...at what seemingly is a sharp uptick in LEO's being shot. This last one in Omaha really hit hard. Is is my imagination or has there suddenly been declared a shooting war against police officers? Or is this just the normal amount that suddenly is getting national exposure? I watched what was happening in Baltimore too, what with the sudden increase in crime and My Lord, the riff raff (for lack of a forum safe word) has gone positively off the deep end.
NOBODY deserves this *%&$!

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Forum consigliere

It's really sad. What's worse is the number of people in our country that seem to be happy about it.

Good question actually.LA Times says the number of officers killed went up 89 percent from 2013 to 2014, yet remained below a 35 year average. The article and a graph is here Number of police officers killed in 2014 jumps 89% from 2013 - LA Times

2013 seemed to have a historically low number. The number of officers killed was much higher in the 1970s. Better training, better medicine and body armor likely contribute to the reduction.

Yep, shooting of police is on the rise, "social justice", ya know. A real "cant win for trying" situation. So, cops in the bigger cities will back off, and take a "hands off approach" to policing. Crime will increase, citizens will become outraged - "WHERE ARE THE POLICE"!!.

Cops will crack down on crime, people will be happy. Then another generation will grow up saying "why are these cops always harassing us"?. The cops will get tired of it, and back off, and the cycle will repeat itself.

NYC is a good example. None of the 20 and 30 year olds who are complaining the most were around in the 1970's to remember just how bad things were there before the cops cleaned things up... Stop And Frisk, for example, now under fire, if not already banned, was a response to citizens complaints about heavy gang and drug activity. It resulted in a drastic reduction in street crimes. Lets see how long it takes for the residents of these areas to start complaining again when crime rates start going up...

Larry

well ... if it makes you feel a little better.
those witnesses interviewed may have fit a certain common description to those found in the Balt. However, they have seemed overwhelmingly well spoken, and disinterested in certain issues we cannot discuss.
I don't think we'll be seeing any riots here.
They haven't given up to the gang VS Police crossfire.

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it just needs more voltage

I was thinking the,same thing. IMO it's more national news now.

You are probably correct-Gator's link was informative. But still, it's a bear out there for sure.

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Forum consigliere

Those of us with family and close friends in law enforcement are paying close attention but trying to not dwell on it.

It's a scary time for sure.

Since May 5 2015 9 police officers have died in the line of duty.Six by gunfire the last was to bring her premie baby home from the hospital the next day. Another was gunned down on the morning of his sons high school graduation.Other than some quick running local stories it is not considered news.As I had a public defender tell me once when I tried to charge a ex con with threatning to kill police officers .That is just part of the job and it is ok for them to hurt,kill and threaten you.Unfortunley a lot of the public feels that way too.
May GOD BLESS those fallen officers.And may GOD protect our country.

I note the Nebraska Legislature is poised to repeal their death penalty and replace with 3 meals and a cot for Life. Let's see, a 40% illegitimacy rate, widespread welfare dependency, fatherlessness, drug use.....

But don't you keep bad guys out of prison?

And that is why I could never be a lawyer. They have some hoity-toity belief that everyone should get the best defense possible no matter how unfit to breath the common air they might be.

This country is heading for something. I am afraid to examine just what that might be too closely but I believe that if/when it happens it will be big, it will be bloody, and it will be all over the country. And I think that once it starts it will go on for a long time, getting worse before it gets better.

I hate having to think about this because it scares me through and through. But I don't see how the good people of this country can sit still much longer and watch the criminal element take over this country. The police are out numbered and out gunned by a wide margin which grows bigger every day and they are bound by rules (some of them counter productive and even stupid. It's getting to be about time to take back the streets.

150 years ago decent people had to take most of the responsibility for their own safety. Too few laws and to few people to enforce them. The legal system was in it's embryonic stage and justice was pretty much left to each person to define for themselves.

All the refinements, improvements and growth in the legal system, law enforcement and forensic science as it applies to solving crimes not withstanding decent society is still on the short end of the stick.

The bottom line is that there is a point of no return where it will be too late and there won't be anyway to take back our streets, parks, cities and towns. And it just feels like that we get closer and closer to that point every day.

A few non violent things I believe might help:
. Stiffer laws more efficiently enforced
. Increase the use of the death penalty by broadening it's application and drastically speed up the carrying out of sentence.
. Stop granting parole/probation/early release based upon the cost of confining prisoners. When a jury (and I've served on my share) assess a prison term that is what they intend for the convict to serve. Not to serve a tiny portion and then be released back into society to save the prison system money.

