Take a look at the photo on the front page of Section B of the Northwest Herald this morning.
The Northwest Herald photographer, Danielle Guerro, is definitely standing in front of three armed deputies, dressed in all their fancy SWAT gear. According to the caption, she must have her back to the "targeted house." She is in the field of fire of automatic weapons.
Q. Were the weapons loaded?
Q. What do the orange markings mean? Are these practice, look-alike, non-firing weapons?
It looks to me like Deputy Penna is ready to fire. He has his weapon pointed at body level of any person in the field of fire, not upward as does Deputy Garza. And it sure looks to me like Penna's finger is on the trigger.
Is that how deputies are taught to approach a building, when there is a photographer in the way?
Sure, they may have known, or guessed, that it was a drill. But were the weapons "locked and loaded"? If Penna had stumbled or fallen, might he have reflexively fired his weapon? If it was set on "automatic fire", how many rounds might be have fired before he could get his finger off the trigger?
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
13 comments:
OK, have a little thought process before your melon makes up an uneducated guess.
First things first, why would they have live rounds in a gun at a training exercise? Do you really think that they are really going to shoot someone here? If it was a real incident, nobody with a camera would be that close, not even you!
Now why would those guns have orange barrel markings on them? Hmmmm, I'm going to say those were airsoft guns. Don't believe me, call your pals over at the MCSO and ask them.
It was only a drill. If it were real, nobody in the background would be that close to armed subjects.
Oh, now I understand Sheriff Nygren's comment to the reporter.
"You try to make it as real as you can." (and get good press out of it)
And so, in practice if he has his finger on the trigger, what makes you think his finger won't be on the trigger in a "real" incident?
In a real incident, they will have their finger on the trigger. You cant walk up to the door unprepared. That split second time to put your finger on the trigger means life or death. Whenever that gun is in your hand, you better be ready to shoot. Of course you would never know that in your experience of a make believe cop.
Right, finger on the trigger. And then you shoot the little girl who opens the door while holding the metal knife with the peanut-butter dripping from it.
Someday, let me know what department you work for (if not Woodstock), so I can be sure to stay out of your town.
Seriously, you must be the dumbest person I've heard of. They just dont take any cop of the street to be put on the SWAT team. They know how to discipher between armed criminals and non-combatants. If you spent as much time finding out how departments operate instead of bashing them 24/7, you could almost be sheriff.
Oh Gus, if we are calling out the SWAT team for a girl holding a butter knife with peanut butter on it we have other issues!!! Anyways, if I wrote this article it would be something to the affect of: "Woodstock Police and Woodstock Fire receive good training today with the assistance of the MCSO SWAT team. This was real life training that greatly benefits all the emergency responders involved and its a shame it is not done more often or include more members of each department. Training like this will make the community safer." Damn gus, maybe I should start writing for you blog.
I doubt that I need to re-state my point (but I shall).
Let's say that SWAT (or the MCSD fugitive apprehension team) shows up, surrounds the house, guns drawn, to take a serious criminal into custody (how serious? somebody with less than $300 in unpaid fines and court costs).
Fingers on triggers, they cautiously approach the door. Mom's at work, but a child answers the door, holding the butter knife with the peanut butter on it.
Somebody sees a shiny, metal object in the girl's hand, yells "Weapon", and a deputy has a finger-jerk reaction and nails the little girl.
Somebody, clarify the training; do you have your finger ON the trigger as you approach the house?
I really don't see how it's any of your business on whether or not SWAT members are taught to keep their finger on or off the trigger. There is a reason that the SOG/SOP's of the MCSO are not public information. And yes, there is an SOP on when they kepp their finger on the trigger.
And the SOP says what, regarding finger on the trigger...
Hmmm I do believe I just said that the SOP's are not public information...
Drill/practice... whatever. In this day & age, accidents are more likely to happen.
Look at what happened years ago to Brandon Lee in the movie The Crow. Improperly loaded/unloaded blanks did him in...
I guess I could accept that as a glove thrown down in my path. Maybe I should file a FOIA request for the Policy Manual and Directives by which deputies enjoy their employment.
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