Publics perception of cops regarding Katrina

[Caspertoo]

I was talking to one of my family members and I told her about the plea for help from sworn officers, first she tells me I better not be thinking about going. I tell her that if they were taking Reserve officers I would go in a heartbeat. Then I talk about my thoughts on shooting looters and my reservations about it.

She goes on to tell me that the police shouldn't be worrying about people looting and should only be worrying about search and rescue.

She also says that because hundreds if not thousands are still stranded and needing rescuing we need to totally concentrate on that issue. I tell her that the same people who are looting are the same people who are stealing guns and essential items needed for the truly sick and injured. I tell her that these same people are the ones roving around in trucks armed with guns that are raping women and are taking pot shots at the medical helicopters, ambulances and other rescue personnel.

She tells me that if there are 5 of those types of people we should send in 50 armed swat guys, if there are 50 we should send in 500, if there 500 we should send in 5000 and so on and so on. I tell her that logistically this isn't possible, due to the number of boats and such needed. She tells me that besides which we need to rescue the people first, to which I say but these roving people have already killed multiple officers down there trying to rescue people.

Here's the clincher..

She says what is the life of a few officers to the hundreds of people stranded

I tell her I can't believe she is so glib over the lives of LEO's lost trying to protect people who for the most part chose to stay in New Orleans and these officers are now dealing with the aftermath of trying to rescue those people while dealing with the lowest of the criminals of the area.

I just can't help feel that a lot more of the general public feels this way. What the hell is wrong with the ordinary citizens of this country when they think we as LEO's should be at their beck and call up to and including laying down our lives because they didn't have the god damn common sense to evacuate an area when they were told to.

Eh I know no real point to my post I guess just frustration.

[SinePari]

Umm, I'm lost. Do you just want to shoot somebody, or help people? You know, you can go to this place called Iraq if you want to do both.

[FreelanceRight]

This may surprise you but

I had no problem with people stealing food and water, I had a big problem with the rest of the looting.

I heard a doctor on the phone at one point and he was sobbing, something pretty rare for doctors. He and his staff moved patients to the roof of the hospital so they could be taken by chopper to somewhere they could get better care. When the Coast Guard chopper arrived, they were greeted with "about a hundred thugs with AK-47's that wanted the helicopter". They didn't land. As a result, eight patients died that would have been fine.

This may surprise you, but every member of the public I talked to were pulling for the cops and believed "shoot to kill" was the way to go. If these guys behave this bad under these circumstances, what are they like every day? Do the world a favor, extract them.

Anyone else feel like someone needs to make sure the two suicides were suicides? This is one hinky government. A pimp and a wimp.

Bite the bullet and remember that a lot of the public is behind you...we just don't get any publicity.

[jerrymaccauley]

Just a reminder for you non LE types. We don't get shoot to kill orders. That was a comment from the LA. Governor. We have all been trained to shoot in the defense of life. That includes armed thugs who are threatening the public. You won't hear of any cops shooting looters. However, you will see them held at gunpoint until they are secured, flee or are otherwise proven to unarmed and not a threat. There are a lot of politicians trying to get their soundbites aired, but trust me, the men and women who wear a badge and are on the ground are more concerned with rescue than they are with looters. The businesses that have insurance have already made their claims for a total loss and no one is trying to protect their waterlogged merchandise. There has been armed resistance to the rescue effort and those mutants need to be handled, but not by the critics who still say the government response is not working. It will be handled by the men and women who wear the badge and go into the areas that most are fleeing.

[mjohns2]

I was talking to one of my family members and I told her about the plea for help from sworn officers, first she tells me I better not be thinking about going. I tell her that if they were taking Reserve officers I would go in a heartbeat. Then I talk about my thoughts on shooting looters and my reservations about it.

She goes on to tell me that the police shouldn't be worrying about people looting and should only be worrying about search and rescue.

She also says that because hundreds if not thousands are still stranded and needing rescuing we need to totally concentrate on that issue. I tell her that the same people who are looting are the same people who are stealing guns and essential items needed for the truly sick and injured. I tell her that these same people are the ones roving around in trucks armed with guns that are raping women and are taking pot shots at the medical helicopters, ambulances and other rescue personnel.

She tells me that if there are 5 of those types of people we should send in 50 armed swat guys, if there are 50 we should send in 500, if there 500 we should send in 5000 and so on and so on. I tell her that logistically this isn't possible, due to the number of boats and such needed. She tells me that besides which we need to rescue the people first, to which I say but these roving people have already killed multiple officers down there trying to rescue people.