. Work to improve the rights of the victims of Crimes. (However that may be done.
* And MY FAVORITE: Cease the practice of disallowing the use of evidence that was improperly obtained. If a piece of evidence is disallowed that gets to the truth then what you wind up with is something less than justice. Sure. Deal with the problem. Punish whoever violated the rules but if you can't use the truth they concept of justice is out the window. Plug all the loop holes that criminals and their slimy lawyers use to let them get away with murder, rape and other violent crimes.

Let me illustrate that last thought with a hypothetical example:
A guy robs a convenience store. He shoots and kills the clerk and a customer in the process. The investigating officers make a mistake in the collection of evidence and a key item is disallowed. As a result the judge, under the law has no choice but to let the guy go. He gets out of jail and commits another robbery killing another innocent person just trying to make an honest living. That crime and that death are a result of a failed system.

And things like this happen all the time.

If we don't start trying some of these pretty soon it may be too late. They will not be effective and that only leaves You-know-what for a viable solution.

Whew! Glad I got that off my chest! I feel all better now.

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Real men love cats!

I sit in a courtroom all day dealing with the people that the LEO's bring in, and I don't do traffic court. It's felonies only and those are some scary folks! My son is a Deputy Sheriff with a 7 month old daughter. I know the types of people he deals with, and I worry about him every time he starts a shift.

And the Dear Leader has prohibited the distribution of military equipment to State and Local LE agencies.

Maybe we're going back to the gangster days when the LE was badly outgunned, only this time it will be terrorists.

Some day the pendulum will come back the other way but too many LEOs will die before it does.

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Eccentric old coot

It's a shame that a few Bad Cop's have made Targets out of all of Them.
The Internet if full of examples of Cop's planting things on People or violating Their Civil rights in other ways.The problem is that there are little to none Videos of Good Cop's helping People and when all You see is bad that's when opinions are formed.

We all know what happens when so-called "street justice" is applied by police. I saw an example of it over forty years ago. I was working for the City of Louisville in the Finance Department. The night before, while beat officers typically rode in pairs, two bad guys somehow got the drop on two officers, and ended up murdering them. The pair of murderers had lengthy criminal records, and when the patrol officers stopped them on suspicion, a radio check revealed who the pair were. After the murder, and the officers hadn't checked in, the police knew who to look for, and found them rather quickly. The murder took place some twelve blocks from the Louisville Police Department, and it took arresting officers more than thirty minutes to get the pair from their house (two blocks from the murder scene), to police headquarters.

Our offices were adjacent to the city court rooms, and we crowded in when the two were brought in for arraignment. The two perps looked as though they'd been through the meat grinder. Everyone there knew the two had received a real beat down, and no one really cared. Both were later taken to the hospital for and treated for wounds sustained while resisting arrest. They were both later found guilty and sentenced to death, but their death penalties were set aside when most death penalty sentences were declared unconstitutional.

I'm not an advocate of regular "street justice". Sometimes it does get judiciously applied, though. Just sayin'.

I saw that a couple days ago and thought what an odd time to make that decision, with all the violence toward LEOs lately, not to mention the threat of isis. But sadly, the decisions of a certain someone don't shock me anymore.

To the upper tier, we're all expendable....


.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

I agree with a lot of what you say Walkin' Jack.

Except: While it is frustrating that guilty people get away with crime because of a technicality, we have Constitutional rights against illegal search and seizure. Not a perfect system, but it is the best one in my opinion.

and irrelevant

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Eccentric old coot

Not that Cajunlawyer needs my help, but I'll throw in my couple of cents.

I've never felt the animosity toward the defense side that some of my colleagues have. I know quite a few federal defenders, and have undergone my share of grilling by them on the stand. Most of the time my side prevailed, but I've lost at trial, too.

The defense bar keeps the system honest. I'm pretty conscientious, but sometimes on cases that you think aren't going anywhere there is temptation to cut corners, especially if you carry a large caseload. Many times I've thought - better just do it by the numbers since I don't want to get reamed on the stand. And usually I'm glad that I did.

I know many defenders try like crazy to get their clients to take a plea, but if the knucklehead wants to go to trial they have to go to the mattresses, and if they do that they better try to win.

As far as judges keeping out tainted evidence, that is fine with me. The solution to that problem is for the cops to do it right.

Nobody likes a defense lawyer until they need one.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

After my first heart surgery, I stopped sweating the little stuff and things I can't control. However, as I watch the skyline, I become more concerned about the world I leave for my grandchildren.

