Remedial Training for Long Beach Police Department
In memory of Douglas Zerby, who was shot to death by Long Beach’s Finest — here is today’s remedial police training. Ready?
This is a water nozzle.
AND:
This is a gun.
OK? Any questions? If any of you “peace” officers still can’t tell the difference — you’re in the wrong line of work.
Labels: Douglas Zerby, Long Beach Police, water nozzle gun
posted by Tom Harper @ 4:47 PM
7 Comments:
Uh Oh!
This could be serious, they shot a white guy!
Erik
so let's see should they have gotten closer to make sure was was apparently a weapon pointed at the officer wasn't really a weapon?
Who in their right mind would do that and expect a good outcome. As far as I am concerned the guy was a moron and should have known better.
What's the qualifications of that job..breathing?
@Erik, HA! I mean, Kill 'Em All, Let God Sort 'Em Out.
This is just so wrong. I'm sure the cops who killed Zerby aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. I'd be willing to bet their training leaves a lot to be desired.
Then again, cops are acutely aware of their peers being blown away with frightening regularity. In Tacoma, several cops killed while eating breakfast at a diner a year or two ago. A guy just walked into the place and started shooting them.
In Seattle, not once but two or three times in recent years, a cop or state trooper killed making what appeared to be a routine traffic stop, or to assist someone whose car was pulled over to the side of the freeway. No warning, just blown away. So, other cops decide that in a questionable situation, they're going to shoot first and ask questions later. Then, something like this happens.
Let me be clear: I'm not making excuses for the cops. There is no excusing their lack of attempting to talk to Zerby, to find out what his intentions were. I'm mentioning reasons why something like this happens and is likely to keep happening.
In a better America, there would be fewer guns, fewer shootings of all kinds and less violence. We need to face the fact ours is a less civilized country than many in the world, and be willing to learn from those doing better. Starting with how children are raised, educated, socialized and entertained.
Erik: It still hasn't gotten much news coverage, for some reason.
Anonymous: In case you didn't read the linked article, the police didn't even announce their presence. They had surrounded him and he didn't even know they were there. The least they could have done was yell out "Sir, drop your weapon!" like they do on TV.
Tim: Right. If you can breathe and pull a trigger, you're hired.
Randal: Ah, my favorite bumper sticker.
SW: I agree that law enforcement is a dangerous profession. I wouldn't want it.
But they need better training and they need to be held accountable when they make mistakes, just like any other occupation.
"We need to face the fact ours is a less civilized country than many in the world, and be willing to learn from those doing better." No argument there. Unfortunately, too many people would respond to that statement with: "Hey! America is Number One! You got a problem wi' dat?"
"The least (the cops) could have done was yell out 'Sir, drop your weapon!' like they do on TV."
That's standard in police training, to prevent exactly what happened to Zerby. Maybe these bozos were taking a restroom break when that came up.
"But they need better training and they need to be held accountable when they make mistakes, just like any other occupation."
Absolutely. The cops who shot Zerby should never, ever be employed where they have guns or physical control over others. Never mind police training. They've shown they lack good enough judgment to own a gun, much less be cops.
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