Americans Killed by Cops Now Outnumber Americans Killed in..

[bannination]

Americans Killed by Cops Now Outnumber Americans Killed in Iraq War

[Boatrocker]

Americans Killed by Cops Now Outnumber Americans Killed in Iraq War

The police presence in this country is being turned into a military with a clearly defined enemy, anyone who questions the establishment. . . .

I find that a but hyperbolic and more akin to something I'd read on some RWNJ blog. But I must agree that the use of special weapons and tactics units has increased out of all proportion to its actual necessity. As for the brutality of some cops and the culture of brutality that attracts and breeds the type of sociopath that is drawn to police work for all the wrong reasons . . . can't really dispute that. I do believe, however, that it has not increased disproportionately to the population or crime statistics, but its reporting and recording has. Cops hate cell phone cameras.

[Boatrocker]

Yep. Win-win. For them, anyhow. And the gun-humping ammosexuals like to think of themselves as "helping out" the cops. When they aren't screeching about police brutality. But their hypocrisy is fodder for another time.

[O Really]

The article reminds me of a couple of things - first, that statistics don't lie, but statisticians do. Second, I think the writer may have been playing with Banni's "correlations" website. And the authors understanding of probability is horrendous and laughable. Nevertheless, I agree that police departments and individuals are adopting much more of a badass SWAT-type attitude than was seen previously. There have always been instances of police abuse, particularly back in the day of Birmingham, Chicago, etc, but now Barney is carrying more than one bullet, wearing black tactical gear and kicking in Aunt Bee's door.

Agreed, however, that a lot of that is because of the proliferation of big guns and the increased willingness of people to use those big guns on cops. Still, how any trained cop could be so afraid of a 92-year old woman that he shot her is beyond me.

[neoplacebo]

Americans Killed by Cops Now Outnumber Americans Killed in Iraq War

The police presence in this country is being turned into a military with a clearly defined enemy, anyone who questions the establishment. . . .

I find that a but hyperbolic and more akin to something I'd read on some RWNJ blog. But I must agree that the use of special weapons and tactics units has increased out of all proportion to its actual necessity. As for the brutality of some cops and the culture of brutality that attracts and breeds the type of sociopath that is drawn to police work for all the wrong reasons . . . can't really dispute that. I do believe, however, that it has not increased disproportionately to the population or crime statistics, but its reporting and recording has. Cops hate cell phone cameras.

After the 9/11 attacks is when all the law enforcement agencies, down to county sheriff departments, were given equipment or money to buy equipment that most of those departments will never actually have a need for. Having all that potential firepower and king hell equipment probably tends to contribute to a lot of cops having the "us" versus "them" mentality. And it's no secret that cops have for many years referred to all us non cops as "civilians." Hell, I bet that even our own ex sheriff Davis doesn't think of himself as a civilian. I don't think of him as one, either.

[Boatrocker]

True enough. If you give them toys, they will grab at every little chance to play with them.

[rstrong]

Die Hard (1988) featured a SWAT team with an M8 Greyhound armored car. While it ended badly for the team and car, I wonder how many police departments saw the film and decided that they required one too.

[Boatrocker]

I am honestly less concerned with the hardware, than I am with the mentality of so many people who want to be cops. My SIL is a local cop here in town, and thru him I have become acquainted with several of these guys, and gotten to know a couple others really well. There are some fine folks in the PD, by and large. There are also a minority who, IMHO, have no business as cops. Some are just sophomoric, arrested adolescent slackers. Some are just not temperamentally or intellctually suited to the job. Some a pure damn socio/psychopaths (again, in my layman's opinion). I'd like to see more of these goons screened out.

[rstrong]

How many are former soldiers? A lot of soldiers later go into policing.

Some of what they pick up in boot camp - like not letting morals slow down a snap decision to kill someone - aren't the best skills for policing.

Jungle and battlefield veterans are one thing. But veterans of urban warfare - targeted by an armed insurgency that blends in with the population - will have to drop the old habit of thinking of civilians as the enemy. The same goes for the Blackwater/Xe folks - known for shooting up civilian cars that wandered too close or were in the way of their convoys. No doubt that "security work" is on their resumes handed to police forces.

[bannination]

I am honestly less concerned with the hardware, than I am with the mentality of so many people who want to be cops. My SIL is a local cop here in town, and thru him I have become acquainted with several of these guys, and gotten to know a couple others really well. There are some fine folks in the PD, by and large. There are also a minority who, IMHO, have no business as cops. Some are just sophomoric, arrested adolescent slackers. Some are just not temperamentally or intellctually suited to the job. Some a pure damn socio/psychopaths (again, in my layman's opinion). I'd like to see more of these goons screened out.

Here too, you should see the fun they have with their hot rod police cars when they think no one is watching. I watched one *almost* wipe out at about 80 or 90 mph. (No emergency, they were just dragging.) I'd hate for anyone to get hurt, but I would have loved to see him crash and try to explain that one.

[Mr.B]

"Agreed, however, that a lot of that is because of the proliferation of big guns and the increased willingness of people to use those big guns on cops. Still, how any trained cop could be so afraid of a 92-year old woman that he shot her is beyond me."

OK O Really, let me ask you.....if you were the cops, how would you have handled this situation?

Last Tuesday a 92 year old woman was shot and killed by Atlanta Police officers. Kathryn Johnson was alone in her home waiting with her gun on Tuesday night
when a group of plainclothes officers with a warrant knocked down her door searching for drugs, police said.
She opened fire, wounding three officers before she was shot to death.

Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher called the killing "tragic and unfortunate" but said the officers were justified in returning fire.

