Good idea!
Posted on 06/22/2006 9:14:58 AM PDT by Borges
Three Chicago Police officers ran away when a fellow officer was struggling for his life with an armed man in a Dominick's store on the South Side, officials said Wednesday.
Two of the fleeing officers were about 10 months into their 18-month probationary period before they could have become full-fledged officers with union benefits.
Those female officers -- called PPOs in cop parlance -- have been fired by police Supt. Phil Cline.
"After reviewing the evidence, it was clear to me that the two PPOs didn't do what they were trained to do, and they put the officer in peril," Cline said.
A third male officer, whose probation ended about three months ago, faces a departmental investigation and possible termination, too.
Captured on security camera
Cline can fire probationary officers at will, but full-fledged officers have extensive due-process rights.
The incident was captured on a Dominick's security camera and was reviewed by department officials.
The videotape may be used to show recruits at the police academy what officers should never do.
But recruits also could learn from the heroic performance of the officer who struggled alone with the gunman, sources said.
It is very unusual for officers -- whether they are probationary or full time -- to face disciplinary action for cowardice, sources said.
But such allegations are almost never captured on videotape, they said.
The four Grand Crossing District officers were responding to a shoplifting call at 10:30 p.m. on June 3 at a Dominick's in the 2100 block of East 71st.
James King, 47, of Park Forest, started fighting in the store with a male officer who was trying to arrest him for sneaking out with stolen goods, police said. The officer had one handcuff on King when he struggled to break free, police said.
King removed a 9mm pistol from his pants pocket and pointed the weapon at the officer, who then fatally shot King, officials said. An investigation found that the officer, who has been on the force about four years, had followed department rules on using deadly force. The department did not identify that officer.
Not what cops are trained to do
Assistant Deputy Supt. Matthew Tobias, who runs the Police Department's training academy, would not discuss the incident.
But he spoke generally about what officers are trained to do.
"When they have the means to take appropriate action, they are not taught to turn their back and run away," Tobias said.
"If you have the means and knowledge to protect citizens or other officers, you are expected to take action -- and will be held accountable when you do not take action."
Let a thousand lawsuits bloom!
Ouch. That's never good for the ol' resume.
These are the same cops that the unarmed folks in Chicago are supposed to depend upon for their safety.
Good idea!
Sounds like a good call to me. If they are not willing to back another officer they do not need to be on the street.
IMO, most cops are good cops, but there are some around, I'm sure a pretty small minority, who seem to be prone to stopping people who are obviously law abiding, while ignoring the more unruly looking types.
wow.
Lady cops are ridiculous though there are a few who are up to the job. I know one and she's very personable, good looking and normal (has two children one enlisting now) and a .... lesbian. Met her and her "partner" more than a few times
She's on the job in a NE city
Run away! Run away!
We need law enforcement, certainly, and there are some good cops in most jurisdictions.
I must say, though, that my experience has not been very positive since we moved to Vermont. The cops have a LOT of time to troll for speeding tickets. When funds are low, they will give them out for exceeding the limit by one mile an hour. But they show absolutely no interest in investigating real crimes.
Among the crimes in our area that they have failed to pursue, I know of a stolen car, an armed robbery at the general store, and someone who has been going around shooting dogs in people's yards--two killed so far. They don't have time to investigate any of that, and they frankly admit it.
1 Mile over? Here in Chicago that would be laughed out of Court!
Three of the fleeing "officers" were women.
I'm sorry, two of the three were women.
When you place your life on the line you have to depend on those you work with.
All three should be off the street and out of the job, male or female, not just the two on probation.
Sorry, no sympathy here.
Runaway
Del Shannon
(D. Shannon - M. Crook)
As I walk along I wonder a-what went wrong
With our love, a love that was so strong
And as I still walk on, I think of the things we've done
Together, a-while our hearts were young
I'm a-walkin' in the rain
Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain
Wishin' you were here by me
To end this misery
And I wonder
I wa-wa-wa-wa-wonder
Why
Ah-why-why-why-why-why she ran away
And I wonder where she will stay
My little runaway, run-run-run-run-runaway
------ Musitron solo ------
I'm a-walkin' in the rain
Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain
Wishin' you were here by me
To end this misery
And I wonder
I wa-wa-wa-wa-wonder
Why
Ah-why-why-why-why-why she ran away
And I wonder where she will stay
My little runaway, run-run-run-run-runaway
A-run-run-run-run-runaway
Stood around in the parking lot, saying "We can't go in there - there's people with guns".
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