No, I said in Iraq our unit did not kill any unarmed people. I said that the Police should be able to as well. I was commenting on the training, the draw first, fire first, and shoot often training. That training is flawed. The only way to get to that point was learning the wrong lessons.
An example of learning the wrong lesson was the Miami Shootout. Paul Harrell, former Green Beret, does a far better job than I can in explaining this.
Draw first, shoot first, shoot fast, is a flawed technique guaranteed to cause unintended, and unwarranted shooting victims. The argument is that the cop can’t wait to see the gun before he shoots. That argument is flawed. If anyone is going to use lethal force it must be warranted. For our unit in Iraq, the instructions were painfully simple. If it was an army truck, light it up. If it was an enemy carrying a weapon, light him up. If it was an unarmed soldier, do not fire.
Now, you say I am perfect. Because I followed orders? Because I did exactly what I had been trained to do? Because I followed the Regulations and Rules of War? That isn’t perfect It is the bare minimum we should expect of any Soldier. So I am a bare minimum soldier, able to follow orders. If that is your idea of perfect, it is obvious that either you were in the worst unit in the history of the Military, a group so screwed up that F Troop looked competent by comparison, or you never served. I have a hard time believing that you were in a unit where nobody followed the rules, and no Sergeant or Officer enforced them. If you were, I feel very sorry for you. Because good NCO’s make a unit, and crappy ones make a gaggle of thugs in uniform.
I have also said that this war is different. People wearing suicide belts make it a lot tougher to decide who is armed and who isn’t. However, obeying the rules, and regulations is expected even today. The Rules of Engagement may be more complicated, but they are still binding orders to be followed under penalties of Courts Martial. Again, that is the bare minimum we expect of our Servicemen and women. That isn’t perfection. That is nothing more than the Soldiers doing what the hell they are supposed to do.
Now, when did following the rules equal perfection? I took classes so I could better understand when I could draw and use my weapon legally. I designed my training scenarios around those classes. The obvious idea. I don’t want to go to Prison if I can avoid it. So how is it that I a regular civilian would go through that much trouble to find out when I can fire legally, and when I can’t, and a cop can’t? I paid for my classes, the cop was paid to go to his classes.
If you want to see real reform in the Police. It would take Just a couple little changes. First, Congress passes a law stating that Qualified Immunity is only applicable if the Officer was following Training, Policy, and Procedure as well as the law. Second and last change. All lawsuit settlements and payments must come from the Pension funds of the cops.
Imagine the situation in that case. Derek is kneeling on a neck. Another cop comes up and says. “Get off of him. I retire in two years and I am not taking a job at Walmart because you are an idiot.”
Dumb cops wouldn’t be covered up for, they would be pushed out the door. Thugs would be pushed off of the force in a minute. Every cop would call every citizen Sir or Ma’am without hesitation. Because the rest of the cops would be furious if their Retirement was cut down because of the actions of an asshole.
You say perfection. Yet Drill Sergeants do it for hours a day. They put on the act. The act of being barely restrained psychopaths who can’t wait to kill the trainees. They do it all day, from before sun up to well past sundown. Six or seven days a week. Yet, they are controlled, and no matter the provocation, they are professional. That isn’t perfect. That is what the job is. That is the job they have been assigned, and like professionals, they carry out their assignment to the best of their ability.
When did it become unreasonable to expect our representatives to do the jobs they were hired to do? When did it become unreasonable to expect people to follow the rules?
Take this case.
Sacramento sheriff investigating video that shows deputy kick man during arrest
The man was surrendering. His hands were behind his head. All the cops had to do was walk up and cuff him. There were enough there if a struggle did break out to have him subdued in a minute, max.
It turns out they had the wrong guy. If they had just walked up and slapped the cuffs on him and then figured it out. A simple apology and explanation and no harm no foul. Nobody would be really all that upset.
“Sir do you have ID?” Cop takes it out of the guys pocket. Doesn’t believe that this guy is not who they are looking for. Goes to the computer to check it. Comes back in ten minutes. Unlocks cuffs and explains. “Sir, we thought you were another guy. His name is John Smith. We sincerely apologize for the mistake, and I hope we haven‘t caused you too much inconvenience today.”
Instead brutal bob the moron tried to taze him, and screwed it up, and then kicked him and started the fight. Brutal Bob is an asshole. He escalated the situation unnecessarily. Now, how is anyone supposed to feel about the cops watching that? The innocent Black Guy, he isn’t about to be a fan of the cops anytime soon is he? Why would he? Would you in that situation?
That isn’t perfection. That is common sense. The guy was surrendering. If you are winning, take the win. Don’t go for the big slam dunk. Take the win and move on. But Brutal Bob loves the Adrenalin rush. Brutal Bob should bankrupt the police pension fund Because of this. Because that will get the police acting like the professionals we expect them to be.
No, 'we' won't.
