How do we help stop the killings of our older veterans by civilian police?

2015-03-29T03:06:06-04:00

Here are two examples of hundreds that happened so sadly and did not have to. How do we save our older veteran from the police. I think the police have a right to be afraid but if they are that afraid that they are killing so quickly without any time to see what is going on I think they should find a new job. two examples:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2579654/Police-dashcam-shows-South-Carolina-cop-shoot-70-year-old-Vietnam-veteran-man-reached-truck-cane-routine-traffic-stop.html

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/police-shoot-95-year-old-wwii-vet-death-refusing-go-hospital

the bottom one maybe he was just tired of the doctoring and wanted to be left in peace to die on his own. But surely did not deserve to be killed by the police in this manner. what are your opinions? this makes me very upset.
Forgive me if I am having troubles comprehending exactly where to post such questions. Thank you team for helping me relocate to the proper places.

Dashcam shows cop shoot 70-year-old man reaching for his cane

The video shows York County Sheriff's Deputy Terrance Knox, 24, stop Bobby Canipe over an expired registration. After he pulls to the side of the road, Canipe is seen getting out of the driver's side of the truck, reaching into the truck bed and pulling out what Knox believed to be a weapon.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 29 at 2015 3:08 AM

2015-03-29T03:08:02-04:00

By Military Police?

Response by PV2 Violet Case made Mar 29 at 2015 3:19 AM

2015-03-29T03:19:56-04:00

sorry was getting tired and meant to say that civilian police are doing this.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Mar 29 at 2015 7:31 AM

2015-03-29T07:31:37-04:00

To draw a parallel.

Imagine you go out of the wire every day. Some days you see things, most days you don't. You begin to coil like a spring. There is a certain point where that spring will "sproing." PTS is not just a military phenomenon. First Responders (Police, Fire, Medical, and even Dispatchers) are getting higher and higher cases of it. We know from our own reactions what it does to us. Imagine what it does to a "civilian" in a "civilian environment" while in a "position of authority" or public trust.

I used to be a gun dealer. My shop catered to Law Enforcement. We were clean, organized, inexpensive, and we didn't tolerate idiots who wanted to buy a "9," or a "Desert Eagle" because they looked cool. So we we cops in the shop all the time. Off duty mostly, but a lot of times in uniform as they were heading home/to work. One of my employees (part time) was a Pentagon PD guy.

One thing he told me that stuck with me was this. When he was much younger, working Arlington/Alexandria area, "he was scared all the time." Not big fear, but ever present fear. Constantly on edge. You never knew how a traffic stop was going to go. VA is shall issue (Concealed Carry), Open Carry, and Gun Friendly, and that usually isn't an issue, unless it's two a.m. and you pull over a housemom in a minivan on the way home from drinks with the girls, and when she is pulling her insurance out, and a .357 falls out.

In places like Detroit or Houston or Oakland... I couldn't imagine the kind of constant stress the cops are under. So when someone reaches for something... It's "understandable," not right, but understandable.

There's a fine line though. We as citizens need to be courteous & polite, and learn how to de-escalate. However, not to the point of being sheep.

Response by MAJ Matthew Arnold made Mar 29 at 2015 8:29 AM

2015-03-29T08:29:06-04:00

OK, I realize Sheriff Andy is a character, but art imitates life, and I can't see Sheriff Andy, or any real live peace officers from a few years ago, ever pulling out their guns and shooting senior citizens or any citizens. There is a social, systomatic, illness here, which unfortunately will require time, money, and education to remedy. In the mean time, the goal is to stay alive. When I was a teen driver in Los Angeles County (1970s) we all knew how to respond to the LADP, sit in the car, get out your license and registration and wait. We also knew how to respond the the LA county Sheriff's Office, when pulled over in the coastal mountain canyons after dark, put your license in one hand, registration in the other hand, put both hands on the wheel, 10 and 2, sit still and wait. So, stay alive, teach your kids how to stay alive.

Response by CMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 29 at 2015 9:07 AM

2015-03-29T09:07:51-04:00

There will always be incidents like these and there always have been. However with advent of "the information age" we hear and see every instance of it. By and large the police are doing the right thing but that doesn't make the evening news. As was mentioned earlier if you don't want to be killed by cop, just do what they ask and be compliant.

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Mar 29 at 2015 11:35 AM

2015-03-29T11:35:50-04:00

Terrible and troubling events you've identified here PV2 Violet Case.

As for a recommendation, it could that there's an equipment fix? Maybe better Police vehicles that would offer the Officer protection (windshield/windows/doors) that provide better protection for the Officer, they could remain in the vehicle and make use of the PA system to get the person into a position where the officer has better situational awareness. Once the individual is in a position the officer is comfortable with, the officer can then engage.