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Dad Accused Of Chuck E. Cheese Salad Theft Zapped By Police
Aurora Police Say Proper Procedures Followed

UPDATED: 11:43 am EST March 2, 2005

AURORA, Colo. -- Aurora police have reviewed a weekend incident in which a man accused of stealing salad from a Chuck E. Cheese salad bar was hit with a stun gun twice by officers and said that proper procedures were followed.

The incident began at 4:05 p.m. Sunday when officers were called to the restaurant on a report of a larceny in progress.

Police talked to the Chuck E. Cheese manager, who told them that a customer had refused to show proof that he had paid for food. The manager said the man was seen "loading" his plate at the salad bar.

The officers confronted Danon Gale, 29, who was at the restaurant with his children, aged 3 and 7. Patrons said the popular kids pizza parlor was packed with children and families at the time.

According to police, Gale was asked to step outside to discuss the incident.

"According to witnesses (Gale) refused to cooperate with police and a struggle ensued," said Larry Martinez, a police spokesman. He said that Gale became argumentative and shoved one of the officers, a fact disputed by another patron.

"One of the officers kept poking the gentleman in the chest," Felicia Mayo told the Rocky Mountain News.

She was there with her 7-year-old son. She told the newspaper that Gale told the officer "You don't have to do that." She said Gale never put his hands on the officer who was confronting him

The argument escalated until Gale was shoved into the lap of Mayo's sister, who was sitting two booths away, holding a 10-month-old baby. That's when police pulled out a Taser stun gun to subdue him.

"They beat this man in front of all these kids then Tased him in my sister's lap," Mayo told the newspaper. "They had no regard for the effect this would have on the kids. This is Chuck E. Cheese, you know."

Gale's two children were "screaming and hollering and crying" as Gale was hit two times with the stun gun.

Police arrested Gale as his children and other customers watched. They took him outside, leaving his children inside the restaurant.

Gale was arrested for investigation of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and trespassing.

His two children were picked up by a relative.

The manager of the restaurant declined comment and Gale said he couldn't talk about it, after hiring an attorney.

An Aurora Police spokesman said that the sergeant on the scene wrote a report on the incident and forwarded it to his commander who determined that proper police procedures were followed relating to the use of the Taser gun.

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This story is getting some conversation on other boards I read, and I thought it would be intresting to see opinions here.. I personally found it intresting that Mr Gale was not charged with what police were originally called about.. Larceny in progress..

What I didn't understand also was the fact that at most resturants I eat at.. I don't get a reciept until after the meal has ended.. I haven't eaten at a Chuck E Cheese in years so I'm not sure about their policies.. But it was rediculous for this man to get argumentative over a $2 salad.. Pay the $2 and forget about it.. Confronting Police is a Huge Mistake assaulting a police officer is a felony and carries very large penalties.. Not smart.

On the police side, I found it iresponsible to bring a taser out and tase a man right next to a 10 month old infant that seemed at least somewhat dangerous.

 

Mishiro

Usually I would go against the pigs, but I think that guy needed a good shock. He deserved everything that happened to him, I say.

Although, his kids didn't deserve it. But they will, when they grow up to be like him.

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Niteshift

I'll probably end up in it anyway, but without getting into a block of instruction abut use of force continuum's, force dynics etc, I can't say they were wrong.

Let's not get wrapped up around the taser. Fact is, taser is considered less than lethal force and is on the same level as pepper spray or a baton. Obviously, spraying the dude in a crowded, indoor location wasn't a good option, nor would swinging a baton............where does that leave us? Taser.

Gayle decided to play tough guy and lost.

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Hiz Highness

I must be missing the part where Gale is playing the tough guy. The only thing I see indicating anything remotely like that is here:

So . . . according to the police spokesman Gale wouldn't step outside, and he shoved one of the officers. However, no named witnesses seem to support this assertion. The only witness we see quoted tells a different tale which includes:

If this witness is telling the truth I can't possibly see siding with the cops. I don't care if you have a badge or not, if you're repeatedly poking me in the chest in front of my own children and shouting at me you had better expect to get clocked upside your fool head.

I would hope that any American civilians witnessing a cop assaulting and intimidating a man in front of his own children would join in beating that officer down and restraining him until real officers showed up to cart their power-drunk a**hole of a companion away.

Of course if Gale did start this incident by shoving an officer (without first being repeatedly poked in the chest) then he got what he asked for . . . a royal butt-whoopin' in front of his kids.

-HH

Cassius

So... it all comes down, again, to how reliable is the press?

Bleh.

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Niteshift

Even IF (big if) he didn't shove the officer he was still acting like a tough guy wannabe.

That this happened in front of his kids is GAYLES FAULT.

If he had shown his receipt, like he was ASKED to, the cops would have never even been there....but he had to be a tough guy and refuse.

Then when the cops ASKED him to cooperate, he continued playing tough guy and refused.

Then they ASKED him to step outside, but Gayle the tough guy wouldn't do it (which means his kids wouldn't have seen anything).

Bottom line: Chuck E. Cheese is PRIVATE PROPERTY. They can ask anyone they want to leave or ask for proof of payment from anyone. He REFUSED (being a tough guy) and tried to make some ridiculous "point" by refusing every REQUEST made of him by the management and then by the police.

Gayle was being a jerk. Let's recognize the fact that NONE of this would have happened if he'd have simply done what he was asked (show his receipt).

Cassius

Hmm... the more I think about it, the more I think Niteshift is right.

Even if the officers were poking him in the chest the moment they came in the door, it started before that.

Someone called the police obviously. Because of a dispute of whether he had paid. It's possible that he had in fact paid, and lost the receipt or threw it away. It's also possible that he hasn't seen his kids in 2 years and this was all the money he had and he wanted to show them what a special daddy he is, and he has no more money to buy another salad bar.

However, that was his own dumbass mistake for throwing it away (presuming he paid for it at all), and he should have swallowed it and bought another pizza or left, no matter how bad it looked to his kids. It's taking a RISK by staying, trying to coerce cooperation through belligerence. He gambled, and lost, because the manager of the business upped the stakes by calling the police. I can't say I blame him, if he believed the guy didn't pay and he wasn't cooperating.

The police aren't at fault, either. The guy knew at that point, since obviously the manager hadn't been winning the argument for the 20 minutes or whatever for the police to arrive, that his choice, if the manager got his way, would be to buy more food for his kids (probably not possible since he's feeding his kids salad) or to leave the premises. The cops show up, they ask you to go outside... you don't.

That was the mistake.

No matter how belligerent you get with the manager, the other guy that has a different opinion than you, when cops get involved they are BY LACK OF INTEREST IN YOUR PETTY SQUABBLE not going to take sides. No matter how mad you are, if you truly think you are RIGHT, then you would recognize that the police are there to mediate, to make it so that the solution that is reached is non-violent. (They really shouldn't have to do this kind of ****, but somebody has to if people are gonna pull this crap at a frikkin Chuck E Cheese with 500 kids around )

The only reason NOT to go discuss it privately, would be if you were wrong, or if the cops started poking you the second they came in the door. And I don't see THAT actually happening -- like I said, they're usually pretty objective and nonbiased by way of LACK OF INTEREST.

So whose fault does that leave?