Fired For Not Firing..

[agchristie]

Should this Officer have been sacked?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/police-officer-sacked-not-shooting-black-man-virginia-stephen-mader-ronald-williams-a7245681.html

[murraymints]

disgraceful....there but for our gun laws ..God Bless America..hmmm.....

[andy-hughes]

Following the letter of procedure - yes.

But given that the dismissed officer was trying to defuse a situation and save a life, it does appear inappropriate.

Obviously each case is discussed on its merits, and if the officer, who was the one there at the time, judged that he could avoid shooting the individual, then that should be seen as his judgement in operation as the officer first on the scene, and it should be respected.

The other officers decided there was a direct threat, and responded accordingly, with tragic consequences.

I believe that the point that the gun was unloaded is actually irrelevant - no-one knew that at the time that these split-second decisions were being made.

[anotheoldgit]

Dammed if they do and dammed if they don't.

[murraymints]

is that not a case where Taser ought to have been employed rather than bullets ?

[andy-hughes]

AOG - //Dammed if they do and dammed if they don't. //

That does succinctly sum up the situation.

[Old_Geezer]

It doesn't explain how he knew there was no threat, that the gun wasn't loaded, and it was a "suicide by cop" situation. I suspect an internal discipline option would have been better than firing the guy. Seems to me that it turned out he was right, although lucky to be so.

[Old_Geezer]

....there but for our gun laws ..

It's coming. More and more get armed here each year or so. Can't be long before those who want armed police have got their way and we are the same state as the US, as the law fails to prevent criminals from getting hold of and using guns more and more.

[andy-hughes]

Old_Geezer - //It doesn't explain how he knew there was no threat, that the gun wasn't loaded, and it was a "suicide by cop" situation. //

I don't think that is what the officer was saying. Obviously he had no idea of knowing if the gun was loaded or not, but his approach was based on the knowledge that he may be facing a loaded gun, but he made a judgement about his ability to defuse the situation.

Sadly, he had no way of knowing if his approach would have been successful or not.

// I suspect an internal discipline option would have been better than firing the guy. Seems to me that it turned out he was right, although lucky to be so. //

As I said in my original post, I don't think that the fact that the gun was not loaded is an issue - the officer behaved without that knowledge, and made a judgement based on the situation he faced, and that should be accepted.

[chrissa1]

I was struck a few weeks ago by a video that was shown, when a young man was shot after stealing a car. The first thing the policeman in the US did when he saw the stolen car come speeding towards and passed him, was draw his gun.
I mean, who pulls a gun to stop a car thief in this, country??

Crazy gun society.

[sinderella]

A car is a weapon.What should he do throw flowers?

[chrissa1]

Are you American, sinderella?

In the UK, the police don't carry guns, unless it's in special circumstances when they are attending a scene where it's known, that firearms are being used against them, or another member of the public.

To try and stop a car thief with a gun is, ridiculous.

Stop Sticks, TPack etc etc are used here.

[Lynn_M]

"Damned if they do, damned it they don't".

Correct, but yes, he did endanger the lives of his colleagues, so they were correct to sack him; he did not know that the gun was empty.

His colleagues still shot the SOBB and I'm surprised that it didn't start yet another Black Tyres Matter riot

[waterboatman]

That officer showed good practice in his actions. He should be held up as a model of sensible policing. Sacking him says more about his superiors than is does about him.