Our Militarized Society

[sexobon]

They were probably just waiting for some CS rounds to become available - FREE. You don't pass up the opportunity to acquire a capability just because you have to do it piecemeal instead of all at one time: you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. There are also sub-caliber adapters available for grenade launchers that allow firing 12 gauge shotgun shells (for those who like to salt their meat) to compliment what the rifle fires without having to carry a second long arm. Not my cup of tea; but, if it's free ...

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yeah, I think there is a lot of agencies, police, school, local governments,that have said oooh pretty, when free stuff is offered. Instead they should be saying what do we need, how would we use that, how would we train our people to use that, how does that fit in our planned responses, etc?

[Griff]

That's a fair amount of mission creep.

"Teach my child to read."

"Sure, I'll need a grenade launcher to do that."

[DanaC]

Tbh, I find the idea of a police force for schools a little alien. Aside from the Cambridge University constabulary we don't really have an equivalent here - the schools just come under the policing of the area they're in. Then agan, as already mentioned, we're a fairly small place and pretty close together, so there's probably a lot less need for specialisation in that regard.

[Griff]

You don't generally see campus police outside of universities here either. This is a case of allowing a school system to get to large to operate normally. We sometimes have local police assigned to a campus engaged in DARE or some other absurdity, while waiting for something terrible to happen.

[Clodfobble]

We had campus cops in all the high schools here. It was a convenience more than anything, because the cops would have had to drive out there several times a week anyway for the regular drugs/fighting/weapons calls. For the most part they just wandered around until they were needed.

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by Griff

That's a fair amount of mission creep.

"Teach my child to read."

"Sure, I'll need a grenade launcher to do that."

Maybe they have a high school ROTC program.

[DanaC]

It was a convenience more than anything, because the because the cops would have had to drive out there several times a week anyway for the regular drugs/fighting/weapons calls.

That makes sense.

[tw]

Originally Posted by sexobon

Maybe they have a high school ROTC program.

Back then, students from Faber College did wonders with a Lincoln. Imagine what they could have done with an MRAP. Upgraded technology means nobody need crush beer cans on their forehead.

[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.

[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.

[xoxoxoBruce]

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

[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.