Here's the clincher..

She says what is the life of a few officers to the hundreds of people stranded

I tell her I can't believe she is so glib over the lives of LEO's lost trying to protect people who for the most part chose to stay in New Orleans and these officers are now dealing with the aftermath of trying to rescue those people while dealing with the lowest of the criminals of the area.

I just can't help feel that a lot more of the general public feels this way. What the hell is wrong with the ordinary citizens of this country when they think we as LEO's should be at their beck and call up to and including laying down our lives because they didn't have the god damn common sense to evacuate an area when they were told to.

Eh I know no real point to my post I guess just frustration.

I think the phrase "To protect and Serve" has alot of people confused right now

[hemicop]

Your frustration & disgust are more than understood. i had a firefighter in my own city tell me it's a LEOs job to get shot at . People think cops grow on trees & alot think no special personal skills are required to do the job. The only thing I can say is : consider the source .

[AMG]

How about all you john wayne guys go and stop all the corporate big wigs from stealing. Last time I checked the Enron thieves are still in the free world waiting on Justice.

[pkagel]

Should have told him it is his job to get burned to death and see the on his face then. What an A.., I can't believe a FF would be so arogant as to say such a thing. Gotta wonder how good of a FF he really was.

Your frustration & disgust are more than understood. i had a firefighter in my own city tell me it's a LEOs job to get shot at .

[jerrymaccauley]

How about all you jihn wayne guys go and stop all the cororate big wigs from stealing. Last time I checked the Enron thieves are still in the free world waiting on Justice.

How about you find a different board to haunt. I believe that you have crossed from legitimate debate to cop bashing and maybe it's time to sign off.

[ftlaudcop]

I think miss a.m.g.......' jerry curl juice' has fried the brain,
or his ' weave' is to tite.....

[28Blue21]

Hey AMG - We hear that excuse every single day. "Why don't you fight some real crime instead of harassing me with this traffic ticket?!?!?" Or how about "I wasn't going the fastest, why didn't you stop that other guy who passed me?!?!?!?" Breaking the law is breaking the law.

Listen, to be perfectly honest with you, I believe the penalties given on white collar crime are pathetic. Man steals $200 from a 7-11 and goes away for a long time. That compared to a corporate exec stealing 10 million who receives a couple months in a club fed. ****es me off, too.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAt?????? Man should still go to jail for robbing 7-11 for a looooonnnngggg time.

So if this really bothers you, complain to your congressman. And don't steal tv's.

[gotthblues]

How about all you john wayne guys go and stop all the corporate big wigs from stealing. Last time I checked the Enron thieves are still in the free world waiting on Justice.

do you vote, if so, you also put these people in office that make laws, or appoint people to these types of positions who are responsible for trying white collar crimes,
and if you dont vote, then STHU, since you didnt attempt to make a difference,

just my humble unitelligent jack booted butt. have a day.

[Washingtonian]

do you vote, if so, you also put these people in office that make laws, or appoint people to these types of positions who are responsible for trying white collar crimes,
and if you dont vote, then STHU, since you didnt attempt to make a difference,

just my humble unitelligent jack booted butt. have a day.

This guy AMG is called a "troll", he makes borderline retarded statements to get a rise. You're giving him what he wants. Put him on your ignore list until he eventually gets banned, which is hopefully soon.

[BCSD]

Part of something I wrote a few months ago:

My job requires me to carry a weapon and sometime during my career I may have to defend myself or protect an innocent victim in harms way. No Police Officer doing their job, wants to take the life of another. If confronted with only that option, an Officer must fulfill their sworn commitment to protect and defend, so help me God. Don't they realize that I am responding to the actions of others, that individuals dictate what I do, how I respond and that I shoot so that I may live and not because I want to kill?

[beano00]

Turd mush

How about all you john wayne guys go and stop all the corporate big wigs from stealing. Last time I checked the Enron thieves are still in the free world waiting on Justice.

Answer this for me please. If you got car jacked for your pimp-mobile or hooptie (I can use that term because its over a year old), who would you call? I bet one of these John Wayne guys. If someone put a gun to your temple and took your wallet, or raped you, who would you turn to for help? YUP,,,John Wayne.

Boy o' Boy, there's nothing like an unappreciative terd.