US cops v US ambo's

[Tiassa]

(Insert title here)

who's holding cops beyond reproach?

Well, Randwolf and Baron Max both dismiss the issue because it arose in a television show. Personally, I don't see how the fact that the tape was played on a television show changes anything.

To your credit, I do agree that the limited information of an edited television clip complicates perception, but there are some things that are blatant.

And the fact that the car had firearms in it doesn't call for gunplay. In Seattle, we had an occasion when a mentally retarded man robbed a convenience store or some such with a kitchen knife. He just walked away from the scene. Police soon formed a perimeter at least twenty-five feet from the suspect. At some point, he stopped walking. Then he turned around. And was shot to death. "I was in danger," said the cop. Dude, the guy turned around and looked approximately in your direction, and that constitutes mortal danger? Shit, even if he charged you, that's five or six steps at least. If you can squeeze off the shots when he simply turns around, five or six steps is plenty of time to put him down once you're actually in danger.

Hell, in Seattle, the police don't even have to know who they're trying to put down. And I don't mean that in the mystery-gunman-on-the-roof scenario. I mean they don't even have to know that the person they're shooting at is the suspect.

It's amazing to me what passes as mortal danger in the United States. Did you happen to see the video that started a riot in Oakland?

have you ever been treated by a cop the way these clips depict?

Nope. Never been in a high-speed chase.

the major reason, i believe, that cops have such a hard go of it is the simple reason that none of us is innocent. we all are guilty of some minor, trivial BS.
what's you first reaction to a cop arriving on the scene?
wonder what happened?
wonder who's going to jail?
and since no one is innocent it starts a natural defense from people.

Depends on the situation. One cop? I might not notice if he's walking, say, to a shoplifting report in a mall. A bunch of cops? Usually, the thought is, "It's time to get out of here". Whether there is a dangerous crime taking place or not, I don't want to be anywhere near when Seattle police decide they're in danger.

 

[Randwolf]

Well, Randwolf and Baron Max both dismiss the issue because it arose in a television show. Personally, I don't see how the fact that the tape was played on a television show changes anything.

You are correct here, Tiassa. I did not read the OP carefully enough to realize that Asguard was referring to a "reality" show rather than a fictional drama. (Somehow, I don't think that you will have a problem believing that I am guilty of 'not reading carefully' )

Hopefully, I made it clear that I do not believe such chases are generally advisable. As I stated, more and more jurisdictions are banning the practice except in the presence of certain extenuating circumstances. It's just not worth it.

And the fact that the car had firearms in it doesn't call for gunplay. In Seattle, we had an occasion when a mentally retarded man robbed a convenience store or some such with a kitchen knife. He just walked away from the scene. Police soon formed a perimeter at least twenty-five feet from the suspect. At some point, he stopped walking. Then he turned around. And was shot to death. "I was in danger," said the cop. Dude, the guy turned around and looked approximately in your direction, and that constitutes mortal danger? Shit, even if he charged you, that's five or six steps at least. If you can squeeze off the shots when he simply turns around, five or six steps is plenty of time to put him down once you're actually in danger.

Agreed.

Depends on the situation. One cop? I might not notice if he's walking, say, to a shoplifting report in a mall. A bunch of cops? Usually, the thought is, "It's time to get out of here". Whether there is a dangerous crime taking place or not, I don't want to be anywhere near when Seattle police decide they're in danger.

Seconded, if the police are around, I try not to be. Personally, and unfortunately for me, I have had several (many?) encounters with law enforcement, and can only remember one time that I was actually glad that an officer arrived on the scene. It involves an incident many years ago during which two guys were beating a girl senseless in a park. I actually called 911, something I avoid doing under most circumstances. They hauled the men off to jail and the girl to the hospital.

Every other circumstance, including cases where I was the injured party, the outcome has been the opposite. My home was burglarized and a substantial sum of gold coins (Maple leafs, Kruegerands (sic?), etc.) were stolen. The police focused almost exclusively on "where did you get the gold and why would you have it in your home"?

Once, during the ongoing investigation, they left a copy of their casebook on my kitchen counter while they were checking out a different part of the house. Naturally, I began looking through it, and discovered page after page of investigations into the possibility of drug dealing and other unsavory activities on my part, Very little of the 3" of documents were devoted to actually trying to find the thieves. The officers were quite perturbed when they returned to the kitchen and found me engrossed in reading said case book.

I ended up having to provide financial statements proving where I obtained the gold in the first place and how I earned the money (honestly) to pay for it before they began to take things seriously.

Another story involves a friend of mine being approached in a bar by two officers who accused him of raping a seventeen year old two days before. As he raised his arms and said "No way dude!", out came the guns and a command to "Freeze!". Turned out that my friend vaguely resembled a sketch of the alleged rapist, so of course he had to be the culprit. The kicker: my friend is 100% gay! Now I know that doesn't categorically rule him out as a rapist, but we thought the whole situation was quite amusing after the fact.

I could go on and on, but point is, I'm no fan of your average policeman, many of which have the "God" complex so bad that it's terminal. (Like I said 'average policeman') Naturally, like any generalization, there are exceptions and I'm sure many fine individuals with integrity and a sense of justice enter law enforcement.

Bottom line, if you have me pegged as someone who believes law enforcement (and governmental representatives in general) can do no wrong, you are sadly mistaken.