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fhqwhgads · 11-20-2006, 10:12 AM

This guy was not "tazered" because he did not show ID. Whatever the initial contact with the police was is inconsequential. Whether he was stopped for speeding, whether he matched the description of a bank robber, whether or not he had been accused of beating his wife DOES NOT MATTER. He was not "tazered" because he did not show ID.

I have a BA degree in Criminology/Criminal Justice. I attended a 26 week police academy. I have been working, as a patrol officer, for over 9 years now. During those 9 years, I have been shot at, stabbed twice, beaten, almost hit by a car, kicked, punched, bitten, spit on, and slapped. I take my job seriously, and I don't consider the tools I carry to be "toys". I understand that life and death decisions often have to be made in an instant, and debated for years. All that being said:

Even I don't claim to try to tell these officers what they "should have done".

I was not there. I did not see what happened before or after this video was shot. I do not assume that what the student says is the 100% truth, and I do not assume that the official department statement is gospel. We can play "what if he did this" and "why didn't they do that" all day long, and still not come up with an answer. All we know is what we would have LIKED to have seen done, and what we think we would have done in that situation.

Would I love to live in a world where the police were not needed? Hell yes. I would gladly turn in my badge and pick up a hammer and saw. Would I like to live in a world where I didn't need to carry all these "toys" (as they have been referred to) in order to protect my life or yours? Hell yes.

This conversation has grown tired. Can well all just go back to criticizing the President now?

11-20-2006, 10:12 AM	#105 (permalink)
fhqwhgads Junkie	This guy was not "tazered" because he did not show ID. Whatever the initial contact with the police was is inconsequential. Whether he was stopped for speeding, whether he matched the description of a bank robber, whether or not he had been accused of beating his wife DOES NOT MATTER. He was not "tazered" because he did not show ID. I have a BA degree in Criminology/Criminal Justice. I attended a 26 week police academy. I have been working, as a patrol officer, for over 9 years now. During those 9 years, I have been shot at, stabbed twice, beaten, almost hit by a car, kicked, punched, bitten, spit on, and slapped. I take my job seriously, and I don't consider the tools I carry to be "toys". I understand that life and death decisions often have to be made in an instant, and debated for years. All that being said: Even I don't claim to try to tell these officers what they "should have done". I was not there. I did not see what happened before or after this video was shot. I do not assume that what the student says is the 100% truth, and I do not assume that the official department statement is gospel. We can play "what if he did this" and "why didn't they do that" all day long, and still not come up with an answer. All we know is what we would have LIKED to have seen done, and what we think we would have done in that situation. Would I love to live in a world where the police were not needed? Hell yes. I would gladly turn in my badge and pick up a hammer and saw. Would I like to live in a world where I didn't need to carry all these "toys" (as they have been referred to) in order to protect my life or yours? Hell yes. This conversation has grown tired. Can well all just go back to criticizing the President now?