Posted on 03/11/2005 1:33:18 PM PST by thefactor
Anyone looking at my posts the last few months would be able to tell I am a cop. It's no big secret. I was out today and began thinking about the shooting this morning. I watched the coverage all morning. I have some thoughts about what happened, although I only know the facts from the TV news. Please post personal opinions.
Now, I am a rookie cop. Less than 2 years on the job. On one hand I do not have the most experience. But on the other hand, being a rookie means I get the least desireable jobs. One of those is definitely transporting perps. Plus, not wanting to screw up in front of Sergeant's, rookies usually follow the transport procedure to the letter. So here are my thoughts:
1. Walking a perp.
There are a couple of circumstances that may arise when coming into contact with perps. If a perp needs to be fingerprinted or photographed, he or she can not be handcuffed, obviously. In that case, the officer must not be armed with a firearm. In all other instances, the perp is to be rear-cuffed (hands cuffed behind their back).
When moving a perp from the precinct to central booking, for instance, there is to be more than one officer at all times. And one officer is to have his hands on the perp at all times.
I had heard this defendant was not in jail at the time. He was out on bond and came to the courthouse from his home. But I assume he has to sign in every day in some sort of secure room where the deputies pick him up. He should have been cuffed, or the officer should not have had a gun.
2. Holsters
The deputy who's gun was taken was a Sergeant. So I assume she had a decent number of years on. Which might mean she was authorized to use an old holster that DID NOT have a thumbreak or a strap over the gun. It could have been an open holster in which the gun can just be lifted out. Again, I have no idea if this was the case. Plus, even if it was a thumbreak holster, prisoners in jail practice breaking the strap and removing a cop's gun. I have seen videos of prisoners teaching eachother how to break the holsters and incapacitate a cop.
This guy was on trial for gun possession and rape! If guilty, he is a violent guy. Now I am all for innocent until proven guilty, but the jury was not in the room, and officer saftey comes first. He should have been cuffed. But let's assume, as in this case, he was uncuffed and the officer was armed. If there is a struggle for an officers gun, the perp is commiting felony robbery of a firearm and deadly physical force should be used to stop him.
Now again, I work in New York, not Atlanta. Every state is different and I cannot attest to their procedures.
Just some thoughts on the Atlanta shooting...
ping.
I don't believe so. You are looking at average statistics of men's and women's physiques. I have not seen a picture of the female deputy. So I will hold judgement. But you are right that the perp was a big, scary dude. But in my experience, women can and do transport perps. But, again, no one ever transports alone. And, I work with some females who could kick my butt with their knowledge of hand-to-hand combat. I am 6'3", 210lbs. I would need to see a picture of the female deputy.
Oh, and if it was a Glock, as you state, it most likely would have been a thumbreak holster. But I had not heard what make of gun it was.
I don't understand. If this guys was out on bond, why would he need to be handcuffed in the courthouse? Does this happen with the Freak (Michael Jackson) every day?
The ADA said this guy was in cusotdy since August. So he would have been escorted every step of the way. MJ wold not be handcuffed because he is not accused of violent behavior. Bail was set and he made bail. Plus, there is the issue of the jury seeing him in handcuffs.
But you said: He was out on bond and came to the courthouse from his home
And, you also said: MJ...was not accused of violent behavior. Tell that the the ass of those kids.
PC Kills
I'm 19 and 0 against women.
Woah. I had heard he was out on bond from Fox News. Later, they corrected the info and said he had been in custody. No big deal. As for MJ, I don't think he is being accused of sodomy. Although molestation is not much better. If the judge ordered bail, I trust his decision. He obviously knows more about the case than I.
Hearing what I am on the news, I would tend to agree with you. But in my own experience, anyone can transport as long as there is more than one deputy/cop. But in this case, this partiucular female deputy should not have been transporting this perp alone. Do you fight women often?
OK. Thanks for the answers. Stay safe.
I had not realized it was a woman deputy. What an awful, unnecessary tragedy.
I guess we have evidence today that your hypothesis has failed then. How is it than that as soon as I heard the news today when I woke up at 8:00AM PST I immediately knew a woman deputy was involved?
Thanks for posting this. It's interesting to get a police officers thoughts on the matter.
Thanks. It is a testament to the court officers/police officers that this type of tragedy is the exception and not the norm. Thousands of violent prisoners are transported daily with no mishaps. Does not make this any less disturbing though. Also, I can see the bosses at my station house turning up the heat on compliance with our policies. It is gonna be a rough few weeks, but they only have our safety in mind.
You are choosing to take this specific instance, and ignore the the 1000's of transports by female officers daily where nothing bad happens. Again, she shold not have been alone and should not have had a weapon. And this guy should have been cuffed. If these criteria were met, this perp would still be in jail right now. Female or no female.
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