I can't do much to change the world or people's hearts. With the little time I have left, I am teaching my grandkids as much about firearms as I can. I don't advocate violence to them but I want to leave them with a respect and a working knowledge to build on after I'm gone.

I have always been a glass full and overflowing type guy but I fear things will be worse.

I pray not.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Attacks on police are way up in recent months. To discuss why would get me banned for making political comments.

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No life story has happy end.

That is SOOOOO true on SOOOOOO many levels!!!

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But then, what do I know?

My point was that we need a separate way to deal with that. I agree that it is important. But if the truth is withheld then there can be no justice. The victims get cheated and the guilty get away with it. No way that is acceptable, at least not to me.

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Real men love cats!

That is because people are much more likely to remember bad things that have been done to them compared to the good things that have happen during one's life. They are also more likely to be vocal about things they don't like or consider unfair as opposed to situations they are comfortable with.

Most people can remember kids they didn't like in school when they were young. However, the names and faces of the others seem to fade much faster.

Here in Texas the prison system used to be self supporting and now it is not . I think all prisons should be made to be as close as possible to self supporting and then fit the punishment to the crime,no free passes etc. allowed . Hard to state this and not get dinged.

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

Crime is down nationally. It is the perception of crime that is up. Things are safer than the 1970s and downright boring compared to the mid 19th century. The worst part of NYC today is Disneyland compared to the slums of 1850.

Only certain military equipment will no longer go to police...no more .50 caliber rifles, no more armored fighting vehicles, and no more grenade launchers and bayonets, what does go out is supposed to have better oversight.

Suicide and auto accidents are likely larger threats in a police career than criminal bullets.

Philadelphia Patriot:

As stated above, Cajunlawyer does not need me to defend him but you misunderstand the defense of criminal defendants. It is his job to provide his client with the best possible defense. Some may be guilty as charged but when we stop defending the guilty the innocent will go to jail. That is why the standard is beyond a reasonable doubt. It should be difficult to convict. I respect Cajunlawyer and what he does. I started in the practice of law as a prosecutor. I was my job to see that justice was done. The public defenders made sure I did it right or they won. The system isn't broken, we are.

Two things I really like about Montana. One is Charlie Russell's artwork.

This is the other: 3-7-77 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

We'll just have to agree to disagree. At the end of the day, defense attorneys get paid to keep dangerous people out in the streets. Ever see a defense attorney cross examine a rape victim? What about bring into question an officer's integrity after he just locked up someone who was abusing their kids? Guilty people are often found not guilty due to technicalities, and I've seen a lot of cheap tricks being pulled. Often defense attorneys will get cases continued until finally the witness/victim couldn't make it to court that day because they all ready took off too many times from work to show up for the other hearings. The defense attorneys then argue to have the cases thrown out. I saw it often when I had to go to court for my previous job. I just don't understand how someone can complain about officers being shot and other crimes taking place while at the same time working hard to keep bad people out of jail. If you really feel that sorry, then become a prosecutor. Then again, prosecutors typically don't make as much money as defense attorneys.

Face it, we are (often literally) perceived by the power structure as blue collar workers. As long as there is an endless supply of twentysomethings to fill academy classes, no real meaningful work will be done to rethink how we enforce (emphasis on force) the law. So one week a year the country pays lip service to The Thin Blue Line, and the rest of the year they make it ever tougher for us to do the job they hire us to do.

Agreed.

I'm also getting really pissed off at idiot parents who leave unlocked and loaded guns laying around the house, for kids to get into, with tragic results.

The solution being what, mandated storage safes, random police sfaety checks and other such measures as seen in Europe? Or perhaps storing guns only in state armories....

Freedom brings with it a certain level of danger and even carnage. It still beats the alternative.

That is far better than the alternative. Other countries that imprisoned people on mere accusation without a trial proving their guilt were ruled by people named Hitler, Stalin, Mugabe, Pol Pot, Mao, Hussein, Kim Jong-un...

Be careful of what ou wish for.

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Common sense isn't so common.

I understand your point, but good luck explaining it to the taxpayers who have to pony up.

Somebody else talked about how the Texas system used to be self funding because of the work done by those in prison. One of the advancements of our society is that many of the jobs they used to do can be done much cheaper and faster by other means.

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Release the Kraken

I understand fully that, every time I go on patrol, I might not come home. I accepted that risk, when I started my career 18 years ago. What I'm having the most trouble with, is knowing that if I make a mistake, I'll be sacrificed. The Sheriff/Chief will not support me, the County/ City Administration will not support me, and the community will not support me. One mistake, even if it was made in "Good faith" will likely cost me, my family, my home, my belongings, and possibly my freedom. Now that I have an infant son, I don't risk anything anymore.

