I agree 100%. Plus, I believe they do not deserve blanket or knee-jerk condemnation.ELB wrote:...people in the law enforcement apparatus, including police, prosectors, and judges, do not deserver blanket or knee-jerk support. They are given extra powers and privileges, and I, at least, expect extra effort out of them to meet their responsibilities...
And the fact that the incident is being discussed here is evidence that this is not being hidden from the public.
There was obviously no intent to commit a crime, hence the primary element is missing.
[personal opinion and possible bias due to previous experience as a law enforcement officer]
I am trying to point out that due to my experience in law enforcement, and having been drinking buddies in the past (is it okay with everyone here that a trooper has a pint of beer once in awhile when off duty and not on-call?) with a few DPS troopers, the organization is not lax on discipline and I'm pretty sure this officer got a serious trip behind the woodshed.
I just don't see enough appreciation for these guys who are literally out there being spit on, getting slapped, shot at, cussed out, vomited on, etc. etc. etc for about 35k a year to balance out the instantaneous piling on of the public wanting a pound of flesh from them every time they make a mistake.
Those guys have internet connections, too, and they worry about whether they'll be able to tote a gun when they retire or change jobs. I would like them to know some of us are aware that their superiors ALWAYS believe them guilty until proven innocent and that there's not much necessity for the public to ALWAYS do the same.
[/personal opinion and possible bias due to previous experience as a law enforcement officer]
[personal opinion and possible bias due to previous experience as a law enforcement officer]jbirds1210 wrote:I would say that some might handle it out of the public view.ELB wrote: If a civilian had left behind a handgun and his CHL, and the store had reported it to police, would he "get a piece of paper in his file?" And would it be handled out of public view? Or would it result in a police record, if only of arrest or charges dropped?
Jason
Yes, some would. And if they got caught doing it, some of their supervisors would ignore any "officer discretion" arguments and write them up for it. And folks on internet boards would call for the officer to be fired for not taking the gun nut to jail.
[/personal opinion and possible bias due to previous experience as a law enforcement officer]
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