Posted on 12/11/2003 1:01:08 PM PST by Hat-Trick
By David Hendee | World-Herald Staff Writer
Gas 'N Shop's letter of thanks aside, Schuyler Mayor David Reinecke said the Police Department probably won't participate in future fake robberies involving unknowing victims.
Reinecke said Gas 'N Shop officials asked Schuyler Police Chief Leonard Hiltner to help stage a bogus armed robbery as a reality-training exercise for a group of its convenience store managers.
"We probably wouldn't do it again," Reinecke said Wednesday.
The Nov. 14 episode at the Gas 'N Shop in Schuyler involved two out-of-uniform police officers who burst into the convenience store with guns. One carried a handgun, the other a modified shotgun. Both were unloaded, it was learned later.
The bogus bandits ordered everyone to lie on the floor and to hand over purses and wallets. Among the "victims" were 11 company managers and supervisors from eastern Nebraska and western Iowa who were at the store for a meeting.
The incident unnerved manager Kristine Johnson of South Sioux City, Neb., to the point that she could not return to work and quit her job.
Johnson said she feared that the gunmen, who were not masked, would panic at the sight of so many potential witnesses and kill everyone in a massacre reminiscent of last year's slayings at a Norfolk, Neb., bank. Norfolk is 45 miles northwest of Schuyler.
The incident, first reported in Tuesday editions of The World-Herald, raised concerns about someone inside the store or an armed passer-by defending the "victims" by shooting the "robbers" or attacking them with other weapons.
Gas 'N Shop's lawyer declined to comment, saying it was an internal training matter.
Reinecke said the danger-to-police issue surfaced among city officials after the incident.
"It was staged pretty good," he said. "I'm sure it looked like a robbery."
Reinecke said he didn't know whether the Police Department's role in the episode will require an administrative directive governing any future proposals for similar performances.
Hiltner said Wednesday that he had no comment on the issue of officer safety in the incident or whether the department would do it again.
Shortly after the training episode, Schuyler officials received a letter of thanks from Gas 'N Shop's corporate headquarters in Lincoln.
Reinecke said the letter indicated that the robbery incident was excellent training and that the store managers learned a lot.
The incident is receiving international attention. A British cell phone news service lists the story under "quirkies at a glance." It also was posted on an Internet forum for Smith & Wesson firearm collectors under the heading, "Good Thing I Wasn't There."
They'll just add more fuel to the gun-grabbers and anti-CCW fire that we'll be trying to overcome during our upcoming legislative session.
This woman has excellent grounds for a civil suit against both the company and police dept.
They should all be fired and I hope anyone who was a victim of this outrage sues until they own the town and the QuickiMart.
That was one of my first thoughts. I often travel through Schuyler on my way to visit customers. I've stopped in this store often. Even a store clerk who decided to pack heat that day - and we've got 2 dead stupid cops.
I think y'all are missing the point here. These policemen committed assault and battery and armed robbery. Being a policeman gives one no license to commit such acts.
Criminal charges, as well as civil suits, should be filed against those responsible.
Why, that would be illegal in Nebraska, regardless of what the state Constitution says. Armed with a handgun that is. OTOH, it's still pheasant season in Nebraska, and Schyuler is in what is some years, pretty good pheasant country. They are really luckly some guy didn't drive up, see what was going down, and blow the officers to all to hades as they exited the "Stop and Rob". Most likely weapon would be a 12ga pump loaded with birdshot, 5s or 6s, but with a full choke barrel and from a few yards, that would hardly matter at all. Of course the guy might have grabbed the buckshot shells he kept handy "just in case" and then he could have done the job from a mite farther away. If they'd waited a couple of weeks for me to get up that way (my in-laws live in Norfolk) that guy could have been me... but I'd have had a handgun in the vehicle, because I always go shooting at my father-in-law's farm, which is about 20 miles closer to Schyler, near Pilger, when I go up there. I'd have to load it first of course... :) ).. In fact, I'll probably be through there on Christmas day enroute from my parents in Lincoln.
No such thing in Nebraska, not Shall issue nor even May issue. I'm really embarassed and angry that my home state is one of the 4 states (I think 4 and it's too late to go verify it) that completely prohibit carrying a handgun for self protection. Along with Kansas, Illinois and I think Ohio. Although in Missouri, it's still in legal limbo, due to a restraining order from a state court.
It was learned later that this was an absurd LIE.
This article may or may not be true, but this last tidbit is the greatest, silliest lie since we were reading lips. If any ready clerk had attempted to defend himself, he would have met Mr. Glock, and Mr Buck, coming at him from body-armored "robbers", then he would have met his maker.
Let's please not kid ourselves.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.