# "Cops" show comes to Omaha; 1 dead **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 27, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680 "2014-08-27T20:05:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![common\_good](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@common\_good](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/common_good)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/81 "2014-08-28T00:48:35Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Rebelliousness and know-it-allism can be kind of cute in a teenager. Tolerable, anyway. Expected. Part of growing up. Gets a lot less cute with age, and a whole lot more sad. I don’t know it all. You guys do. A little revolution is a good thing, now and then. I want say whose quote that is 'cause most of you already know. The question is: Do you believe it is true ? Hint: one of the founding fathers. Go argue with him 'til I get back. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/82 "2014-08-28T00:50:05Z")
> [@common\_good](#): > > Jargon-y ? Ok, fine; then you’re just another arrogant white jerk. You must be proud. Seriously, you must. You’re “winning” ? Sure. Keep telling yourself that. Like the actor from “Two and a half men”, Charlie Sheen. His dad is great. Not so, about the son. Shut up hippie! I’ve got to get back to buying orphans to throw in my furnaces which heat my sweatshop factories. But first, a Perrier. ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/83 "2014-08-28T00:59:53Z")
Im going to avoid the over arching theme of good police bad police. Tactically I can see how this probably occurred. A cross fire situation might have happened when officers entered from two different entrances with the suspect in the middle. The percentage rate on shooting sinks tremendously in an active shooting event. The sound guy and cameraman trail the two officers they were with… and perhaps the third officer comes in from the other side and is shooting. This is a tactical clusterfuck… the officers might have shot each other as much as the innocent sound guy was hit. If you look at this… [http://www.11alive.com/story/news/crime/2014/08/26/285-police-chase-dekalb-county/14638691/](http://www.11alive.com/story/news/crime/2014/08/26/285-police-chase-dekalb-county/14638691/) You’ll see Dekalb County police get into a potential crossfire situation during the take down on the expressway. ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/84 "2014-08-28T01:02:50Z")
> [@Chicagojeff](#): > > Im going to avoid the over arching theme of good police bad police. Tactically I can see how this probably occurred. A cross fire situation might have happened when officers entered from two different entrances with the suspect in the middle. The percentage rate on shooting sinks tremendously in an active shooting event. The sound guy and cameraman trail the two officers they were with… and perhaps the third officer comes in from the other side and is shooting. This is a tactical clusterfuck… the officers might have shot each other as much as the innocent sound guy was hit. If you look at this… [http://www.11alive.com/story/news/crime/2014/08/26/285-police-chase-dekalb-county/14638691/](http://www.11alive.com/story/news/crime/2014/08/26/285-police-chase-dekalb-county/14638691/) > You’ll see Dekalb County police get into a potential crossfire situation during the take down on the expressway. Don’t any of them know the color of the boathouse at Hereford? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/85 "2014-08-28T01:06:44Z")
According to [this updated news report](http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/cops-crew-member-robbery-suspect-shot-dead-omaha-police-police-article-1.1919095), three officers entered from two _opposite_ doorways and started firing at the suspect. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/86 "2014-08-28T01:34:29Z")
From that link > [@](#): > > The long-running reality show, which first aired in 1989, had previously asked to film in Omaha but had been turned down until this year. Think Omaha might just pass on future dates? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/87 "2014-08-28T01:51:03Z")
> [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > Don’t any of them know the color of the boathouse at Hereford? Okay, I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/88 "2014-08-28T02:06:22Z")
> [@common\_good](#): > > How do you know it (racism) doesn’t apply ? The suspect is black. All the officers are white. Yes, that proves nothing. It is a pattern, though, and is present all over America. Might racism play a role ? It sure seems it may. Umm, so what does it matter what color the bad guy was, or what color the cops were, or what color the audio tech was? It doesn’t matter at all. How can you call racism when you have a felon in the act of armed robbery and he points a “gun”\* at officers, and you are complaining that they had the nerve to actually follow their training and shoot back? What color is the sky on your planet? \*Yes it was an Airsoft, but would you bet your life on it being an airsoft gun and not firing if someone pointed one at you? [Here can you tell the difference between the real thing and the Airsoft at 20 feet while it is in someone’s hand?](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/08/27/the-cops-crew-member-injured-in-a-police-shootout-has-died-production-company-says/) ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/89 "2014-08-28T02:18:55Z")
> [@common\_good](#): > > Ask Webster. I think you’re the confused one. Do you acedemics think everyone else is stupid ? I’ll answer 1st; Yes, you do. Admit it, if you have the “stones”. That’s what your type calls courage. And you guys don’t really know what that is, do ya’ ? > [@common\_good](#): > > The first word was a joke. The second one was, apparently, also a joke. Good nite gentlemen and vicious ladies. Respond to my same comment one more time and you get a cigar! ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/90 "2014-08-28T02:21:28Z")
