Posted on 02/11/2005 8:58:37 PM PST by SmithL
LOS ANGELES - Police Chief William Bratton on Friday proposed a new policy that would ban officers from firing at moving vehicles, less than a week after the fatal police shooting of a 13-year-old suspected car thief.
The change would prohibit officers from firing at a moving vehicle "unless the officer or another person is being threatened with deadly force by means other than the moving vehicle," Bratton said in a memo to police commissioners.
He asked the civilian Police Commission to approve the policy at its meeting Tuesday.
Police departments in major cities, including Boston, Cincinnati and Detroit, in recent years have adopted similar restrictions.
The policy came under scrutiny following the fatal shooting Sunday of Devin Brown, an eighth-grader at a magnet school for gifted youth.
Brown crashed a 1990 Toyota Camry that was reported stolen. His 14-year-old male passenger ran away. The Camry then backed into a patrol car, damaging it.
After a pursuit, an officer fired 10 rounds at the vehicle, killing Brown at the scene.
Bob Baker, president of the police union, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said he opposes changing the existing policy. Current policy generally prohibits firing at a moving vehicle but allows deadly force as a last resort.
"You can't legislate what is going to happen in the streets. Our work is highly unpredictable and usually dictated by the actions of suspects," Baker said. "You can't take away all discretion from a police officer to try and save a community member's life or his own life or his partner's life."
Or spitballs.
L
Nothing mentioned about shooting the driver of the vehicle. "I was aiming at the driver!" Bratton is a maroon, regardless.
You sir, are correct.
This PC crap disgusts me. Every time I see a car chase segment on TV, I wonder about the idiots running that Police Department (or the Major, Civilian police commission, etc.).
Look, if my own 17 year old son steals a car, or gets drunk, and starts drivnig recklessly while evading the police, they'd BETTER shoot him before he kills someone else's innocent wife, child, or husband/father!
SFS
Well that's the end of suspended licenses. Cars can't kill. What would be the point?
Hahn, Bratton, you two should team up with Sheriff Baca and start making Three Stooges movies.
The only changes they should be making is to ensure their officers can take down a criminal dirtbag in fewer than 10 shots.
The change would prohibit officers from firing at a moving vehicle "unless the officer or another person is being threatened with deadly force by means other than the moving vehicle,"
All you people in LA better look out because the criminal has the right of way.
So, Bratton says it is okay to murder or attempt to murder an officer, provided only a car is used as the weapon.
Not wishing anyone [No; of course I would NEVER do that! I'm a GOOD l'il ' FReeper.] bad luck, but wouldn't it be interesting of a few of car loads of LAPD officers stood by and watched while a killer SUV chased down, attacked and maimed the SOB, just using its bare wheels?
They're *always* honor roll students aren't they...
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