Officers came to Johnson's home with a search warrant after allegedly buying drugs from a male earlier at the residence. According to CNN, police issued
a "John Doe" warrant on Wednesday for the arrest of Sam, believed to be in his early to mid 30s, who allegedly sold the drugs to the undercover agent.

Crimes and drugs appear to be a everyday part of this Atlanta neighborhood. The woman's family have described her as a scared elderly woman that lived
with bars on her windows and doors.

Some of Johnson's neighbors have said that this particular northwest Atlanta neighborhood is one of roughest neighborhoods in Georgia and that people do
what they have to do to protect themselves including arming themselves if necessary.

Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist and spokesman for Johnston's family, said he understand why the elderly woman would arm herself. "She was afraid," Hutchins said. "This is a horrifying situation in a neighborhood where crime happens often. This incident is a result of a mix-up."

The police chief said the officers identified themselves before entering the home and then forced open the door of Johnson's house where she had lived for 17 years.

Investigator Gary Smith, 38, was shot in the leg and Investigator Cary Bond, 38, was struck in the arm.

Investigator Gregg Junnier, 40, was hit in the leg, the face and his bulletproof vest. They were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.

District Attorney Paul Howard said his office is looking into the shooting but that a preliminary review indicated the officers had a right to search the home.

HEARNE, Texas (AP) – A 93-year-old Central Texas woman was fatally shot at her home by a police officer when after she allegedly brandished a gun,
the Hearne Police Department said Wednesday.

Pearlie Golden, a longtime resident of Hearne who was affectionately known to her neighbors as Ms. Sully, was shot Tuesday night by Officer Steven Stem,
Robertson County District Attorney Coty Siegert said. Stem was responding to a 911 call about a disturbance involving a woman with a gun.

The Hearne Police Department said in a written statement that Golden “brandished a firearm” when Stem encountered her.
He then shot her multiple times. (Why cops do this is beyond me)

A revolver believed to be the weapon Golden had at the time of the shooting was found at the scene by officers, the statement said.
She was taken to a hospital in nearby Bryan where she died from the injuries.

The investigation is being handled by the Texas Rangers.

“She did have a gun. … Now, what she was doing with it, that is the ultimate question,” said Siegert.

City attorney Bryan Russ Jr. said the officer has been put on paid administrative leave as is standard protocol when an officer is involved in a shooting.
“What we believe is that she was instructed to drop the weapon, that is my understanding,” Russ said.

He could not comment any further because the investigation is ongoing.

Hearne is a town of about 4,500 people that’s about 140 miles south of Dallas.

We live in a society that no longer has any respect for LEO's, therefore LEO's are more wary of a situation where the presence of a gun is possible. Deciding when or when not to shoot is becoming increasingly difficult for a law officer; case in point where the mentally-challenged woman here was shot because she brandished a cigarette lighter that resembled a pistol. (The libs screamed for months over that because they felt the young woman should have been given an opportunity to pull the trigger so the deputies could tell it was a fake gun)

As for the NRA and "ammosexuals"....the majority of gun-related crimes are committed with illegally gotten weapons.

[O Really]

"Agreed, however, that a lot of that is because of the proliferation of big guns and the increased willingness of people to use those big guns on cops. Still, how any trained cop could be so afraid of a 92-year old woman that he shot her is beyond me."

OK O Really, let me ask you.....if you were the cops, how would you have handled this situation?

Last Tuesday a 92 year old woman was shot and killed by Atlanta Police officers. Kathryn Johnson was alone in her home waiting with her gun on Tuesday night
when a group of plainclothes officers with a warrant knocked down her door searching for drugs, police said.
She opened fire, wounding three officers before she was shot to death.
...
.

That's easy. I wouldn't have sent plain clothes cops to knock down her door at night. Yes, I know they had a warrant, and yes, I know they identified themselves outside the door. How many elderly people have been told not to believe anybody you don't know at your door - especially at night - because they'll tell you anything to get you to open it. They should have sent uniforms, in daylight, and I'll bet they wouldn't have been fired on.

"Crimes and drugs appear to be a everyday part of this Atlanta neighborhood." Was it really necessary to roust the old lady at night? Wouldn't you have been frightened, too?

[O Really]

[... case in point where the mentally-challenged woman here was shot because she brandished a cigarette lighter that resembled a pistol. (The libs screamed for months over that because they felt the young woman should have been given an opportunity to pull the trigger so the deputies could tell it was a fake gun)
.

You are correct that "the libs" as well as other reasonable people screamed for months, but everything past your "because" is wrong. It wasn't about giving her an opportunity to pull the trigger. The cops had cornered a person they knew or should have known to be mentally challenged. Everyone living around the immediate area had gotten out. The cops were out of close range and had cover. No need to shoot her down without spending a little patience trying for a better outcome. She wasn't holding hostages, she wasn't even hiding. As I recall, the main reason the cops were called was because the neighbors thought she had started a fire too close to their house. No, Mr.B., it's not political right/left - it's just what used to be common sense when local cops were more like Andy and less like Harry.

[Boatrocker]

. . . elderly people . . . at night . . . .

That is a recipe for disaster all by itself. If you've been there, you understand. That's no time to be rousting old people.

[bannination]

LEOs have earned the disrespect, in no small part due to the failed drug war you support.

Totally agree with this. For me, it's mostly the buddy system they have going. Do something wrong? That's ok, we'll cover it up, no big deal. It's that us vs them mentality.

Not to say there aren't good ones that will report when something has gone very wrong, they just aren't going to last long..... one doesn't have to research very far to find this out.