Viewers continue to respond to our story about an ABC-7 crew that was detained by a police sergeant on Monday: 

How do you think this looks to a young person struggling with authority? The officer clearly tells Mr Hunt to leave, he smugly said "let him shoot me, if he wants" all this wouldn't have happened if Mr. Hunt followed the officers directions. He was given plenty of time to leave. KVIA should be ashamed of releasing this video. Many of us should put ourselves in the shoes of the officers who are only trying to protect and serve. Pray for their safety & get out of the way. The freeway was backed up & Mr. Hunt was just adding to the chaos.

-Rebecca, East El Paso

Well first of all I am truly disappointed at how the officer handled the situation we have enough bad publicity with whats going on in Juarez we don't need more...thank you officer Ramirez for your contribution in giving El Paso a bad name and our true law enforcement.....

-Adrian, East El Paso

Working in Law enforcement in a situation like this, the first think we are trained in is to see what the cargo truck or tanker is carrying. Since it was the Sgt telling the media to back away I'm sure the patrol officers were still trying to gather information. Sgt even told a medical personal to back away. Meaning there was still a potential for danger, ie, explosives, harmful gases, etc. What would KVIA's lead story be if that semi exploded killing everyone. "Did the police do enough to save lives?"

-Ben, East El Paso

While I am not from the El Paso area I felt a need to comment on this story. It has since come out that there have been numerous complaints made over the years about this police officer. Kudos to your photojournalist for continuing to film the actions of this police sgt. Watching the video I became concerned about the safety of your crew. It is apparent from the video that this officer was out of control. What is more alarming was to hear that he also kicked a trained nurse away from an accident scene with injured people. The police department and City of El Paso should consider themselves fortunate that nothing happened to the pregnant woman. Had something happened to her baby and it came out that the police denied her medical assistance at an accident scene they would have been looking at the bad end of a nasty lawsuit. Your station has done an excellent job reporting this story.

-Cheryl, Oklahoma City

EPPD has placed Officer Ramirez on desk duty pending an investigation. Why has KVIA not done the same with their reporter or are you to busy patting him on the back for the "news" he provided!

-Carl, East El Paso

I was not able to view the video on the day it happened or on the day it was aired, but I was able to see it on you website. I was disgusted and yet not surprised on how the officer behaved with your news caster and camera crew. I say not surprised because I too have been a victim of El Paso Police abuse. When talking among my classmates I found out that not only I was a victim but many more were too. This is an outrage these officers are taking their job to far. Yes I believe in their motto "To Serve and Protect", but do they?? I think that the El Paso Police Department's motto should change to "To Bully and Intimidate." I am not a criminal nor do I have any traffic violations but most of the officers that I have heard about or ran into have acted in this way. Is it any wonder why our youth are scared of police? I think you should have either a poll or a story on how many people have had similar encounters, I bet you will get too many to count more than the recommendations that any officer has gotten.!! I know that there will be some that say a few bad apples do not make the barrel bad but when you have the barrel already bad and only one or two good apples it only takes time before those apples get spoiled.

-Georgina, East El Paso

To KVIA and all who report:

I am a 100% KVIA viewer and will continue to be but Mr. Hunt did refuse to remove himself from the scene after given a lawful order by Sgt. Ramirez. He then followed that up with smart-aleck remarks like "He can film if he wants to". The un-professionalism shown by Mr. Hunt and his cameraman beg to differ. What happen prior to Mr. DuPont's filming? How long where Mr. Hunt and Mr. Dupont there after receiving the lawful order? Mr. Dupont continued filming after he to was told to leave. Sgt. Ramirez may have overreacted but ask your selves this "What brought on this reaction?" There are always two sides to a story; sadly, in my option your broadcasting has really only cover one side.

-Roger, Upper East El Paso

Concerning the altercation between P.D. and the T.V. reporters. I had not seen the video until I saw it online. I noticed that at the end of the video the camera shows the firemen and what appears to be them tending to a patient on the ground. As a 23 year veteran of the Fire Department, it appears the camera crew was close enough to the Fire crews to be able to compromise patient confidentiality. As Firemen/First Aid Responders we have to obtain patient information to provide proper patient care. The crews appeared to be to close to the patient and thus compromising patient confidentiality. Apparently the Officer acted appropriately in asking the crews to step away and when they did not obey his orders the first time and were hesitant in moving away, this caused the Officer to act in the manner that he did. News crews must remember that information obtained by Police and Fire Department personnel is confidential and as such must respect the privacy of others to the extent afforded by law.

-Paul, East El Paso

Not all law enforcement, border patrol, custom officials should be judged for those who abuse their authority This is more common than you think with some of our police officers,border patrol,custom officials. The problem is sometimes people don't report or if you do it's overlooked. But luckily this was one of our reporters and it was caught on tape. Darren was only doing his job bringing us the viewers a news report. Perfect example those two border patrols that most than likely also abused their authority and assumed they could get away with it but later it came back to hunt them. That is why every one should think twice before they react.

-No name given, Santa Teresa

In the case of the reporter arrest - I believe that the officer was extremely violent and unfair. This is not the proper way to treat the community. The question is: Why was the reporter the only one asked to leave? If on the video there was people closer to the accident. That officer should be disciplined!!!!

-Manuel

I got to comment on the video of your reporter...We where stuck in the traffic also of the incident and we got off to see what the hold up was. When we went to ask the civilian that is dressed all in black and can also be seen in the video acted the same way threatening any one that was out of there vehicles of getting arrested..I do believe that just cause they got that blue uniform on they can violate the law...Your reported and camera man are at no fault I do hope that the EPPD since the "take care of there community" do something about this angered so called "SGT"....

