Comments on: SXSW Review: Captivating And Timely ‘Peace Officer’ Is A Must Watch Documentary

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:59:33 +0000

All my life I have been a big supporter of law enforcement, but I have seen cases where law enforcement agencies have actually created the conditions that lead to a standoff. Ruby Ridge for example. Complete and total screw up, and outright premeditated murder of Randy Weavers wife by a police sniper. She was holding a baby. In our area, we have had people shot on their own property, only because they came out of their homes to investigate a noise. In one case, an officer shot a preacher, who was armed, but did not have his weapon drawn. The Sherrif bent over backwards defending this officer, said his story matched the forensics, but there were some glaring discrepancies the Sheriff just couldn\’t see. They did not discipline the officer, and the city settled a multimillion dollar lawsuit with the family of the deceased. The lawyers saw the evidence and knew they would lose. The Sheriff, who I think is a good one, was upset. He believed his officer despite obvious character flaws and past history of dishonesty. Ironically, the same officer was fired a few years later for misusing police property. To the point, I understand defending your fellow officers, and civilians "just don\’t understand" Just don\’t do it so blindly. And remember who you serve, otherwise your department may face a shrinking budget.

By: ishmael

ishmael — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:59:33 +0000

Sorry for any confusion; I often refer to my father-in-law as my dad (Lucky for me, I feel like I have two fathers).

By: Ishmael

Ishmael — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:59:33 +0000

I would much rather a confrontation with a criminal than a cop anyday. An encounter with a cop, just raised the possibilities of my death by 50%. This notion that there are just a few bad apples is ridiculous. Even cops from previous generations will tell you this. My father-in-law (a retired police officer) constantly reminds everyone that he does not know what has happened to the institution, but one thing he is certain of, is that the psychological test given to new recruits aims to find the psychopaths and sociopaths for employment. My 76 year old uncle, two years ago, was going into a donut shop for coffee, after midnight, when he was taunted by two cops in the parking lot, suggesting that he was out looking for hookers. When he had enough of their abuse, he told them to piss off. Immediately, one of the cops grabbed him like a rag-doll and slammed him onto the hoos of his car, dislocating his shoulder, and breaking three ribs. With the families urging, my father went to file a complaint a few days later, and was told, in no uncertain terms, that filing a report would become more of a problem (wink wink) for him that it would be for the two thugs who assaulted him. A few weeks later I was with my dad when we went back to the same donut shop one early afternoon, and lo and behold, my father pointed at one of the cops in the same parking lot. He was a massive man, at least 6\’2", and clearly was roided up to the gills with his extremely thick neck and biceps, etc. He also had that look in his eyes, like he could easily, without warning, assault you. I call them crazy eyes, like a muscled up Manson. He creeped me out just looking at him. And people are starting to wake up (especially since none of the assualts I\’ve mentioned were on black people) to the threat that cops pose. Whites, too, are starting to get their head out of the sand because this violence is increasing on Caucasians (a rather sad commentary, but there it is). A few years ago, here in Toronto, an 18 year old schizophrenic teenager on carrying a jack knife was shot at over 40 times (15 which missed him) in front of dozens of people outside the rail. He posed no threat, because other than the driver, he was alone, in the very back of rail. There were at least 8 cops, all of whom shot at him. He was already mortally wounded down on the floor barely alive, and a cop came into the rail and shot him in the head. There were protests for weeks afterwards. And don\’t even ask me about the G8 summit about six years back where hundreds of people were beaten, sexually assaulted, urinated on, spat at, and wrongfully imprisoned in make shift cells in an abandoned factory for days With no toilets, food or water. Many of those cops came from the USA, working hand in glove with the Provincial police and Toronto police. Only one cop got fired (and he was black). I know many people who call the police only as a last resort. Robberies, assaults, sexual attacks are going widely unreported (and then one wonders why we are told incessantly that crimes are drastically dropping. Funny that!

By: Truthseeker

Truthseeker — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:59:33 +0000

cirkusfolk, it might be wise to check facts before taking a stand. Ignorance might be bliss, but burying your head in the sand will fix nothing. In the case of the golf club, the man shot was merely a resident in his home. The man named in the warrant hadn\’t lived there for months. The case with the raid on the vet\’s house nvolved an old tip from an exgirlfriend about pot being grown in the home, something that is legal in DC & several states. The standoff with the man in his driveway was a domestic dispute call. None of these situations ever warranted the excessive force that was used & that is the issue here. When did defending your home, fighting with your spouse, or growing some pot plants become justifiable causes for invoking a death sentence? I agree that officers need to go home to their families, but citizen\’s lives, safety, & families matter too.
"Every kind of peaceful cooperation among men is primarily based on mutual trust & only secondarily on institutions such as courts of justice & police." Albert Einstein

By: cirkusfolk

cirkusfolk — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:59:33 +0000

Basically if you announce you are the police, you are just giving the suspect time to think about what to do. Get a weapon, where to run, get a hostage, barricade the door etc. how can you not see that is a tactical mistake? As far as getting the wrong house or person, yeah that sucks. Whoever causes that error should be held responsible. But we are talking about tactics that are supposed to be used on the bad guys. Why would you want the bad guys to win?? And military equipment? Every piece of technology that creates better weapons, vehicles, ballistics, non lethal weapons etc is good. That\’s why we make them for the military in the first place. The military is protecting us from enemies abroad and the police from enemies at home. Why should they not get the same equipment? I mean are you saying you are against bullet proof cars and vests? Why would you be? Or automatic rifles? Why not give them a black powder musket then? This is the stupidest logic I\’ve ever heard. The bad guys will have automatic weapons and we should t? And even if they didn\’t, u don\’t want an even fight! This isn\’t a boxing match. Police need be be better armed to win the fight and get the bad guys. Wow. Just wow.

By: cirkusfolk

cirkusfolk — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:59:33 +0000

Ummm, maybe you should research the death talley of officers "minor" tasks such as serving warrants. A warrant means that person has already done the crime and is going to jail, no ifs ands or buts. People who don\’t want to go to jail do desperate things. Many officers have been killed serving warrants because they were ill prepared or they announced themselves first. I have an idea, this guy has a warrant for murder, so let\’s go to his door, knock, say we are the police and that we are here to arrest him and then he will just come out and give up. You r an idiot my friend, I hate to tell you that. Hope you never need the police.