Our Militarized Society

[Pico and ME]

Soooo....does the 'incorrect' version of 'no broken window' policy explain the preponderance of stop and frisk (and pull-overs) on people of color?

Or is it just another way to fill prisons?

[Big Sarge]

stop and frisk based upon Terry vs. Ohio is a great tool. Since NYPD has been forced to curtail their practice, there has been a rise in gun violence. Another fantastic tool is RICCO. I can get you convicted based upon association rather than overt criminal act.

[BigV]

[glatt]

I just happened to read this today.

I'm glad I live in Arlington. If this had happened in Ferguson, the kid would have been shot. Instead, nobody was hurt. This is how cops should behave. Look for a way to not kill a suspect instead of looking for justification to kill them instead.

Police: Drunk Teen Tries to Stab People at Ballston Sports Bar
News

by Ethan Rothstein
September 30, 2014 at 1:15 pm 2,994 59 Comments

Larry Sutton (photo courtesy Arlington County Police Department)(Updated at 2:20 p.m.) A 19-year-old D.C. resident tried to stab multiple people outside First Down Sports Bar in Ballston last night before fleeing from police, avoiding a taser and ultimately being tackled and arrested, police say.

Larry Sutton was already wanted for armed robbery by the Metropolitan Police Department when, while intoxicated, he attempted “to stab several patrons with a knife” at 8:30 last night, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

First Down owner Ramesh Chopra told ARLnow.com this afternoon that the incident began when Sutton and another individual got into an argument outside the bar. Sutton began swinging a knife, after which the other individual entered First Down, where Sutton followed. Chopra said Sutton swung the knife inside the bar once before the two were kicked out and Chopra locked the door.

After that, Sutton “just started to go after passersby,” Chopra said, swinging his knife at two different people on the sidewalk before the police arrived.

Sutton ignored police demands to drop his weapon and fled toward the Ballston Metro station, the police report said.

According to ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, the officers hit Sutton with a taser, but it did not bring him down. Ultimately, officers had to “execute a takedown” to subdue and arrest him.

Sutton is being charged with three counts of attempted malicious wounding, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, underage possession of alcohol and drunk in public. He is being held without bond.

[xoxoxoBruce]

The problem is that's the type of asshole who should be shot.

[glatt]

The point is that the cops were there and actually saw the situation and decided that he wasn't putting anyone in deadly harm. So they tazered him and tackled him instead of shooting him.

I think if this was in Ferguson, they would see the knife and just think "hey, free pass to kill a bad guy" and pull the trigger.

[xoxoxoBruce]

I get your point, my point is that isn't always for the best.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by glatt

I think if this was in Ferguson, they would see the knife and just think "hey, free pass to kill a bad guy" and pull the trigger.

W0W ...

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

The problem is that's the type of asshole who should be shot.

No. That's the type of asshole who should go in front of a judge.


He's 19 years old. He may be a wholly different person by the time he hits 30. Sometimes people really do change, really do reform. I am a conpletely different person to the girl i was at 19. Better that he be tried and possibly imprisoned with the possibilit of change than gunned down on the street for waving a knife - and clearly waving it rather ineffectually.

It is not, nor is it ever, the job of police to be judge, jury and executioner.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Bullshit, that's the scum who should be dispatched quickly, efficiently and inexpensively. The problem being the cops don't know which is scum, so constitutional guarantees and blah, blah, blah... BUT, if they'd blown him away the world would be ahead.

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by glatt

I just happened to read this today.

I'm glad I live in Arlington. If this had happened in Ferguson, the kid would have been shot. Instead, nobody was hurt. This is how cops should behave. Look for a way to not kill a suspect instead of looking for justification to kill them instead.

Absolutely. Only shoot as a last resort, and generally aim to disarm or disable not kill.

The trouble with places like Ferguson though, is that the police there seem to view the citizens as the Enemy.

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Absolutely. Only shoot as a last resort, ...

This is true. Shooting someone should only be done when the situation warrants the use of lethal force, with the goal of immediately incapacitating that person, and the realization that the person will likely die as a result.

Originally Posted by DanaC

... and generally aim to disarm or disable not kill. ...

This has no basis in reality. It's only for television and movies. In this country, no modern law enforcement agency, no branch of the military, no private security firm and no credible civilian concealed carry or personal defense course teaches their personnel to shoot other than to immediately totally incapacitate with the expectation that they will have to kill to accomplish that. Courts here don't accept the premise that it's appropriate to shoot in a situation that requires less than lethal force. That's what less than lethal weapons are for. Shooting lethal weapons to disarm or disable rather than to immediately totally incapacitate constitutes excessive use of force and is prosecuted. If the person shot dies, it's manslaughter. We don't even shoot fleeing felons just to "wing" them anymore without coming under intense scrutiny.

With all the variables encountered under the stress of an actual confrontation, very few people in this world have the skill to shoot to disarm or disable without running a significant risk of unintentionally killing their target or hitting innocent bystanders. Even the best counterterrorist operators who drill day in and day out in live fire exercises can't guarantee that circumstances beyond their control won't arise to alter a situation requiring less than lethal force resulting in an unintentional kill if they were shooting at someone under those circumstances. Here, no one is supposed to shoot unless the situation warrants killing and when that situation arises they're trained to shoot to kill. If the person shot in such a situation survives, they're just lucky the variables in their situation worked out in their favor to that extent.

Just sayin'.

[xoxoxoBruce]

If he ain't dead, he will find a scumbag lawyer to sue you.

[Gravdigr]

Man, that was close...

...I almost stated an opinion.

On a hot-button issue!

[Big Sarge]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Man, that was close...

...I almost stated an opinion.

On a hot-button issue!

I understand, brother. I bet you have heard in Kentucky about how easy it is to convict on conspiracy.

Heads up. Everything I post tonight is PWD as of right now