L.A. County Deputies to Avoid Chasing Armed Suspects!

[Trigger Finger]

LA County deputies to avoid chasing armed suspects
Thought you guys might get a laugh out of this!

Link to article

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CA_DEPUTY_SHOOTINGS_POLICY_CAOL-?SITE=CAANR&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

They could heard them into the City of L.A. At least LAPD still chases them!!!

[ocspeedracer]

so if you're a criminal in LA i guess it's timed to be armed. Let's make sure we all protect the nice thieves, rapists, murderers, ped's and other upstanding scum-o-the earth types.

i've been feeling for while and now again after reading that, it's hard to believe that CA politics are anything more than a big freaking joke. I may have to run for public office, i'm sick of this junk

[IrishJoe3]

At least LAPD still chases them!!!

As does CHP

[Fate]

Hey this is a WIN for UOCers. See a deputy? RUN! LOL

[CaliTheKid]

Meanwhile-- during a training class in the new non-pursuit policy-- the following happened:

February 12, 2010

A 22-year-old graffiti tagger picked the wrong place Friday to leave his mark: a glass door at an aquatic center in Commerce that separated him from 100 Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies discussing having enough backup when chasing suspects, authorities said.

Joshua Vasquez looked shocked as a throng of deputies began running toward him, said Capt. Mike Parker, who was teaching the class. Vasquez turned and ran as at least 40 deputies crammed through the doorway to get him, Parker said. Vasquez tripped over his own feet and fell, Parker said, and deputies restrained him.

As it turned out, the incident was instructive to the deputies, who were participating in a training meeting.

“We were discussing the importance of having backup when engaged in foot pursuits,” Parker said.

That’s when the entire class was drawn to the doorway, where it looked like the suspect was waving at them, Parker said. “It turns out we could see him, but he couldn’t see us,” he said.

Not lacking in backup, the deputies gave chase. But the suspect didn’t give up so easily, and he kicked out the rear window of a sheriff's cruiser before being further restrained, authorities said.

Vasquez was booked on suspicion of felony vandalism to the glass door and to the cruiser.

[Trigger Finger]

Poor leadership and supervision results in overreaching policies that stop good police work. If there is a common trait that is occurring during these shootings that can be attributed to officer behavior, train and fix it. The answer isn't to ban it..that is weak leadership. I feel for L.A.S.O.

[SoCalDep]

I haven't seen the new policy yet but I talked to one of the guys involved in making it. From what I hear it's not really a ban on anything but a "fight smarter, not harder" approach. The description in the article of the concept of containment is pretty bad.

While there are many policies that I disagree with, this is one that I'm not sure is so bad...It's basically telling deputies to use resources if possible rather than try to chase someone on our own...A logical development from the current foot pursuit policy and something that is being done by a majority of deputies anyway.

But time will tell....

[CSACANNONEER]

I understand this policy. It's much safer for the deputies! Besides, it'll give them more time to do other things. Right?

[nobody33]

Depolicing is what this is called. And our country is moving more and more towards it. Eventually the police will be completely worthless.

[retired]

From what little I've read about this policy, I don't think it is really all that new. I did a training film in the mid 80s while at IDT that focused on deputies splitting up and chasing a suspect.

It was prompted by the Dep. Pohlman shooting that occurred in 1978, among other issues.

[Jonathan Doe]

As far as I understand, it does not change anything on immediate threat the suspect poses. It more pertains to a chase and containment.

[cindynles]

Too bad somebody didn't have a video camera. This would have easily made it on to one of those worlds dumbest criminals shows...

[CaliTheKid]

Totally. I would have loved to have been there.

[Trigger Finger]

I think this is really bad, in spirit and intent. It's giving armed suspects more courtesy than they're due, and it makes their lives more important than innocent citizens. This is about reducing OIS, period. They might cite other reasons, but all they're concerned about is subjective negative perception and numbers. Someone is going to exercise the wide latitude and discretion that they're claiming will still exist. Then they're going to quickly find themselves unemployed and prosecuted.


LA county officers get new guidelines on armed offenders
Better to contain than attempt to detain without backup

[Sarge744]

I just spent a lot of time going over these new guidelines. There has been no change whatsoever to the foot pursuit policy. The only thing this covers is the options deputies have during a foot pursuit. When it may be better to set up a containment rather continue chasing. This has all been just common sense for years. The only difference now is many of the thoughts are in print. Don't read that much into how the press is going with it, or all you will get is a brief editorial from an untrained individual, attempting to paraphrase 36 pages of info for the sole purpose of selling news.