-No name given, Lower Valley

Let me begin by saying the situation between the news anchor and camera man and that ridiculous police officer was exaggerated drama. The main point here is El Paso Police officers want to be treated with respect but fail to treat other people with respect. This is one reason why I feel police officers are jokes!!!!!!!!! The news anchor and camera guy were just doing there job! Hence "Media" Covering Breaking Stories!!!!!!!!

-Vanessa, Northeast

I think that the officer crossed the line with his extreme combative attitude and abuse of his power towards Mr. Hunt. To me it seems that the officer totally lost his cool and overreacted in this situation. I think that he should be reprimanded at least.

-Vicky, Westside

What happened to Mr. Hunt is not an isolated incident, it has been happening more often. Just look @ the new police Chief, Just think about this if this Officer acted like this in front of a media crew, what do you think they do when no one watching? (they think regular people have no rights, and they are above everyone else)

-Concerned

I cannot believe what I saw on the video of the El Paso Police Department's Sgt. Ramirez doing that to your reporter. The only person impeding Sgt. Ramirez' work on that accident was Sgt. Ramirez himself. That was a gross abuse of power.

-Phyllis, Central El Paso

I just finished watching the video of Darrent Hunt being detained. i believe the office over reacted and over stepped his authority. There was no need for his actions. If you look at the video u can clearly see that others bystanders were left watching while the media was being suppressed.. I truly believe that although might now deserve to be fired, he does at least deserve some kinda of suspension. Just goes to show you how some officers allow there power of authority to control their emotions.

-Christopher, East El Paso

Has the PD said why the news crew was ordered to leave. Did they not have as much right to be there as the others standing there? Were they doing something wrong? That cop needs to see a doctor and find another job. We don't need his kind on the PD. I dread to think of how he acts when off camera.

-Ray, West El Paso

The officer that committed a battery on Mr. Hunt with cameras rolling needs anger management training to say the least! How does he behave when there are no cameras? No telling how many times citizens have been subject to unacceptable behavior by this officer.

-Ray, Las Cruces

This "Sergeant" that arrested the news reporter does not deserve to be called a Sergeant. He should be looked upon as a role model not a power thirsty male trying to act to tough. The uniform he wears means something and he has definitely stomped all over that. Whether he has having a bad day or whatever other excuse he can come up with for his behavior there is no justifying it. He gives the El Paso Police Department a bad name and bad image. If corrective action is not taken, what kind of message is the police department sending the El Paso community? We don't need police officers like that on ANY force. And for the reporter: Good Job acting like an adult and staying calm through the situation.

-Jessica, Lower Valley

I stand beside Darren Hunt as wrongfully arrested and I just don't know why an officer would react that way unless the officer was trying to hide something.

-Jon, West El Paso

The arrest of your reporters for covering the I-10 accident April 20 is outrageous. My wife and I were very angry at the police sergeant's treatment of the crew for doing their job. Can an officer 'order' citizens around as if they were his officers? Does it aid public safety to handcuff and throw a reporter against the fence in the middle of the road? Is it illegal to report obvious news? As a photographer I am very concerned about the 'War On Photography' as it is called by photographers worldwide. It is an issue that has plagued us for some time. We are in a very difficult time because of official and unofficial intimidations are taking place more and more. Fox news and talk radio can call the President a Socialist, a dangerous man and a Hitler, fomenting a climate that is very dangerous to him and all of us, and photographers cannot take photos legally in public without being questioned and harassed. May we fare better soon.

-John, Deming

Darren needs to apologize to the police dept

-Ken, East El paso

Talk about rage! That officer was beyond angry. As a citizen of El Paso it is scary to think I might one day be stopped by him or others like him(and there are others). What does this say about El Paso? Chief Allen should be ashamed. So there will be an investigation. Only because the camaras were on. How sad.

-No name given, Far East El Paso

My comment is on yesterday's incidents w/ Darren Hunt. It just reminds me of the door thats slightly cracked when it comes to police corruption in El Paso. The camera was rolling and look what when on, imagine when there is no camera rolling. I'm glad El Paso got to see our EPPD wit a badge and a giant ego to boot. From favoritism to the worst you can imagine this is what our EPPD is all about. Can someone investigate from the bottom to the top.

-Sandra, Central El Paso

I'm surprised that people in El Paso were surprised about the video shown last night where the police officer uses excessive force. This one incident happen to be taped but what of the other instances that officer and others have had complaints on? What of those too afraid to complain? There are a bunch of bullies in our police force and it needs to be exposed.

-Rook, East El Paso

I feel bad that this officer makes the rest of the department look bad. Yes, the officer had a job to do, but he went about it the wrong way. Especially because he's a sergeant, he should have known better on how to deal with Darren. If you look at the video after the officer told Darren if he was leaving Darren responds with ok I'm leaving the officer doesn't give him enough time to leave, plus the officer still has his hand on the back of his belt keeping him from leaving. I do respect the fine men and women from the El Paso Police Department, but this was taken a little too far. I'm sorry you were detained Darren.

-Elizabeth, East El Paso

KVIA's reporter and camera man are so lucky they caught the incident with the El Paso sergeant on tape. In Las Cruces our family had a similar incident with the Las Cruces motorcycle squad with witnesses but no video. It was really hard to convince the LCPD we were treated unfairly. In the end, we were not able to convince LCPD that this same exact reaction is one we received from a public servant who over abused their authority! The incident scared our then 13-year-old and family!

-Norma, Las Cruces

I agree with the arrest of Mr. Hunt for interfering with police. He should also be charged with creating a traffic hazard. His statement that he was just doing his job doesn't hold water with me, I've never seen a professional newscaster act so irresponsibly.

-RC, Central El Paso