Officer Involved Shootings

[micro911]

I noticed lately that more officers are being charged with murder when they are involved in a shooting. I do not have a problem about an officer being charged with murder if he/she violated the department policy with blatant disregard of human life.

I rarely watch the news footage, so I cannot comment on actual shooting part.

The only thing that troubles me is that the officers are charged as soon as the shooting occurs, maybe within a day or so. Does the department and DA's office have all the facts within such a short period of time?

I have investigated MANY officer involved shootings, and also testified in courts including civil trials numerous times. My department is going towards civil trials more so than before. If the officer was guilty, then he is convicted. If not, he and the department are free. For example, long story short, on one case I testified in a civil trial, the jury found the department and officers not liable for shooting and killing an unarmed suspect.

I KNOW many shootings are not what it initially appears to be. All I hope for is that the department, DA, and the media be fair looking at an incident and not swayed by the "public outcry."

Boy, am I glad in my 29 years on this job that I was very close shooting someone a few times, but the situations were resolved without actually shooting someone.

[LtJim]

Ya know, just off the top of my head, lets recall some of the knee jerk reactions of the past. Perhaps overzealous Media or Politicians?

Lets just recall a few off the top of our heads where the Police were immediately crucified------and then later "Facts" came out:

1. Rodney (LAPD)
2. Eula Love (LAPD)
3. Kelly Thomas (Fullerton PD)
4. Michael Brown (Ferguson, Mo. PD)
5. Henry L. Gates (Cambridge, Ma. PD) Obama publically crucifies LEO--Then "The infamous Beer Summit".

These 5 immediately come to mind--You old timers, please feel free to add on if you can remember more.

Clearly the flavor of the week is now the Univ of Cincinnati LEO. I'm sorry, I'm not going to be so naive as to comment pro or con till after all has come out---Really, what facts are we privy too? The facts that the media wants us to see. "Hello?"

About an hour ago, the UNIV of Cin. LEO was released on $1 M Bond. What do you want to bet that there will be people out there that will be calling for that Officer to not have bond. Forget his rights!

[micro911]

About an hour ago, the UNIV of Cin. LEO was released on $1 M Bond. What do you want to bet that there will be people out there that will be calling for that Officer to not have bond. Forget his rights!

I am curious to see it, too.

[jdubs71]

LEO's have rights? What rights? We give that up for "3 in 30" or something like that!

[Country_Jim]

I will reserve judgment on the U of C officer until the facts are released. That being said, it is obvisous the DA is grandstanding and looking for a career making conviction.

I smell something fishy, why would an officer who knows he is on video (body cam) decide to shoot someone without being in fear for his life/GBH. Other officers are on the video stating he was dragged, but they are already being called liars is the press.

This type of incident is becoming all too common. Suspect resists, ends up dead and officer gets thrown under the bus and his life is ruined.


Stay safe.

[micro911]

Maybe we should do like LAPD said they will do...Roll up the windows and respond from call to call???

[asphaltcowboychip]

LEO's have rights? What rights? We give that up for "3 in 30" or something like that!

It's a thankless job these days. Departments are being run by public opinion. Morale is down so I hear. Be safe Blue, be safe.

[veeklog]

Sad day for our profession

[micro911]

I will be retiring in 245 days/ I am glad I survived 29 years so far... Hope rest of the days go by without an incident, but trouble is my middle name.

[asphaltcowboychip]

I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace.

Thomas Paine

[SansSouci]

I will reserve judgment on the U of C officer until the facts are released. That being said, it is obvisous the DA is grandstanding and looking for a career making conviction.

I smell something fishy, why would an officer who knows he is on video (body cam) decide to shoot someone without being in fear for his life/GBH. Other officers are on the video stating he was dragged, but they are already being called liars is the press.

This type of incident is becoming all too common. Suspect resists, ends up dead and officer gets thrown under the bus and his life is ruined.


Stay safe.

