did not find Shaouni’s defiance “shocking.”
“This is not shocking,” one user tweeted. “I lived in Orlando for 15 years and the cops there (I have the utmost respect for our men and women in blue) are d**ks. They all have serious ego issues.”
This is not shocking.. I lived in Orlando for 15 years and the cops there (I have the utmost respect for our men and women in blue) are dicks. The all have serious ego issues.
— TheeMaxPower (@TheeMaxPower1) June 14, 2023
And another user accused Shaouni of abusing his powers.
“The cop pulled over was doing 80 in a 40, just to get to work on time. That is an abuse of his powers,” the user stated. “You do not disregard laws unless there is an emergency that justifies the illegal actions.”
“It’s crap like this,” the user stated, “that makes qualified immunity dangerous.”
The cop pulled over was doing 80 in a 40, just to get to work on time. That is an abuse of his powers. You do not disregard laws unless there is an emergency that justifies the illegal actions.
It’s crap like this that makes qualified immunity dangerous.
— Clarence Thomas-Justice of a Supreme Crap (Parody) (@ScotusClarenceT) June 14, 2023
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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