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Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Another view?
View more of the Las Vegas Sun's opinion section:
• Editorials - the Sun's viewpoint.
• Columnists - local and syndicated writers.
• Letters to the editor - readers' views.
Have your own opinion? Write a letter to the editor.
In response to John Walsh’s letter, “Baffled by process on police shootings”:
I was an officer for 30 years. As one who has experienced these situations:
• At times officers have a split second to make a life-or-death decision.
• Pepper spray doesn’t always incapacitate a person.
• Tasers are not appropriate measures in certain cases.
• All officers don’t carry rubber bullets.
• Many incidents occur in a house or building out of sight of the vehicle’s dash camera. Officers can’t just drive their cars into the living room to accommodate some people.
• Often by the time you realize the “perp” has a gun, it’s too late.
• Why should we citizens lament the shooting of someone who refuses to comply with simple orders from a police officer?
• Why should we taxpayers foot the bill for families of perps or individuals who refuse, of their own accord, to obey simple commands issued by a police officer?
If Mr. Walsh and others of the same view feel they could reason with an unreasonable person, then they should apply for a position as a police officer.
You don't reason with deranged people
God bless the men in blue and the letter writer too!
CarmineD
An excellent letter! In so many cases, poor decisions by the eventual shooting victim have limited the non-lethal options available to police officers.
Just the other day, two more police officers were shot & killed in the line of duty in Kansas. Maybe if they had been a little quicker on the trigger, they would still be alive today. It's easy for John to judge sitting safe, snug and secure in his living room, but what's that old saying? "I'd rather be alive and judged by 12 then be dead and carried by 6?" I say, "To Hell with the Monday Morning Quarterbacks!"
"Why should we citizens lament the shooting of someone who refuses to comply with simple orders from a police officer? . . . . .If Mr. Walsh and others of the same view feel they could reason with an unreasonable person, then they should apply for a position as a police officer."
Sprague -- spoken like a true career public servant who forgot long ago who he worked for. I've encountered Metro's bullies with badges and found nothing about them worthy of any respect. An officer's "simple command" is to be obeyed only if it's lawful. But so long as none of your ilk are criminally convicted of perjuring your oaths -- a felony -- and the herd goes along with you, the odds are in your favor. A tragedy for all of us as your police state burgeons.
"In so many cases, poor decisions by the eventual shooting victim have limited the non-lethal options available to police officers."
pisces -- right, like Gibson, the perfect object for Metro's attention, unarmed and sitting in his car, hurting no one. Get a grip on what it means to be a citizen and you may find credibility here yet.
"Just the other day, two more police officers were shot & killed in the line of duty in Kansas..."
lvfacts -- there's a flipside posters like you refuse to mention, like that recent Ohio incident @ http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/dec...
"If the exercise of constitutional rights will thwart the effectiveness of a system of law enforcement, then there is something very wrong with that system." -- Escobedo v. State of Illinois, 378 U.S. 478, 490 (1964)
Shooting and killing unharmed people at a police initiated traffic stop. Shouldn't be to hard for you to understand, why people want accountability. When most of the people are black. Wait until it happen to one of your love ones.
Policemen and womem are doing a great job overall, across the country.Without them we all would need to be packing. As the old saying goes, "Don't judge until you've walked a mile in my shoes".
"Policemen and womem are doing a great job overall," @ samspeaks
Sam: Thanks for including women officers; I should have too!!
CarmineD
Andrew, as a former Peace Officer and former federal agent, I don't completely agree. What if I don't hear the commands? What if I don't know you're a cop? What if I'm not aware of the danger? Shoot now? On the other hand, put me on the jury and most (almost all) of the lawsuits would be decided in favor of Metro with the plaintiffs responsible for our litigation expenses. Clearly if the plaintiffs are Perp's familia, forget the lawsuit. If they are a SUSPECT's family, maybe but usually not. If they are bystanders, maybe but maybe not. Life has risks. Going to the grocery store has risks. If you as a bystander are hurt by a "stray bullet" you're gonna have to show why you didn't get out of the way.
In reply to Andrew Sprague; first and foremost, thank you so much for all the years as a public servant and the undoubtedly multitude of sacrifices you have made over your decades of honorable service.
I understand your frustrations. Our society has changed. It is in many aspects an "open season" on law enforcement officers.
There is nothing that I know of that is more stressful than an officer having to make these split second life and death decisions with the weapon they hold in their hands. Whether we pull the trigger or not, we have to hope and pray the right decision is made. Wrong actions, or inactions are certainly one of the worst events that can ever happen to an officer. They have to live with those consequences and memories of that moment for the rest of their lives.
During my decades as a prison guard, I was known as a mediocre, at best shooter with a handgun. However, probably from my Marine Corps years, I also had the reputation of being a "crackerjack" shot with a rifle. The situation came up during a time of inmate unrest on the prison yard that an officer was responding on foot, and on the run, to the scene of a deadly assault that had taken place near the outdoor weight pile. I clearly saw from my perimeter tower an inmate whom I recognized as a known "gang-banger" chasing down from behind the responding officer. I also noticed on his possession what I half-heartedly knew to be a homemade weapon. I locked and loaded my long-range rifle and sighted in on him. I not only had full confidence in making this shot effective by means of deadly force, I knew without doubt, this shot was definitely well within my defined range of taking the inmate out.
I decided not to fire my weapon. I wasn't a 110 % sure the inmate had a weapon. Staff was cursing me out on the institutional radio. My supervisor had called me on the tower landline and told me I was responsible for this officer's life. I was shaking in fear, wondering if I had not made the worst decision of my life.
As it all ended up, the responding officer made both a verbal and written report that the inmate behind him was assisting him in calming the situation on the prison yard down. Later, an investigator with the Inspector General's Office informed me that if I had deployed the use of deadly force against this inmate I would have been charged with no less no manslaughter. The investigator was correct in what he had told me.
I have always known, as an officer, that I had rights, but I've never forgotten that nothing supersedes the laws that govern the use of deadly force.
Our community here is upset that the police officers union has the power to stalemate or discard what could be seen as "unjustified" police shootings. The community has a right to be upset, Mr. Sprague. Appropriate justice should apply to everyone for their wrongful actions. Even us, who wear a badge.