The DA is using the "legal" process to kidnap that cop. The DA ought to be arrested for kidnapping and charged.

I saw the video. I did not see the cop do anything wrong. The driver used his vehicle as a deadly weapon. I expect to see the cop found factually innocent.

The DA ought to suffer Mike Nifong's fate. Cincinnati cops ought to initiate a kidnapping investigation against that moron DA. At the least, the DA ought to be disbarred, and other lawyers ought to leading efforts to disbar him. But lawyers are liars who'll protect criminality of other lawyers.

There is a reason why Americans rate lawyers in the bottom third of American careers just a notch above used car salesmen.

[1CavScout]

I am glad I am retired. Lot's of political BS going on these days, and officers are suffering because of it. If I was still working I would not want to be in a uniformed position, especially not patrol. If I was in patrol it would be radio calls only. Why risk your freedom and the well being of your family by doing proactive police work?

[micro911]

I am glad I am retired. Lot's of political BS going on these days, and officers are suffering because of it. If I was still working I would not want to be in a uniformed position, especially not patrol. If I was in patrol it would be radio calls only. Why risk your freedom and the well being of your family by doing proactive police work?

I am not in uniformed position, and I started to see it at my office now. My retirement cannot come sooner....

[1CavScout]

I am not in uniformed position, and I started to see it at my office now. My retirement cannot come sooner....

Keep your head down...

[pacrat]

I will reserve judgment on the U of C officer until the facts are released. That being said, it is obvisous the DA is grandstanding and looking for a career making conviction.

I smell something fishy, why would an officer who knows he is on video (body cam) decide to shoot someone without being in fear for his life/GBH. Other officers are on the video stating he was dragged, but they are already being called liars is the press.

This type of incident is becoming all too common. Suspect resists, ends up dead and officer gets thrown under the bus and his life is ruined.


Stay safe.

Jim, in the U of C shooting, there is a LOT of fishy in the mix. The two other responding officers admitted to initially making innaccurate statements at the scene. They have admited to simply repeating what the officer involved told them at the time. Their official reports, and Cam Footage, do not reflect that they actually saw anything. Nor do their after action debriefs. They weren't there at the time of the shooting. They arrived seconds later.

An eyewitness account says officer was not dragged. His left hand was holding onto the door handle and he shot the driver through the window. While running beside the car. Both of the officers hands were outside the car in plain view. And the window was up. There was no physical evidence that supported the officer's account of being dragged during the incident. No scratches, bruises, scrapes, etc, at all, on the officers arm, wrist or hand.

Charges were filed after a Grand Jury indictment. That's one fast GJ Indictment for sure. But with overwhelming evidence against the officer. What choice did they have?

JM2c, I see what should be thorough investigations, turning into INFO RACES. Where all parties are more interested in getting in front of a camera with "their" view faster than the next guy. Which in some ways is good, but only if the info the PIO is handing out, is solid and accurate.

In this fast paced social media world we now live in.

If the Brass doesn't move fast with info, "cover up" gets shouted from the rooftops, and the protestors aka "looters/rioters", hit the street in force at the urgings of the likes of Sharpton and JJ. With the Bias Stream Media fanning the flames for more headlines and sound bytes.

In the Freddy Gray/Baltimore incident. Those cops got sold down the river by the DA for damn sure, to further her political agenda. The witness that was in the other compartment in the back of that van. Said he was yelling, screaming, and THROWING himself against the walls. DA didn't want to hear that. One more idiot broke his neck trying to set up a phony brutality claim. No great societal loss IMO.

In incidents where officers screw the pooch beyond a shadow of a doubt. Like in So Carolina.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/10/us/south-carolina-case-police-deadly-force/

It is in the best interest of good cops everywhere. That the bad eggs get outed as quickly as possible. That is the only way the integrity of the good guys doesn't get tarnished.

Be Safe, and Be Aware, the world has eyes.

SansSouci...............Nifong should have got ten times worse than he got.

JM2c