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LAPD Offers Revised Policy After Teen Shot
AP ^ | 2/11/5 | PAUL CHAVEZ

Posted on 02/11/2005 8:58:37 PM PST by SmithL

LOS ANGELES - Police Chief William Bratton on Friday proposed a new policy that would ban officers from firing at moving vehicles, less than a week after the fatal police shooting of a 13-year-old suspected car thief.

The change would prohibit officers from firing at a moving vehicle "unless the officer or another person is being threatened with deadly force by means other than the moving vehicle," Bratton said in a memo to police commissioners.

He asked the civilian Police Commission to approve the policy at its meeting Tuesday.

Police departments in major cities, including Boston, Cincinnati and Detroit, in recent years have adopted similar restrictions.

The policy came under scrutiny following the fatal shooting Sunday of Devin Brown, an eighth-grader at a magnet school for gifted youth.

Brown crashed a 1990 Toyota Camry that was reported stolen. His 14-year-old male passenger ran away. The Camry then backed into a patrol car, damaging it.

After a pursuit, an officer fired 10 rounds at the vehicle, killing Brown at the scene.

Bob Baker, president of the police union, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said he opposes changing the existing policy. Current policy generally prohibits firing at a moving vehicle but allows deadly force as a last resort.

"You can't legislate what is going to happen in the streets. Our work is highly unpredictable and usually dictated by the actions of suspects," Baker said. "You can't take away all discretion from a police officer to try and save a community member's life or his own life or his partner's life."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: banglist; bratton; donutwatch; fatalshooting; hahn; juvenilecriminals; lapd
Let Hahn, and that idiot Bratton, patrol LA using only Nerf flashlights.
1 posted on 02/11/2005 8:58:38 PM PST by SmithL
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To: SmithL

Or spitballs.


2 posted on 02/11/2005 9:01:03 PM PST by ScottFromSpokane (http://drunkengop.blogspot.com/)
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To: SmithL
Unless I'm mistaken, a moving vehicle could certainly in and of itself be a deadly weapon.

L

3 posted on 02/11/2005 9:04:10 PM PST by Lurker ("We're all sinners, but jerks revel in their sins. " P.J. O'Rourke)
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To: All
LA continues its support for its police.
4 posted on 02/11/2005 9:07:34 PM PST by SmithL (Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?)
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To: SmithL

Nothing mentioned about shooting the driver of the vehicle. "I was aiming at the driver!" Bratton is a maroon, regardless.


5 posted on 02/11/2005 9:07:43 PM PST by Horatio Gates (Bad Cop. No Starbucks.)
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To: Lurker

You sir, are correct.


6 posted on 02/11/2005 9:08:28 PM PST by Horatio Gates (Bad Cop. No Starbucks.)
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To: SmithL
This chief is just unreal, he never backs up his own guys. He always carefully chooses his words so that he doesn't upset the activist.
7 posted on 02/11/2005 9:09:39 PM PST by USMCBOMBGUY (No longer Banned, but still mad as hell)
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To: SmithL
And if that poor, "innocent" 13 year old had T-boned your 18 year old daughter's car running a red light, and killed or crippled her for the rest of her life (as has happened in two cases I'm personally aware of), would that be a "tragic accident", or criminal negligence on the part of Police for not preventing the wreck??

This PC crap disgusts me. Every time I see a car chase segment on TV, I wonder about the idiots running that Police Department (or the Major, Civilian police commission, etc.).

Look, if my own 17 year old son steals a car, or gets drunk, and starts drivnig recklessly while evading the police, they'd BETTER shoot him before he kills someone else's innocent wife, child, or husband/father!

SFS

8 posted on 02/11/2005 9:13:50 PM PST by Steel and Fire and Stone
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To: SmithL

Well that's the end of suspended licenses. Cars can't kill. What would be the point?

Hahn, Bratton, you two should team up with Sheriff Baca and start making Three Stooges movies.


9 posted on 02/11/2005 9:50:55 PM PST by DoughtyOne (US socialist liberalism would be dead without the help of politicians who claim to be conservative.)
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To: DoughtyOne

The only changes they should be making is to ensure their officers can take down a criminal dirtbag in fewer than 10 shots.


10 posted on 02/11/2005 9:55:39 PM PST by boofus
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To: SmithL

The change would prohibit officers from firing at a moving vehicle "unless the officer or another person is being threatened with deadly force by means other than the moving vehicle,"

All you people in LA better look out because the criminal has the right of way.


11 posted on 02/11/2005 10:55:14 PM PST by taxesareforever
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To: SmithL
prohibit officers from firing at a moving vehicle "unless the officer or another person is being threatened with deadly force by means other than the moving vehicle," Bratton said

So, Bratton says it is okay to murder or attempt to murder an officer, provided only a car is used as the weapon.

Not wishing anyone [No; of course I would NEVER do that! I'm a GOOD l'il ' FReeper.] bad luck, but wouldn't it be interesting of a few of car loads of LAPD officers stood by and watched while a killer SUV chased down, attacked and maimed the SOB, just using its bare wheels?

12 posted on 02/11/2005 10:56:11 PM PST by ApplegateRanch (The world needs more horses, and fewer Jackasses!)
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To: SmithL
Devin Brown, an eighth-grader at a magnet school for gifted youth.

They're *always* honor roll students aren't they...

13 posted on 02/12/2005 4:07:26 PM PST by Drew68
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