North Little Rock, AR cops stand by and watch as convenience store is robbed!

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ^ | 31 AUG 02 | BY JIM BROOKS

[Cultural Jihad]

So they received a tip. What were they supposed to do with the ACLU breathing down their backs at every turn? They could have just stood there and intimidated the man away from the store. That would have solved this case, for sure, but then they'd have to have an army of officers out there patrolling for the next intended victim. They could have enjoyed their doughnuts as most of the ideologues like to allege around here, and then file their reports after the fact. If they were to accost the man and ask him what business he has in the store, and could he please lift his jacket to reveal what that bulge is underneath, the ACLU and the militia nutcase types would be screaming police harrassment and infringement of his rights.

[FormerLurker]

If they were to accost the man and ask him what business he has in the store, and could he please lift his jacket to reveal what that bulge is underneath, the ACLU and the militia nutcase types would be screaming police harrassment and infringement of his rights.

Arresting him for the fact that he was identified as an individual who was conspiring to commit armed robbery, and being the fact that he'd be a felon in possession of a handgun would do the trick. If they wanted to go for the jackpot, they could have replaced the clerk with an undercover cop.

I still don't see the ACLU connection, and I especially don't see the "milita nutcase" connection. Are you saying that you are an opponent of the 2nd Amendment of the United States Constitution by your remark? Are you saying that those who constitute the militia, which are ALL US male citizens between the ages of 18 and 45, are nutcases?

[Dakmar]

felon in possession of a handgun

On parole, no less. There was absolutely no reason to risk the clerks life.

[Cultural Jihad]

felon in possession of a handgun

99 out of 100 ideologues would claim that it is unconstitutional to deprive a proven felon of his right to own the tools to overthrow the tyrannical U.S. Government by violent means.

[teeman8r]

here in maryland, if the clerk wanted to buy body armor to protect himself, he would go to jail...

[monkeyshine]

Doesn't it give liberals a warm fuzzy feeling that cops are there to protect you?

I'm sure you know this, but according to the Supreme Court the cops are under no obligation to protect anyone. They just have to take a report and investigate the crime, and make arrests. They don't have to protect anyone or prevent any crime if they don't want to.

For me, that's a compelling reason to carry heat. I don't because where I live it would make me a criminal to carry without a permit, and only .0004% (yes, .0004%!) of the citizenry have such a permit.

[sweetliberty]

Well, look what the cat drug in? Hehehehe....How ya doing T?

[sweetliberty]

"An officer behind the counter might have looked out-of-place or too big"

Too big??? Is there a size limit on convenience store clerks now?

[sweetliberty]

I wondered when you were gonna show up.

[mrustow]

File this story under "They Were Expendable".

Ditto for department store security, which I used to be.

A few years ago, convenience store clerk was listed as the most dangerous job in America, because more men were murdered on the job, than any other occupation. I think convenience store clerk and livery cab driver jockey for places one and two, these days.

[Dakmar]

And that's why you and me have to keep fighting against those idealogues, CJ, and make the case for common sense. While I'm questioning the tactics used by the police in this case, I am firmly pointing the finger of blame at the justice system that lets these violent criminals back out on the street. The criminal himself deserves the bulk of the blame, of course, just so you don't try to twist my comments into some anti-libertarian screed.

[FormerLurker]

99 out of 100 ideologues would claim that it is unconstitutional to deprive a proven felon of his right to own the tools to overthrow the tyrannical U.S. Government by violent means.

No, I'd say that a good number of people would say that if a person is too dangerous to possess a weapon, that person is too dangerous to be let out of prison. A gun isn't the ONLY weapon that a criminal could use you know.

HOWEVER, there are MANY individuals convicted of "felonies" that have never hurt a fly, let alone another human being. As such, they SHOULD have their rights restored when they have served their sentence. There should be a distinction between a violent criminal and one who isn't.

Additionally, you appear to think that all of those who desire to protect themselves, their property, and their families are "out to overthrow the government". Is that what you really think? People wishing to defend themselves does not equate with a desire to "overthrow the government"..

[Le-Roy]

99 out of 100 brain-dead statist control-freaks would not hesitate to fabricate an opportunity to make yet another spurious & specious assertion against a group they absolutely despise.

Perhaps because it's a nagging reminder of their own cowardice & capitulation?

[budwiesest]

And that's why you and me have to keep fighting...

"And that's why you and I"? perhaps?....

(When addressing the grand-poobah of the 'State-can-do-no-wrong', please consider the image and how such replies may tarnish it, especially when coming from an admirerer.)

[griffin]

How about pulling over the informants car and nail the guys for felon possession of the gun and maybe intent to commit an armed crime in order to send his butt back to prision for parole violation??

No excuse to putting an innocent person in jepordy because these 'police' won't do a felony stop.

[Dakmar]

Without the occassional grammitical slip-ups and infortuitous malapropisms, my carefully cultivated image as a slightly deranged hillbilly philosopher may suffer.

[ELS]

bump

[budwiesest]

Without the occassional grammitical slip-ups......

Excellent! (Just for the record, I was held up at gunpoint a couple of times in a convenience store during the seventies [went to school days, worked nights] and can honestly say that when someone sticks a gun in your face it changes your whole outlook on a lot of things.)

[Dakmar]

I've always thought those convenience stores should have two employees on duty at all times - one running the cash register, and the other operating a mini-gun concealed in the security camera turret.

[SarahW]

What I think you were was some low-level support staff who wouldn't understand the law if it bit them on the butt.

I wouldn't pretend to speak for law enforcement if I were you. You aren't doing them any favors by your display of stupidity, ignorance and rationalization of reckless disregard of the safety of the public.

The cops had hours advance notice. If they decided not to prevent the crime they were informed, a crime they knew who would commit, how and where it would be committed, they had a duty to get the clerk out of harms way.
An undercover officer should have been substituted for the clerk, who could have been killed seriously injured, disfigured, paralyzed, etc.

If that was not workable an arrest based on the unlawful possession of a deadly weapon could have been made on the spot.