Apology!

I don't take it personally, I feel we were expressing our viewpoints. The police have a difficult job and there are so many different circumstances that lead to any particular decision. I'm sure we all feel for the loved ones of anyone that gets killed. But sometimes it's not possible to tell if someone has a weapon or not or whether it is *just a toy* or not. Hard to see things clearly when it's dark, bad weather or people are moving around quickly. There was a wonderful policeman close to my home here. My younger son went to high school with this mans sons, and he always took my son along paintballing or other kinds of father/son activities on the weekends whenever he did anything with his own children. I can't tell you how much that meant to my son ( who doesn't have a father) and to me that this kind man went so out of his way to be a good role model and just plain have fun with teen kids. On his beat last April 19th, around 12.00 noon, he stopped a carful of young men that were speeding down the road. As Off. Uribe got out of his patrol car and walked towards the suspects car, one of the young men took out a gun and shot him in the head in cold blood while he was

50 feet away. He never saw what was coming. My son, and of course the officers family were totally devestated.....things like this happen all too frequently unfortunately. I cannot in good conscience ever criticise a police officer for making an instantaneous decision. Maybe some of the responsibility should rest on people not to put themselves in compromising positions. Marie and the cats

No need to apologize, Gem. I think that you started a good discussion, not an argument. And discussions are good!

Higs, Kather> Yikes... I certainly didn't mean to start a major arguement in the

Eggzackerly! I can just imaging how devastated you must have been, Marie.

Higs, Kather> I don't take it personally, I feel we were expressing our viewpoints.

Gemini ,, it is OK to voice your opinions , but it is also ok to read some answers about. I didn`t join this discussion, i had no info about this case, and most people here , voice their opinions, just to voice it , not to use it as a falming tactic. But i wanted to remind you and others, that times are hard for all and esp the security forces, which are supposed to protect you and me from crime and terror. A ragging teenager with a knife could just as easily be a terrorist with [very[ bad intentions. Of course any shooting of any civilian should be checked , meaures should be taken not to shoot the innocent ,,, But this measured carefullness sometimes can cost the lives of other innocent bystrnaders ,,, Security forces are now faced before Extra hard choices ... let`s have some respect for people who risk their lives for all of us. And let`s hope that people would drink less take less drugs and be less agressive the next coming year. mirjam

I didn't see Gems posting but I agree with Katherine:) It was a good discussion and which I think is always useful:)

O

Mirjam Bruck-Cohen wrote: ,,, But this measured carefullness sometimes can cost the

X-no-Archive:yes

Mirjam - those are words that can be used as guidelines for all of us. It is so unfortunate that many in this lovely world just want to harm others. Every time I hear sirens here in my small town in CT, I am reminded that the police and volunteer firemen are doing their jobs to protect us. Ever since '9/11' there is also increased air and sea monitoring here on the east coast. I was a small child during WWII and remember the air raid wardens even then.................

Gemini wrote: (snip)

It just really upsets me to see people shot down and

(snip)

Three points to add.

1. Police are trained to aim for the body which is the largest target. Handguns really are not very accurate at any distance.

1. A retired Canadian police officer with the peace keeping forces in Haiti was shot in the leg just before Christmas and died almost immediately. It depends what the bullet hits and if it is a main artery.........

2. This is not a job that I would want to do - I just thank the people who look after my safety.

Roger.

Gem - nothing to apologize for. There has been a lot of good discussion, and some points for us all to learn.

Especially the part about the police being taught to aim for the large target.

Also that it isn't as easy as we think to shoot a hand gun precisely.

That most cops aren't sharpshooters.

People on drugs can be even harder to subdue than ones who aren't.

Roger of Yarn Forward brought forth the fact that the retired RCMP officer who was shot in the leg in Haiti, is the one who bled to death. That was the case I was talking about, but couldn't remember who/where.(the joys of getting older)

I think of all the posts, there was only one that was combative, and that poster seems to have disappeared. (shrug) So, dear heart, relax - I think everything is fine (smile).

Shelagh

Thank goodness! :o)

*hugs* Gem

sorry I totally missed that discussion, I bet it was very interesting.......(big smile)

Els

O.K., this is what we know so far.

The shooting happened two blocks from my house, but I learned about it on tv, like everybody else. I have not yet had a chance to talk to my favorite local cops. However, the man is a schizophrenic, well known to the police and the local merchants. He had tried to buy something in the corner drugstore, but when the credit card machine would not accept his card, he punched the clerk. A sheriff's deputy who was in the store flagged down a patrol car and reported the incident. The man has an arrest record going back sixteen years, including one for battery on a police officer. It seems that none of his family is here, they have not yet returned from evacuation, but they were loud in their condemnation of the cops after they learned of the incident from the news media.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Ahh... this is a bit more understandable why it happened the way it did then. Thank you for clearing that up, Olwyn Mary! :o)

I guess I just have always leaned more toward the underdog in *most* situations, until it is proven that the reasoning behind it called for the worst case scenerio to play out. I remember a few years back (no one got killed, thankfully) hearing about a gentleman in British Columbia who couldn't speak any English and therefore couldn't tell anyone why he did what he did.... who was arrested for stealing either a single hot dog or a package of them and was eating them raw, because the man was actually starving and couldn't tell anyone that. It really upset me a lot that no one could figure that out, and had him arrested for trying to keep from starving. :o/ Yeah, yeah... I belong to the bleeding hearts club... I'm a softy, and I can't help it. I would give anything if I could help everyone who needed it.

Anyway, thank you again for making the story clearer for us. It is more understandable now, considering that he is a repeat offender.

Gemini