Land of the Free? (#police)

[iceknight]

You decide for yourself.

If the money has the tracking device.. they don't need to wait to catch the cars. they CAN wait to trace the money.

CNN VIDEO LINK

[thaskalos]

Pointing loaded shotguns at mothers, and keeping them in handcuffs for two hours...right in front of their kids?

God help us all...

[Actor]

In Aurora, CO? The same place where the Batman shootings took place?

[woodtoo]

OMG

[johnhannibalsmith]

I find it impossible to support or justify those tactics to capture a robber, regardless of the outcome. I know it isn't easy being a cop and bank robbery isn't a trivial crime, but it's just an ugly sight seeing forces that more closely resemble military tacticians than officers of the law treating dozens of citizens as hostile criminals to ferret out a robber. Maybe I'm just naive and not as much of a "law and order" type as some, but it seems that degree of heavy handedness should be reserved for the worst of the worst, when there's no other option to protect the public from what can only be described as an imminent, extreme danger.

[bigmack]

Cops, generally, are not a bright bunch. They can follow protocal but can't quite figure out it's wildly inappropriate to be taking dead aim against a child getting out of car in an incident where they full well know 99% of the cars had nothing to do with the robbery.

I'm left with the impression no shortage of cops LOVE to get that gun in their hands no matter the circumstances.

[Dahoss9698]

Originally Posted by johnhannibalsmith

I find it impossible to support or justify those tactics to capture a robber, regardless of the outcome. I know it isn't easy being a cop and bank robbery isn't a trivial crime, but it's just an ugly sight seeing forces that more closely resemble military tacticians than officers of the law treating dozens of citizens as hostile criminals to ferret out a robber. Maybe I'm just naive and not as much of a "law and order" type as some, but it seems that degree of heavy handedness should be reserved for the worst of the worst, when there's no other option to protect the public from what can only be described as an imminent, extreme danger.

Not defending the actions...but I think the tactics had more to do with them knowing he was armed and not wanting to get shot themselves or have someone else get shot by the guy.

From that footage it certainly seems like they went overboard though.

[johnhannibalsmith]

Originally Posted by Dahoss9698

Not defending the actions...but I think the tactics had more to do with them knowing he was armed and not wanting to get shot themselves or have someone else get shot by the guy.

From that footage it certainly seems like they went overboard though.

I understand that much, but the strategy employed seemed to create that potential. I hate to play armchair anything, especially when it comes to being critical of law enforcement or military when I'm safely in front of my computer - but it seems he could have been tailed to a less congested area and they could have been a bit more patient with the "takedown" if they had GPS on the money to avoid even putting themselves in the position where they were searching for the needle in the haystack and forced to treat everyone as a potential murderer. It just seems like if you knew where someone was going, or at worst you knew exactly where the stolen merchandise was at all times, you wouldn't decide to open fire in the middle of a heavily traveled street just to "be sure" you got the guy. Something tells me that if the guy was a maniac with murder on his mind, this approach may have backfired with cover everywhere and innocent people all over the place.

[thaskalos]

Looking at that picture in post #6...what threat is this terrified 16 year-old-kid presenting to this cop, to warrant pointing a loaded shotgun at him in that way?

[woodtoo]

Sadly,we live in uncertain times.Be aware.

[Dahoss9698]

Originally Posted by johnhannibalsmith

I understand that much, but the strategy employed seemed to create that potential. I hate to play armchair anything, especially when it comes to being critical of law enforcement or military when I'm safely in front of my computer - but it seems he could have been tailed to a less congested area and they could have been a bit more patient with the "takedown" if they had GPS on the money to avoid even putting themselves in the position where they were searching for the needle in the haystack and forced to treat everyone as a potential murderer. It just seems like if you knew where someone was going, or at worst you knew exactly where the stolen merchandise was at all times, you wouldn't decide to open fire in the middle of a heavily traveled street just to "be sure" you got the guy. Something tells me that if the guy was a maniac with murder on his mind, this approach may have backfired with cover everywhere and innocent people all over the place.

I hear ya. I'm sure they would have done some things differently if they had the chance to over again.

I'm just saying, the guy was armed and ultimately I think they found two guns in the car...and we're just a few months away from the shootings at the Batman premier in the same town. while I don't really agree with the way it was handled, I can at least understand to a degree why they acted this way.

[PaceAdvantage]

This certainly gives credence to the Alex Jones-types who constantly harp on how America is becoming a police state...

I usually come down on the side of cops in cases like this, but not this time.

I realize these guys, in this particular situation, are one step away from getting their heads blown off if they look inside the car with the bank robber and he decides to go out in a blaze of glory...which is why it was a terrible move to pull off this kind of traffic stop in the first place.

I'm with JHS on this one...you had a tracking device on the money...continue to follow that until a better opportunity presents itself...easy to play Monday morning quarterback in this case though...

[Tom]

You can't fix stupid.

[boxcar]

Originally Posted by johnhannibalsmith

I find it impossible to support or justify those tactics to capture a robber, regardless of the outcome. I know it isn't easy being a cop and bank robbery isn't a trivial crime, but it's just an ugly sight seeing forces that more closely resemble military tacticians than officers of the law treating dozens of citizens as hostile criminals to ferret out a robber. Maybe I'm just naive and not as much of a "law and order" type as some, but it seems that degree of heavy handedness should be reserved for the worst of the worst, when there's no other option to protect the public from what can only be described as an imminent, extreme danger.

I just know you would enjoy Endgame. It talks about these kinds of things.

Boxcar
P.S. The world is changing rapidly right before our eyes. If you blink, you'll miss something.

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by boxcar

I just know you would enjoy Endgame. It talks about these kinds of things.

Boxcar
P.S. The world is changing rapidly right before our eyes. If you blink, you'll miss something.

Yes, Alex Jones is a big believer in US concentration camps, police state, highway checkpoints, scanners, etc. etc.

He feeds right into the whole Revelations end-of-the-world thing you've got going there...