> [@common\_good](#): > > I am doing no such thing. This is a serious matter. These are serious questions and statements, on my part. Again, i’m not looking for inclusion. The academic myopia here is STAGGERING ! I gave some inaccurate early information.\*\* This event happened less than 24 hours ago.\*\* The sound tech was killed, not a cameraman, as was stated earlier by local news. \*\*Details are important, I know, but early reports are often inexact. \*\*Please try doing what I’m constantly asked to do; consider the whole picture as best you can. I don’t like being called a troll. Do you like being called an educated idiot ? Well, I didn’t call you one. I’m still forming an opinion. Maybe some of you should give me the same courtesy. Bolding mine. If you know that early reports are often inexact, why would you use what you know are bad facts to make an argument? I’m sorry, but the above post translates as “Ignore me, I’ll say anything even if I know it’s completely shakey.” As to the event and what it means? It means that COPS could get away with dangerous filming for 25 years before it got one of its crew killed. I’m really surprised that it took that long. (Or did a prior fatality get past me?) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/91 "2014-08-28T02:35:49Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > Umm, so what does it matter what color the bad guy was, or what color the cops were, or what color the audio tech was? > It doesn’t matter at all. > How can you call racism when you have a felon in the act of armed robbery and he points a “gun”\* at officers, and you are complaining that they had the nerve to actually follow their training and shoot back? You haven’t gotten the memo yet? Anytime an authority figure does something that negatively impacts a black person, it’s because of racism. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/92 "2014-08-28T03:36:00Z")
> [@common\_good](#): > > Oh, you guys threw them in ovens. My bad. BTW, the Catholic Church never excommunicated a single Catholic Nazi; not even Hitler. The shame of that is one of the reasons I stopped calling myself Catholic in 1967 at age 14. Schprecken zee Zietgeist ? And my mothers side of the famil is from Altenkirchen Germany, and arrived over here in the early 1700s…as did so many other Americans of German descent ranging from the late 1600s until the 1930s because they didn’t want to be nazi. Call my mom a nazi? Fuckwad. [URL=“[http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/](http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/)”] ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/93 "2014-08-28T04:13:46Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > You haven’t gotten the memo yet? Anytime an authority figure does something that negatively impacts a black person, it’s because of racism. Gotta love the Social Justice Warrior. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/94 "2014-08-28T04:30:29Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > > [@Battle\_Pope](#): > > > > Don’t any of them know the color of the boathouse at Hereford? > > Okay, I laughed. Aye, best post in the thread so far! Good job, **Battle Pope**! ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/95 "2014-08-28T04:40:00Z")
When I was reading about this I thinking “there’s a multi-million lawsuit or settlement”, but good news for Omaha they have a contract so they are not liable: > **[I-Team: 'Cops' contract appears to absolve liability for City of Omaha](https://www.ketv.com/article/i-team-cops-contract-appears-to-absolve-liability-for-city-of-omaha/7647910)** > > On May 22, 2014, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert signed the contract that allowed Langley Production's TV program "Cops" to partner with the police department. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/96 "2014-08-28T04:50:28Z")
> [@common\_good](#): > > Please don’t translate my words. I’m using the ones I chose. I got plenty of supporting arguements and facts and figures. I’m just gettin’ warmed up. Al Pacino, “Scent of a Woman”. If I was half the man I used to be I’d TAKE A FLAME-THROWER TO THIS PLACE ! And I spelled argument wrong on purpose to give some a chance to get-in a shot. So, blank-off ! Sod off. You say you have plenty of cites but you also say you don’t know how to show them. That translates quite simply into you got nothing. Not only are you a troll, you’re a pathetic version of troll. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/97 "2014-08-28T04:51:50Z")
> [@common\_good](#): > > Police all over the country are over-trained, overzealous, and act with far too little restraint. Not that I expect a real answer, and certainly not an actually coherent one, but here goes anyway. WTF is “over-trained”? ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/98 "2014-08-28T05:33:13Z")
**Common good** , you’re doing it wrong. All of it. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/99 "2014-08-28T07:19:26Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Not that I expect a real answer, and certainly not an actually coherent one, but here goes anyway. WTF is “over-trained”? Over-trained compared to other things. For example cops practice shooting guns constantly–but in fact rarely draw them and much rarer actually shoot them at a suspect. Conversely I think you will find cops deal with the mentally ill constantly yet have had little training in this area. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680/100 "2014-08-28T12:39:45Z")
> [@common\_good](#): > > I have, sir. This: Cops and the powers of the police are run-amuck in the land free and the brave. I don’t know how to be more succinct. Perhaps the problem is on your end. I am curious about how much of your indignation is directed toward Mr Washington, the prison parolee who was kind enough to use a toy gun but unkind enough to pretend it was real, not to mention unkind enough to rob with it. I am deeply disturbed at the militarization of police but I find it farcical to have the major takeaway here be something other than the inevitable occasional tragedy when an armed police force is used to protect the public from armed criminals, and a television show elects to take the risk of filming the confrontations that result. It’s not clear to me how this incident represents police run amok. I want the police in my town armed, because the criminals are armed. I want them to shoot people who are in the process of using a gun to commit a crime. I do not want the police have to to decide if the guns are toys, and I want the preponderance of assumption to be that the police were engaging in public protection if it can be shown that an individual carrying a gun was using it to commit a crime. I find it kind of silly to film police interactions for entertainment, but it doesn’t sound as if that is figuring into your outrage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cops-show-comes-to-omaha-1-dead/696680.md?page=6)