Death raises concern at police tactics

BBC News ^ | Tuesday, 21 March 2006 | Matthew Davis

[Carbonsteel]

The recent killing of an unarmed Virginia doctor has raised concerns about what some say is an explosion in the use of military-style police Swat teams in the United States.

Armed with assault rifles, stun grenades - even armoured personnel carriers - units once used only in highly volatile situations are increasingly being deployed on more routine police missions.

Dr Salvatore Culosi Jr had come out of his townhouse to meet an undercover policeman when he was shot through the chest by a Special Weapons and Tactics force.

It was about 2135 on a chilly January evening. The 37-year-old optometrist was unarmed, he had no history of violence and displayed no threatening behaviour.

But he had been under investigation for illegal gambling and in line with a local police policy on "organised crime" raids, the heavily armed team was there to serve a search warrant.

[Carbonsteel]

I can see how this would worry some. Here in Lubbock, a SWAT officer was killed by friendly fire when the team was called out over a domestic dispute.

On the other hand, with gangs growing larger, stronger, and better armed, its hard not to justify it.

[Puppage]

Yes, be gentle with the armed, murderous criminals. It's not their fault they're bad.....nobody ever took the time to love them.

[camle]

they have to justify their huge cost. if they don't deploy, they cannot do so. So the most they want to stay in business, the more likely they will deploy in ever decreasing circumstances. It's called "funding justifiable mission creep".

[headsonpikes]

"The problem is that when you talk about the war on this and the war on that, and police officers see themselves as soldiers, then the civilian becomes the enemy."

To paraphrase Chairman Mao, the US Government is "building socialism with Amerrican characteristics".

[FroedrickVonFreepenstein]

"The problem is that when you talk about the war on this and the war on that, and police officers see themselves as soldiers, then the civilian becomes the enemy."

I think that line above says it all. Far too many police forces are acting as armies of occupation rather than keepers of the peace.

[JTN]

Yes, be gentle with the armed, murderous criminals. It's not their fault they're bad.....nobody ever took the time to love them.

The problem, if you take the time to read the article, is that S.W.A.T. teams are being sent to arrest, unarmed, nonmurderous criminals, often with tragic results.

[LZ_Bayonet]

Also recall Columbine, where the truly first-responding officers were not allowed to enter immediately, while awaiting SWAT. The result was that the students remaining inside were left to fend for themselves until SWAT arrived, assembled, and entered. SWAT is just another tool, and is justifiable on that basis. How effective or ineffective a tool results from the decision making of the managers.

[Deguello]

"officer was killed by friendly fire"

Dallas had Officer Cox who was stitched up the back by a H&K MP5, but you are not supposed to know this.

[IronJack]

Have you ever noticed how concerned British news organizations are with American guns? Surely there's a prince somewhere these clowns can be pestering, or a cricket match that needs covering. Our 2nd Amendment must give the Brits a wedgie.

[IronJack]

"funding justifiable mission creep".

DING! DING! You go on to the lightning round.

[IronJack]

By the way, that's one of the defining characteristics of every bureaucracy.

[glasseye]

You better shut your big mouth or the 'Jack boot' sycophants will be here to call you a 'cop hater'.

Dangerous sadistic hero bump.

[monday]

Well, accidents happen. As long as the family is properly compensated and the officer who fired the fatal shot is fired and never allowed to work as a police officer again, then you have to say that incidents like this are just part of the price we pay to have a safe society.

The problem is, victims are rarely compensated, and the officers whose incompetence cause these tragedies are rarely even disciplined let alone fired.

Witness the two month long investigation in this case. They are desperately trying to find some way to make it the fault of their victim instead of taking responsibility for their screw up.

That is what is evil about law enforcement, not the fact that they make mistakes.

[PaxMacian]

Go ahead! Try to justify summary execution in the USA!

[PaxMacian]

" Far too many police forces are acting as armies of occupation rather than keepers of the peace."

In fact, they are acting as terrorists! The lack of results in a generations long civil war relegates all action as significant only for the terror that it inflicts upon the citizenry in effort to control their appetites. (Not a Constitutionally mandated federal power!)

[George from New England]

"Yes, be gentle with the armed, murderous criminals."

This is more about excessive use of force where civilians and innocents die...cmon.

Police departments are justifying more swat call outs to increase their budgets.

Follow the $$$.

[af_vet_rr]

Far too many police forces are acting as armies of occupation rather than keepers of the peace.

I don't know about that, but they sure as hell dress and equip like it.

[George from New England]

Who knows the laws on wearing body armour?

Are the civilian restrictions state by state statutes or are there federal laws affecting citizen use of kevlar?

[Travis McGee]

BANG!

[Travis McGee]

Don't forget, in that Lubbock "circulaar SWAT firing squad" case, they arrested the innocent home owner and charged him with murdering the cop. Thank God he didn't own any weapons in the caliber that killed the cop.

(For those who forgot, a SWAT accidental discharge led to a firefight between the front yard SWAT cops, and the back yard SWAT cops....right through the man's house. Hundreds of rounds were fired at each other. A cop was killed, and an innocent man was being railroaded as a "cop killer." He'd be on death row today if he had owned a gun in .223.)