Free Republic

Nope, nervous people don’t want subjects to come up, this is exactly opposite. Let’s see if she takes the 5th.

I’ll start my answer by giving a little of my back ground. I started Law Enforcement in 1992. My entire career has been with a Sheriff’s Office, I’ve done Patrol, Investigations, Community Oriented Policing, SWAT, and now work as School Resource Officer in a High School of about 650 students. I’ll share my thoughts on several things I’ve read in comments and start with your question. I have to be able to wear many hats in my job, I still consider myself a Peace Officer, who keeps Peace via Law Enforcement. One of the hardest things to get across to some people is the true idea that somethings are “wrong” but not illegal, and just because something is legal, doesn’t make it automatically “right”. Example : I’ve been called by people who complained that someone “Flipped them off”, that’s not nice, but not illegal. For me to take “enforcement action” someone has to break a law or violate a county ordinance. When viewed from this point of view, laws limit Law Enforcement. My personal opinion of an action is not important, laws tell me what actions I’m sanctioned to stop and when I must stand down. In the course of investigating incidents and in some cases even finding out about them, I need intel from people. People provide intel when there is a level of trust, that’s my responsibility to earn it and keep it. That makes what I do more of a way of life than a job. See my behavior will always be under scrutiny, wither I’m on duty or off. Since its a way of life other than a job, for most of us money isn’t the motivation, so salary isn’t as big a deal as other things. I want my family and friends to live in a safe and secure environment, I’m willing to step on to a Blue line between people who want to be left alone, and those who want to victimize others as a way of life. Since on the “streets” (and in the hallways) trust is so important the integrity of the organization and officers you serve with is the most important factor for those who stay (average career in Law Enforcement in SC is less than 5 years).
Last subject I wanted to hit since it seems to be a big topic is SWAT and weapons. First of all in all situations other than an active shooter the idea of SWAT is to save lives. Active Shooters or what we now call “active killers”, the goal is to stop the threat immediately, other ops don’t have to be carried out as fast and SWAT comes in. For barricades, we secure and area and allow negotiators a chance to resolve the situation, but be able to intervene should it become an Active Killer case. For us by far most of our ops are Drug Search warrant. Drug houses usually have a number of people in them. Since their primary fear is being killed or robbed, its not unusual to find the doors or windows fortified and numerous weapons in the house. Then the kicker is most are in neighborhoods surrounded by people we don’t want to get hurt. We use different ways to get in, and overpower the site so that no one gets hurt. I won’t go into tactics, but will provide insight into how its decided to use SWAT. The drug agents who work the case when they get a warrant go down a check list, they assign a number value for different features, ie: known guns are worth a point total, known felons, fortifications etc. Once the points are totaled, there are three bands: a certain very high total makes SWAT necessary, a lower total makes it the Command Staffs call, and the lowest totals SWAT wont be used. In todays world of high powered rifles, ballistic armor, tannerite, being available to the general public and gang members with Military training SWAT is necessary and its uses will continue to climb. Just my 2 cents.

Happened to many places to be coincidence.

Not so sure about that. Did Hillary win any states where he campaigned for her? I don't think she did. Obama runs good against people who don't hit back, and don't point out his faults for fear of what the media will say about them, Trump figured out early it didn't matter what he said the press was going to rip him a new one, so he let it all hang out. Recall confronting Bill with his victims, that was always available, Trump did it and it worked. No telling what he would have did to Obama, Lord knows there is enough there.

Reading the “Joke” it occurred to me that our dear leader would run to the nearest microphone and begin to explain to us the blessing of water while we all drowned. Trump can’t get here past enough.

I’m speaking as a Police Officer who is certified as an School Resource Officer in my state and I work in a High School every day students are in class. One of the things you aren’t considering is that as an Officer, I’m armed, and should I get killed or incapacitated the suspect just got access to a Glock model 22, .40 cal and 46 rounds of ammo. (1 mag in gun, 2 on belt all hold 15 rounds). Our dept does a lot of firing and use of force training, its something we don’t want to have to do, but to be willing to do, even in less than ideal situations, and just like on the streets ( worked there 26 years before I went SRO)those decisions are always second guessed by people in safety and with plenty of time to think of all the options, and often with much more information than we have at the time, much like you have, and that’s fine, its a free country, based on my experience as SRO, Patrol Officer and 18 years SWAT, I have no problem with what he did. I did want to add one more thing, you point out that the suspect was a “kid”, the youngest killer I ever ran into was 12, shot his brother 18 times with a .22 cal rifle for “messing with him’.

And you can beat your sweet a$$ it will be treated like it, and not on some “private” server. DJT for his faults does love the US. Not sure you can say that about anyone in the Dem party.

Just remember no matter what happens God is still on his throne. I just finished my morning Bible reading, it was from Isaiah 45, God there called the name of a King over 100 years before he was born, and told what he would do. He knows what is going to happen and He loves His children, it’s going to be alright. Great video.

