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Letter: When a public servant makes a mistake, the wronged person cashes in

FILE - In this July 26, 2017, frame grab from video taken from a police body camera and provided by attorney Karra Porter, nurse Alex Wubbels is arrested by a Salt Lake City police officer at University Hospital in Salt Lake City. Wubbels, who was arrested for refusing to let a police officer draw blood from an unconscious patient said Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2017, that she was settling with Salt Lake City and the university that runs the hospital for $500,000. (Salt Lake City Police Department/Courtesy of Karra Porter via AP, File)

When I first saw the video about university nurse Alex Wubbels getting arrested, I was sickened. I was proud of her for sticking up for her patient. The police officer who was involved in the incident was a bully and I thought he should get fired. We don’t need people like that on the police force.

Because I am a wizened cynic, my next thought was: “Well, this is going to cost the taxpayers a million dollars.” Well I was wrong, it only cost us half a million dollars.

Why? Why is it when a public servant makes a mistake or does something wrong, the wronged person cashes in? Who pays that half million dollars? We, the taxpayers do, that’s who.

Listen, I acknowledge Wubbels had a bad half day. Every person on the planet has had a bad half day. Her bad half day was video taped and the lawyers swooped in.

How much does a new ambulance cost? I have no idea, but I bet a lot less than half a million dollars.

It is the world we live in. I just wish the police would rough me up a bit and I could collect my money.

David T. Lancaster, Murray