Oh @PREDATOR - there is so many things wrong with your defense of the 'system'. At least you admit that the officer likely screwed up, but let's look at some of your points - ""So like a criminal, police are innocent until proven guilty."" Um - a person is NOT a criminal until they have been proven guilty. Strike one - and since you are an enFORCEr, that is a horrible mindset to have - a person accused is NOT a criminal until due process - just like this officer. You, as an enFORCEr, should know better. ""If there is reason to believe a crime has occurred before a full investigation is complete the officer will be arrested like anyone else."" Strike two - in this exact instance the driver of the vehicle - if a mere mundane - would likely already be behind bars, lost their job, behind on their bills, and facing horrible consequences of their actions - but your officer has union protection, has likely been off on trauma leave and/or suspended - WITH PAY, and is sleeping in his own bed at night. Different situation for a badged and armed exalted versus a mere mundane - and you know it sir. ""But I would venture to say he didn't put on his uniform that day and say I'm going to kill a family in a car crash today."" Who does? If you did you'd stay home that day - just like the axiom about 'why do you carry a gun all the time?' - if I knew the day that I would need it for sure, I'd take it just that day. Lastly, beyond losing his job this man will likely have immunity from a civil suit, since it was 'in the line of duty' - so if the family files a suit - the taxpayers pay, not the actual person that was negligent....

Armstrong is not dragging his feet. Anytime there is a police officer crash that involves a loss of life, Tennessee Highway Patrol takes over the investigation. So there will be no conflict of interest and people like you (friend of police? okay..) can't point fingers and say conspiracy! He is still getting paid because it is called due process. It is the same across the board for all police. Believe it or not some people accuse the police of things they didn't do, people do not like to go to jail. So like a criminal, police are innocent until proven guilty. (I hope we have the same rights that the people we protect you from have) If there is reason to believe a crime has occurred before a full investigation is complete the officer will be arrested like anyone else. After the investigation appropriate action will be taking against him. No other job is being accused of something, as good as being guilty of it. And before a bunch of people start byching in replies. I am not defending the officer involved in the crash. I do not know him or anything more than the news has said. I realize some people lost their lives. But I would venture to say he didn't put on his uniform that day and say I'm going to kill a family in a car crash today. It was an unfortunate accident, a bad judgement call on his part, and he is going to have to live with it. Rest assured he will probably lose his job and it will go to court.

I'ma friend of police, and I've never been one to suggest suing the city, but that may be the family's only option. The police have already admitted that he was not on the way to an emergency, that he did not have his lights and siren on, and he was driving way to fast for the conditions and location. Yet he is still on the job, still getting a paycheck. There is clearly something wrong or Armstrong wouldnt be dragging his feet. Glad to see that their job its to protect their own first, and civilians second.