I’ll start out by saying I’m a cop, I wont list my credentials unless someone doubts my point of reference when I speak out. When I first saw the video I was afraid of what would happen to the Officer. Watching the video it was plain to see what occurred. Officer Shelby made a fatal error, she had her finger inside the trigger guard. When Crutcher went to enter the vehicle the Officer to her left fired a taser. Taser’s when they fire emit a “pop” then you hear the charge. Officer Shelby had a sympathetic response to the sound and moved her finger which was on the trigger of her gun, Crutcher paid for her mistake with his life and for that she will pay a heavy price. While I can’t speak for her agency, we train to only put our finger inside the trigger guard when we have decided to shoot. I’m sick in ways I can’t explain about what has occurred. Having said that, while I would risk my life to save Shelby had she called for back-up in my jurisdiction, the charge appears to me to be correct according to the facts that I’ve examined, and once more the system to this point has worked.

I agree, with one exception, Donald doesn’t go far enough. Lets make it a Felony with mandatory jail time if anyone who pushes for gun control laws that disarm people to be protected by guns. Michael Moore, Michael Bloomberg, etc. Let them live out their beliefs.

I hate to say this but I know for a fact that their newsletter is passed out monthly to LEO as "intelligence". I have tried to tell others the truth about this group for years. Everything he said about them is correct.

I think you may be wrong. I have been on a county SWAT team for 16 years, 2 months ago we did a search warrant with an ATF agent ( to go Fed. on a dirt bag. Before the raid I told him that when Obama sent him to my house for my guns he better have his ducks in a row. He just laughed and said he would call in sick that day. You see alot of us Gummit workers as you call us are near retirement and know that we will be “civies” also so my interest are much like yours. As I told a lib friend of mine just remember that when the crap hits the fan we own all the guns. PS:most street officers I know are very conservative it’s some of the Brass that are touchy-feely read libs. We live in the real world.

As much as it pains me to say this I am ashamed that I assisted Sen. Graham get elected. I have already pledged my support to Mr.Witherspoon to correct this mistake. I will also if necessary vote for a Dem. not only would we know what we are getting but at least the press wouldn’t be able to trot out another useful idiot. Nobody expects anything else from a Dem.

I just attempted to call Lindsay Graham to tell him how I felt about his vote today only to be told his mail box was full. Sent an email but would love for the SOB, or one of his staff to hear my voice. For the first time in 24 years of going to vote every time the polls open I will vote for a jackass if the GOP runs this joke.

I live in a state that has 1 state police lab. It would be wonderful to have available endless forensic resources, but that's not here and now. Most sewer lines are are 4" pipes that flow to the county sewer pipes. They don't have a shut off or even a way to measure what goes in. (your sewer bill is estimated based on the amount of water you use). I don't want to sound paranoid but we don't even tell our team the location until the brief, a plumber who wasn't part of the team is out of the question in my mind. The "polite Knock" that you suggest could still allow someone who is looking at the three strikes law to have time to do something stupid. Quick , fast, and over saves lives of not only suspects, but Officers as well. It's not the "no-Knock" it's the lack of preplaning that gets both suspects and cops hurt or killed.

Yes the drugs can be field tested, but that will only show a trace. If you get the sample out of water or any other place that could cause it to be contaminated lawyers will challenge your sample and test. Another concern is that a more reliable test must usually be done by the state lab, average turn around time approx. 1 lifetime. Once you start getting into expert witnesses talking about chemical compounds you can loose jurors. It only takes one. There is an old saying about going to court, if the law is on your side, pound on the law, if the facts are on your side, pound on the facts, and if the facts and law are not on your side pound on the table. You get one person out of twelve and it's a hung jury. We have currently an approx. 800 case back log, the Solicitor can't keep retrying cases. Please don't read into this that I am trying to justify all no knock warrants but alot more forces come into play on some of these decisions.

Sorry for the delay in answering. The water cut off in front of the residence will leave enough in the water closet to allow at least one flush. Crack (drug of choice in upper SC) can be ground up with a shoe and made more difficult to find and measure the weight of it, most charges are by weight.

You are correct about the court system, I have always wished that before anyone could vote they be required to attend one session of court, a local council meeting, and watch one hour of coverage from the US House or Senate. I feel that most of our career politicians would be unemployed. You and I agree that our civil rights are being eroded, and I think that the balance between the scales of justice should always be guarded by a justice system that is being observed by an educated and informed population. Unfortunately the last election doesn't make me feel too good about that last part.

You may want to add to prevent destruction of evidence. That's why alot of drug warrants are no knock, that and to keep armed people from starting a shoot out. The biggest problem comes from the differences in SWAT teams and their training. Some people just get green uniforms and automatic weapons and call themselves a SWAT team. The team I am on you must complete the SWAT School, and go on several OPs before you can plan one. That is how to eliminate these mistakes. We have a pre-plan on ALL search warrants. It is the person who does the pre-plans job to scout the house. This means not only making sure we have the correct house but even planning the Ops when the fewest people (Other than the team) would be placed in danger, how to approach, and how we will leave. This person should not only know the house but occupants and the house should be observed prior to the raid. There is not an excuse for hitting the wrong house and if someone signs off on the pre-plan you would have someone to hold responsible if any incidents like these happen that shouldn't. We study cases to see what went wrong, and learn from others mistakes and not having someone responsible for pre-plans and intelligence is the biggest failure. People take short cuts, that what separates people who look good in uniform from professionals. We pride ourselves on taking down a house and not only nobody getting hurt (the goal of every Ops) but also the neighbors never know it until marked units come in and take out the suspects. Hope this helps explain's alittle about how things should be done, and encourages each of you to judge each team and Ops on its on.

If he didn't, he should have. Good read.