No one wants to die. No one wants to do something stupid, like run into the unknown. But if you don't, who will? This is why some soldiers get a medal and others don't. My father got the distinguished flying cross with 4 oak leaf clusters in WWII. Everything he did was voluntary. He was a belly turret gunner and a bombardier on a B-24. He would have gone in and killed the bastard and spit on his carcass. Some cops are shot in the back of the head eating donuts. Being safe doesn't always save you. This is why someone does something completely heroic and his superiors write him up for going around protocol. You can do the "right" thing, or save lives. He could have very well run into an ambush, but he could have shot the SOB in the face. His choice. I have a feeling, the choice he made is going to "bother" him for awhile.
If the cop knew he was ISIS, maybe he might wait for backup. Knowing he was a pimple faced kid, he probably would have pissed himself seeing a veteran cop coming at him guns abazin.
This x100. I could possibly cut the guy some slack if he was a mall cop earning $11/hour. But this guy ate generously from the public trough under the guise that he would protect and serve. His handsome pay in comparison to the mall cop’s meager remuneration reflected the additional training he received and the risk he was expected to confront in undertaking his protect/serve responsibilities. In spite of those who somehow find grounds to defend this man’s inaction, his failure has rightly earned him the badge of coward when he could have risen up to be a hero - like he was trained and paid to be. I pray that the deserved harsh criticism he receives serves to prevent other men or women of equal character from joining law enforcement. Rather, they can rise to the level of their abilities and obtain employment at their local mall.
I don’t have a problem with those comments.
Some folks reason this deputy had a gun, so he was obligated to go in. I’m not there on this.
What you say about folks who do go in vs those who don’t, it isn’t always as clear cut as it looks in the rear view mirror.
I would be weighing what the chances of helping the person would be if I were able to get to the person in need. Would there be enough cover for me to reasonably help them vs simply being picked off like they were.
If some guy is coming in to help me, I would never ask him to come in to die. I would only want him to come in if he could live and help me. Of course the risk would have to be limited to the transition, not when he was at my side.
If he would be under fire at my side, I would want him to refrain from coming to my side. If I’m dying I want help. If that help means my friend has to die, no way. Stay out of it and live.