Hindsight is 20/20, but the cops did have two opportunities to nail the snipers:
1. The tipline received an anonymous call suggesting John Malvo be checked out. The tip was disregarded due to his age.
2. There was a witness who described a brown or burgundy Caprice leaving one of the crime scenes, but for some reason that vehicle never received the notoriety of the "white van/box truck".
In context, both may have been a bit thin at the time.
You're right merry10 but the jist of the story is mostly how PC and profiling as well as our court system has tied the cops hands. This isn't about the cops letting them go. It's about political correctness run amuck..
I think that is the point, that the PC practice of selective-profiling IS the problem. The problem is systemic and pervasive. The LE leadership, media, and many politicians demand practices (e.g. don't profile blacks or ME types, because this will lead to charges of racial prejudice -- but it is okay profile whites) that cloud open and effective evaluation, and delay the eventual solution.
I believe that even some cops on the beat have similar practices; and I agree with you that we shouldn't automatically fault the cop for following the leads as they are given. In fact, that is how organizations are SUPPOSED to operate efficiently. The BOLO description has to be correct, or the dragnet based on it will fail.
I saw a criminal defense lawyer on Greta's show last night who really pushed that notion. He didn't know how this man could be executed. He said, well, maybe he had the gun, but there were no witnesses who saw him DO the crime.
I hope the police are combing the trunk of that car coming up with hair, fibers, etc. to place one or BOTH in that trunk doing the shooting.
Not eveyone, just those under the influence of the democrats.