Guns

Cops gun down man for legally carrying firearm

 

A man with a concealed weapons permit got into an argument with Costco employees about his carrying a gun on their property.  Eventually, one of the Costco employees called the police and the responding officers got the impression that there was a dangerous armed confrontation going on inside the store.  As the man exited the store, the police shot and killed him.

 

There are many things for us to learn from this incident.  When we carry off duty, we need to be aware that we are the good guys, but others don't necessarily know that.  Avoid any confrontation when off duty unless it is to stop a potentially life threatening event.  If a store asks you to leave because their policy is that they don't allow guns, then I would suggest that you not only leave, but that you never go back. You should send an email to them and explain why they will never get your business due to their anti-police business practices.

 

When responding to an incident with a potentially armed suspect, make sure you don't just rush in.  Set up a perimeter.  Take good cover.  Use your patrol rifle or your shotgun.  You want to have every advantage.  This incident was not an active shooter so there was no reason to rush inside.  Not everyone who carries a gun is a criminal.  Make sure dispatch has asked what the suspect has done, what crime has been committed?  Who has the suspect hurt or threatened?  Did the reporting party see a gun?  Was it in the suspects waistband, or in his hand?  Was he brandishing the gun, or pointing it at someone, or in a holster?  People can be good or bad, guns are just tools and are morally neutral; that's what the SGT Says.

Cut the Delay

http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-new-prison-for-detained-immigrants-features-salad-bar-unarmed-guards-20120318,0,638278.story?track=rss

A new prison has been built for people waiting to have hearings to see if they will be deported.  They have a soccer field, salad bars and unarmed guards.  Since these people have not been convicted of any crime the concept is that they should not be treated like criminals.  While that might be true, my concern is why do they need soccer fields?  How long will these detainees be in this facility?

It seems to me that they should be running the immigration courts 24/7 to process these detainees and either let them go or send them home.  Too much of the criminal justice system has forgotten the adage that justice delayed is justice denied.  I believe that people have a right to a good defense.  I know it can take a while to put a case together.

Once someone is in custody the wheels of justice need to move into high gear.  People who are arrested should be tried and found not guilty or guilty within a few weeks in most cases, or at most in a few months.  Trials should not drag on for months as both sides delay hoping for a miracle.  As law enforcement officers we need to be working closer with both the district attorney and the legislatures to get the system moving.  In California we have over 700 people on death row waiting for appeals, we have death row inmates dying of old age every year at a faster rate than they are being executed.  That's not justice for their victims and not how they system should work; that's what the SGT Says.

Reports

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/20/cops-more-forgetful-after-chases-or-altercations/

After a stressful event officers may forget details of the event.  Sometimes they may remember the details later after they calm down and have time to think about the incident.  As a result, a report submitted immediately after an incident may not be as accurate as a report made a day later. 

Major events require at least some level of immediate reporting.  A vehicle pursuit, a fight, a shooting are all important, critical incidents that may lead to liability on the part of the agency or officer, public concern, prosecution of the officer, suspect or others.  I have often been in favor of getting an initial verbal report at the scene to insure there are no outstanding suspects, victims or other issues that need immediate attention and then waiting for the officer to return to the police station before requesting more information.

Once at the station I like to have the officer relax and organize their thoughts before they write their reports.  I want the best, most complete, most accurate information possible and if it takes a while to get that, in my opinion, then it is worth the effort.  Sometimes I have had the officer write out an outline for the incident, and wait a day before converting that outline into a report.  It allows them more time to think about the incident, compose their thoughts, and insure accuracy.  I also have asked officers to review the Penal Code, and agency policy so they can be certain to cover those points in their report.  The vast majority of officers do the right thing, nearly every time.  Many of them, however, don't always write good reports off the top of their heads; that's what the SGT Says.

Suicidal Subject

Wayne Carter Threw Intestines At Officers After Stabbing Himself, Police Say

 

Police responded to a man who was threatening to harm himself with a knife.  He stabbed himself and threw parts of his own body at the police.  The officers withdrew and called for the SWAT team.  They tried to use OC spray on the subject but with no effect.  This may have been a good opportunity to use a Taser, but they may not have had one, or there may have been a reason it would have been impractical.

 

There are several dangers with this type of call.  A man with a knife can cover a lot of ground in only seconds and can turn from threatening himself to threatening others very fast.  He may also try and become a suicide by cop victim.  There is also the problem of HIV or other disease or drug exposure to the police.

 

In my opinion, backing off was the right call.  Clearly the subject was on drugs or mentally ill or both.  A SWAT team has training and equipment that street cops don't have. They really needed a prison extraction team, the type that pull recalcitrant inmates out of their cells.  Using special shields and puncture and liquid resistant clothing they can close grapple with prisoners armed with edged weapons and are unlikely to be injured.  I have even known of instances of officers using a fire hose or a ladder to pin a knife armed suspect against the wall or the ground and disarm them.  The key here is use your imagination and don't get yourself killed trying to save someone from trying to kill themselves; that's what the SGT Says.

Guns

Treat all guns as loaded.  Treat all possible guns as real.  If you think a gun is a real gun, then treat it as a real gun.  There are guns that look like toys.  Guns that look like squirt guns.  Guns that look like cellular phones.  Anyone can paint a gun orange or red to make it look fake.  Take into account the totality of the circumstances when confronted with a gun.

A five year old is unlikely to be able to pull the trigger, even on a real gun.  A ten year old may be able to pull the trigger and shoot you.  Someone facing away from you is less dangerous than someone facing you.  If you have good cover you are in less danger than if you don't have cover.  If you are responding to an armed robbery with the suspect displaying a gun you are in more danger than a parking complaint call.

Control the suspect.  Demand to see their hands.  Have them face away from you.  Have then get on the ground.  Have them stop some distance from you.  Take time to call for back up and move to cover.  Have your weapon out and in a low ready position if you suspect a weapon.  Use of force incidents happen quickly and you have to take control quickly.  Retreat is a valid option in many cases rather than force an incident.  You don't want to shoot someone who turns out to be unarmed, but you don't have to take the first bullet hit to prove they have a gun; that's what the SGT Says.

Marijuana Legalization

Tony Newman: Marijuana Legalization Debate Arrives: From Latin American Presidents to Costco Magazine!

There has been a move in America to make the use of marijuana legal.  It has already been decriminalized for small amounts for personal use, and even legal in some states for medical use.  It as been a disaster.  Marijuana is a worthless drug and the only reason to use it is to get high.  There is no legitimate medical purpose for it, and any minor medical value can be done better by other drugs.

 

Marijuana is a gateway drug.  Nearly everyone who uses heroin, cocaine or other hard drugs started with marijuana.  That does not mean that everyone who used marijuana will go on to other drugs, but many will.  Drugs are a danger and a scourge to our society.  Pilots crash planes, drivers crash cars, bus drivers crash buses.  Workers make mistakes at work and damage goods and products and increase work injuries. 

 

Police unions need to fight marijuana decriminalization and legalization.  Police are on the front lines in the drug war.  Making marijuana legal is not the answer.  We used to make every marijuana arrest a felony.  People who did drugs were faced with harsh punishments.  Those who were dealing drugs went to prison for a long time.  Drugs destroy society, kill people and lead to government corruption.  Marijuana legalization is a bad idea; that's what the SGT Says.