Ft. Worth Police Officer Shoots Woman Through Her Window

[willie]

I would like to add that although this incident was terrible, and despite its occurring on the heels of the recent Dallas shooting, I would not say that it is representative or typical. We have a large nation with a vast multitude of l.e. officers. Factor in the number of police calls with the number of wrong shootings. Even one is too many, but the percent of wrong shootings as part of total calls is a minute decimal fraction. Is there a problem? In public service endeavors there is never enough training. Inservice and preservice training should be reflective in that the programs take into account data gathered over time. Some might ask why minorities are over representative in these shootings. I can only guess. I will share my experience but will not generalize from my small sphere of life to any other. Note that I guess but not declare. I do not imply so do not infer.

In my region minorities are over represented among offender groups. The observation applies to jail population and probation and parole client populations. Neighborhoods are highly segregated. They show extremely high incidence of crime descriptors. These statements are verifiable. The same neighborhoods have highest frequency of 911 calls. Officers responding to these calls will most likely encounter citizens who who are over represented in the groups cited above.

A significant chunk of my career was spent working with inner city residents. Was it easy. Not always? Was I afraid of the people with whom I worked? No. Was I comfortable? Yes. Once I was asked to explain my success. The answer was "I know what I'm doing."

Some programs are directed by persons who do not know what they are doing. It follows that too many whom they train may not know what they are doing.

[RevolverRob]

I don’t get it. Why didn’t he pound on the door and announce police, then wait a few seconds and try again?

It was a non-emergency welfare check, not a burglary in progress. And am I reading the timeline wrong, did he enter the backyard, before backup arrived 90-seconds later? ETA: No I was wrong looks like both units arrived within 20-seconds of each other.

PS: lock your side gates, folks. If he had gone around and the gate was locked - everything probably could have been prevented.

[blues]

I don’t get it. Why didn’t he pound on the door and announce police, then wait a few seconds and try again?

It was a non-emergency welfare check, not a burglary in progress. And am I reading the timeline wrong, did he enter the backyard, before backup arrived 90-seconds later?

PS: lock your side gates, folks. If he had gone around and the gate was locked - everything probably could have been prevented.

Just because a neighbor doesn't call it in as an emergency, that doesn't mean that the responding officers have no reason to be concerned based upon what they see when they roll up on the scene...such as open doors, windows or other circumstances. None of which is offered as a defense for faulty thinking, perception or tactics.

[HCM]

I hope this one gets more than 10 years.

Context matters. Comparing this to the Guyger situation is just stupid.

[David S.]

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[El Cid]

ATTACH

I’m not sure he’d want his FB post in an open forum like that...

[HCM]

I don’t get it. Why didn’t he pound on the door and announce police, then wait a few seconds and try again?

It was a non-emergency welfare check, not a burglary in progress. And am I reading the timeline wrong, did he enter the backyard, before backup arrived 90-seconds later? ETA: No I was wrong looks like both units arrived within 20-seconds of each other.

PS: lock your side gates, folks. If he had gone around and the gate was locked - everything probably could have been prevented.

This occurred at 02:25 am. You know who makes up the bulk of most midnight patrol shifts ? Rookies.

He has been on the Fort Worth Police Department since April 2018

If that EOD date includes academy time this officer has less than a year on the street and is only a few months off of field training.

Ft Worth is a pretty squared away Dept with a good training program.

There are two things which could have helped mitigate this - experience which can be a Darwinian process and emotional control. Re: emotional control see El Cid’s prior post about fear biters and their increasing prevalence among new hires. Some of this is a training issue but it’s mostly a selection and retention issue. It’s hard to say how much of this is simply a generation brought up on zero tolerance policies and how much is trying to select “zero defect” candidates with little or no life experience.

[txdpd]

There’s very little reason to be in anyone’s backyard at night and not be noisy as hell before going in, that exactly how you avoid waking up fluffy from deep sleep and having to pop someone’s pet. That’s assuming you have a valid reason to be there, like a warrant or exigent circumstances.

This reeks of Imaginary Liability Syndrome, I made that term up, it’s all the BS that cops think they are liable for, that they are definitely not liable for, but they do it and incur massive liabilities. Like a health and welfare where you need to knock on the door, assess what’s in plain view, and most likely leave as quickly as possible. Instead there’s cops going to places they should be, in ways they shouldn’t be doing it, doing things they shouldn’t be doing, because they are scared of getting in trouble.

[David S.]

I’m not sure he’d want his FB post in an open forum like that...

It’s on his main page, not hidden in a group.

[omega9]

Just because a neighbor doesn't call it in as an emergency, that doesn't mean that the responding officers have no reason to be concerned based upon what they see when they roll up on the scene...such as open doors, windows or other circumstances. None of which is offered as a defense for faulty thinking, perception or tactics.

It also doesn’t mean that they should be surprised that when a cold front rolls in people leave their doors and windows open and turn off the AC. Also, in America, people are allowed to live in a pigsty, it doesn’t mean a burglar has tossed the place.

If the neighbor had rolled up and went into the backyard and shot her through the window where would he be now?