Something horrible is coming. Please prepare yourself, and your family.

I agree but that still doesn't mean prisoners can't go out and make small rocks out of big rocks though.

Not necessarily. I ensure that they get a fair trial and that the state follows the rules. If there is a defense I present it vigorously. I can't change facts however and in te end what is supposed to happen happens-MOST OF THE TIME. Some days I go home feeling great as I helped out somebody that really needed it. A lot of days I go home and shower with sand and steel wool pads to get the stench off. It's not as much about helping the bad guys as it is fighting back the government. And I've made a lot of dear friends in law enforcement-including probation officers, jailers, street cops etc. The real jerk offs that you have to worry about are the legislators and other elected officials. In my 30 years I've only seen a smattering of rogue LEO's and they were dealt with swiftly by their peers and the DA's office.
Hard to explain my job to a layman-but I guarantee that if you or anyone else you cherish ever gets sucked into the criminal justice system, you'll get on your knees and thank God that there are criminal defense lawyers out there.
The label criminal defense lawyer signifies a specialty-not a mind set.
One of the best weapons against totally imploding in this profession is gallows humor. Don't for a minute confuse it with approval of the antics of my clients.
Time for my walk.

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Forum consigliere

FBI ? Officer Survival Spotlight: Accidental Deaths Among Law Enforcement Officers The law enforcement bulletin of the FBI points out that simply wearing a seat belt would save the lives of a number of officers.

Not to minimize the risks police face, but it is not among the top ten most dangerous occupations Top 10 Most Dangerous Jobs in the US | Metro Jacksonville.


There are over 1.2 million LEOs in the United States. Every loss is a tragedy to those involved, but the number of officers lost ought be kept in perspective to the total.

I grew up in a house with a loaded gun, leaning in a corner in my parent's bedroom. You callin' them stupid?

Children have been growing up in homes with weapons for millennia. The weapons are not the problem.

Our LEOs are being sacrificed for political gain. Just another step
towards nationalized police under control of central government.
Cops ought to get Blu- Flu, when Gremlins come, the people
pushing this **** will be 1st to scream for help.
Maybe Joe Citizens should hold demonstration for the cops. They
would probably send FEMA in to machine gun protestors.

Keep in mind that the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights contain provisions guaranteeing rights other than those protected by the 2nd Amendment . . . . . , for instance, the 6th.

"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy
the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury...
and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witness against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining Witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense."

Even the most vile child molestor or cop killer has a right to a competent lawyer who will provide him with the best representation possible.

We all love the 2nd Amendment and the protections it offers. If we don't cherish the other Constitutional guarantees with equal fervor, then we are hypocrites.

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Georgia On My Mind

I think (not always a good thing) that those stats are largely influenced by big city numbers. It sure ain't the case in my neck of the woods,or in the case of most others here. Perception,my butt! The 1970's was far and away less dangerous than it is now and we all know full-well exactly who,and what,is to blame. JMO,FWIW.
f.t.

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South Carolina-God's country

Lawyerspeak.

Average representation won't cut it, it has to be the best.

So the perp appeals on the basis that his attorney wasn't competent. Should the appeal succeed, is the attorney disbarred? HELL NO. This is trial lawyer control of the justice system for the benefit of . . . trial lawyers.

Riddle me this, Batman: how many court appointed attorneys are competent? How many law students aspire to be "court appointed attorneys?" Isn't court appointed attorney what you do when you couldn't find anything else?

My employer was once a defense attorney. I did say to him once that I wondered how he could defend guys he knew were guilty. His response was "they're the easy ones. The hard ones are defending the guys you know are innocent."
It just brings back into focus the fact that the innocent do get charged, and of the 9 foreign nations I've survived, almost none provided legal counsel for the accused.
The prisons were filled with political prisoners.

Be careful not to muddy the water around you, señor, we may have to drink it soon.

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Halfway and one more step

Entering the ring of life daily, there are times when every LEO would like to shout like Russell Crow...

"ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?"

Attached Images

gladiator.jpg (143.2 KB, 10 views)

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NULLI SECUNDUS

....and Destin on a Saturday night can get downright...entertaining.

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Halfway and one more step

You guys watch too many Perry Mason reruns.

About 95% of state and fed cases are plea bargain.

It's not about convincing a jury the accused is innocent. It's about convincing the accused to plead guilty to a lesser offense to avoid a trial.