Posted on 06/07/2022 10:37:52 AM PDT by where's_the_Outrage?
The Tempe, Arizona, cops who refused to rescue a drowning man were following their training, a local police union said.
Members of the Tempe Police Department receive "no training in water rescues," the union said.
Sean Bickings, 34, died on May 28 after he jumped into a lake and drowned while police stood by.
The Tempe, Arizona, cops who refused to rescue a man drowning in an area lake were following their training by not jumping in to save him, according to the local police union.
Members of the Tempe Police Department receive "no training in water rescues" and do not have "equipment to help people at risk of drowning," the Tempe Officers Association — which represents officers of the Tempe police force — said in a statement to Insider on Tuesday.
"Attempting such a high-risk rescue could easily result in the death of the person in the water and the officer, who could be pulled down by a struggling adult," the union said. "Officers are trained to call the Fire Department and/or get the Tempe Police boat. That is what officers did here."
Three Tempe police officers have been put on paid leave as the department investigates their response to the May 28 drowning of 34-year-old Sean Bickings.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
This cop, that police department, and cops in general are going to increasingly be living with the bad reputation that they don’t care, that they have no obligation to respond, and then they will even taunt and watch somebody die. This is not her parents cops, these are militarized people that would rather stand outside of school and listen to kids being shot and killed, watch people drown, and do nothing. Regardless of the union defense, which is purely knee-jerk, this cop should be fired.
I think in this case the cops inaction is justified, I went thru lifeguard training 50 years ago
Yeah I said that because yesterday on a thread about this there were several “cops are useless” comments.
Obviously ignorant of how dangerous a drowning rescue can be.
Totally agree, watch the clip, no way anyone could have saved that jumper, especially a cop in full uniform.
It would take a safety diver, in full dive suit, standing at waters edge, when the guy jumped, to go fish him out, before he went under.
Sad story, but damn, don’t blame the cops...
How many jobs do you expect a cop to do?
In one of the Dirty Harry movies our favorite cop goes up on a fire department boom ladder to talk to a jumper.
I’ve got no intention of trying to stop you from jumping. Just explaining that you are going to make a hell of a mess when you hit the ground.
I miss those good movies once made in hollyweird!
Cop not required to rescue a suicidal future drowning victim.
Carry a life preserver in the trunk of a cop car IN PHOENIX AZ? Anyone who drowns in Phoenix WORKS at it!
And on this thread also.
SMH
SWIMMING must not be part of their training. I guess when you live in the desert, the ability to swim is a low priority.
In Arizona ?LOL
They're trying to portray all cops as Texas chickens.
“he sleeps with the fishes”
It may be possible that none of the involved police officers were good swimmers. And recall that there’s probably no swim test at police academies. I guess all we need now is for the media to report - truthfully or falsely, they don’t really care - that the drowner was black.
You obviously have no lifesaving training.
CC
Btw, I’m in AZ and have no less than 7 beautiful lakes within about 20 miles of my hideout, 3 of those are within about 7 miles.
In places like S.CA, I had to drive about 100 miles just to get to a decent lake.
Why? How about free swimming lessons for citizens, or - and this is the leftist’s favorite fallback plan - ban swimming in those lakes? Always the cops, who usually perform no fewer than six or seven professions while being paid, and not commensurately, for one.
“1. The LEOs told him not to get in the water and he did it anyway. “
Article: The Tempe Officers Association noted in its statement that the cops’ exchange with Bickings “was largely cordial prior to Mr. Bickings’ entering the lake” and said he had been “free to go at any time.”
Too bad they could not throw him a rope to pull him out to safety.
No...since they already have so few items to carry on their duty belts, just add a Mae West to the mix, and make it a felony not to jump in.
Do tasers work in water? without shocking the holder too?
Then again, it might be a job for a police dog:
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/bernese-mountain-dog-rescues-swimmers-in-riptide/
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