Law Enforcment

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

And that's our interaction for 2016. See you next year.

Would that be calendar year; or, fiscal year? 'Cause, you know, October 1st isn't that far away and we all know how much you miss getting your annual tongue lashings.

[Spexxvet]

Nope. No problem here. Move along.

[Clodfobble]

But you see, the police chief for that department explained it: the officer actually MEANT to shoot the white disabled guy. So, you know, aside from still being wrong and firing when it was uncalled for, he ALSO has shitty aim.

The therapist lived, thank God. And they are already offering settlement money.

[Spexxvet]

It would go a long way for a law enforcement representative to say " yeeeaaah, we fucked up. Sorry". But the Blue Brotherhood has solidarity.

[sexobon]

It would seem that civilians need a means to protect themselves from the people they hire to protect themselves. When civilians have the means to protect themselves, they can be more discerning about those they hire to watch their backs. Until then, you're at their mercy.

[Griff]

It would be beyond stupid for me to carry when I work. We don't have a too few guns problem. We do have a problem with poorly trained, scared, and maybe PTSDed cops who don't seem to know how to de-escalate situations safely. We civilians want cops who are on our side and assess situations well under pressure. We get that it is a tough job and thankless in some neighborhoods but you can't excuse the gun first mentality we've hammered into our cops.

[sexobon]

Who said anything about guns? I said "means." You seem to have a one track mind.

Cops are who they are as individuals. The problem is with those hiring the wrong individuals.

[BigV]

"A" problem, not "THE" problem.

[sexobon]

With regard to Law Enforcement (thread title), other problems pale in comparison to not getting the right personality types out there. Cops are beyond their formative years. Under stress, each is going to react according to his or her own value system and worry about the ramifications later. Each will have their own stress threshold. Training can modify their behavior under less stressful circumstances; but, it takes a significant emotional event to change their core values which is what presents when they're overstressed. Unfortunately, that doesn't usually happen until after things go terribly wrong and they're faced with dire consequences. Then the change comes too late.

[Big Sarge]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

Nope. No problem here. Move along.

OK. That was a total fuck up. Write the check. Fire or reassign the officer. Total career ender

[Big Sarge]

Pause and think about this. As a police officer, you have a fraction of a second to make a life or death decision. You are flooded with adrenaline. All of these people judging you are sitting at home, watching edited clips, being told a narrative by talking heads and the truth of the matter the officer took this low paying job because he wanted to help people and know he is worried if he will ever see his family again. So many people judge and cast blame, but would they do the job?

[tw]

Originally Posted by Big Sarge

As a police officer, you have a fraction of a second to make a life or death decision. You are flooded with adrenaline.

One who has a gun must make those decisions. And not make a mistake. Responsibility means not using emotion, like a child, to make a decision. He must be properly trained to think in an adult manner. That means logical thought especially in adrenaline situations. Adults even point the gun in a safe direction so as to not make a mistake. Many have not learned how to control their emotions. Those are the worst people to carry a gun. And explain so many shooting - such as demonstrated in a Hummelstown video.

Responsible applies to anyone who carries a gun - not just cops. That responsibility is why officers are trained. And why civilians must also have a similar adult mindset to be responsible as only as adult can be. Only children or adults who are still children let their emotions control their decisions. Their pre-frontal cortex has not let learned to control a child's emotions. Those have no business carrying a gun.

Why did the officer state he did not know why he fired? Apparently he did not control his emotions. His logical (adult) brain had no idea what his emotional (child) brain was thinking. So he had no business carrying a gun. Responsible adults do not let fear control them. Adults control their fears.

Why is the NRA so quiet? This concept called responsible threatens sales.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Big Sarge

Pause and think about this. As a police officer, you have a fraction of a second to make a life or death decision. You are flooded with adrenaline. All of these people judging you are sitting at home, watching edited clips, being told a narrative by talking heads and the truth of the matter the officer took this low paying job because he wanted to help people and know he is worried if he will ever see his family again. ...

There are people who break the law under the similar circumstances and go to jail.

But, Ok, let's say that's true. If a cop does it wrong, he should, minimally, be put in a position where he cannot do it wrong again. He failed the ultimate test. And there are times when he should be prosecuted.

[henry quirk]

What Are Policemen Made Of? By Paul Harvey

Don't credit me with the mongrel prose: it has many parents-at least 420,000 of them: Policemen.

A Policeman is a composite of what all men are, mingling of a saint and sinner, dust and deity.

Gulled statistics wave the fan over the stinkers, underscore instances of dishonesty and brutality because they are "new". What they really mean is that they are exceptional, unusual, not commonplace.

Buried under the frost is the fact: Less than one-half of one percent of policemen misfit the uniform. That's a better average than you'd find among clergy!

What is a policeman made of? He, of all men, is once the most needed and the most unwanted. He's a strangely nameless creature who is "sir" to his face and "fuzz" to his back

He must be such a diplomat that he can settle differences between individuals so that each will think he won.

But...If the policeman is neat, he's conceited; if he's careless, he's a bum. If he's pleasant, he's flirting;if not, he's a grouch.

He must make an instant decision which would require months for a lawyer to make.

But...If he hurries, he's careless; if he's deliberate, he's lazy. He must be first to an accident and infallible with his diagnosis. He must be able to start breathing, stop bleeding, tie splints and, above all, be sure the victim goes home without a limp. Or expect to be sued.

The police officer must know every gun, draw on the run, and hit where it doesn't hurt.He must be able to whip two men twice his size and half his age without damaging his uniform and without being "brutal". If you hit him, he's a coward. If he hits you, he's a bully.

A policeman must know everything-and not tell. He must know where all the sin is and not partake.

A policeman must, from a single strand of hair, be able to describe the crime, the weapon and the criminal- and tell you where the criminal is hiding.

But...If he catches the criminal, he's lucky; if he doesn't, he's a dunce. If he gets promoted, he has political pull; if he doesn't, he's a dullard. The policeman must chase a bum lead to a dead-end, stake out ten nights to tag one witness who saw it happen-but refused to remember.

The policeman must be a minister, a social worker, a diplomat, a tough guy and a gentleman.

And, of course, he'd have to be genius....For he will have to feed a family on a policeman's salary.

[Gravdigr]

That's a good piece Mr. Quirk. Paul Harvey was great. I miss his lunch hour news broadcasts, and The Rest of the Story.

Sometimes I make my computer say "Paul Harvey...Good day." when I power down.

I miss Paul Harvey.