# Why are some grown policeman and police chiefs such intense retards? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 13, 2003, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750 "2003-12-13T06:33:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/1 "2003-12-13T06:33:59Z")
What the \*\*\*ing hell were you thinking? If that were my daughter I’d be suing your eyeballs out. I don’t care if they volunteered to help with your hostage drill, shooting paintballs at unshielded people from close ranges, _and of all people_, easily bruised young females, is stupidity on a scale that beggars the imagination. [Students say Mock Drill caused Injuries](http://www.idaho8.com/2003stories/December/11.htm) [sub] > [@](#): > > AT LEAST FOUR TEENS SAY THEY WERE INJURED, WHEN POLICE FIRED PAINTBALLS AT THEM DURING A HOSTAGE DRILL. POLICE OFFICERS AND SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES USED MADISON HIGH SCHOOL FOR THEIR MOCK DRILL. STUDENTS WERE TOLD THE DRILL WOULD HAPPEN.THEY JUST DIDN’T KNOW WHEN. YESTERDAY, POLICE ENTERED THE BUILDING TAKING VOLUNTEER STUDENTS AS HOSTAGES. SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS WERE HIT BY THE PAINTBALLS. RANDI WEATHERSTON SAYS SHE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN TO PARTICIPATE. THAT’S UNTIL SHE WAS USED AS A HUMAN SHIELD AND SHOT AT A NUMBER OF TIMES BY PAINT BALLS. THIS WAS THE SCENE AT MADISON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL HOSTAGE DRILL. AROUND A HUNDRED PEOPLE, INCLUDING STUDENTS, LAW ENFORCEMNT AND MEDICAL STAFF CREATED A MOCK HOSTAGE CRISIS. PAINT BALLS WERE FIRED. > AND SOME STUDENTS HIT. > > RANDI WEATHERSTON\INJURED IN DRILL: > “It hurt really bad like five feet away they were shooting paint balls and i got a bunch of bruises.” > > RANDI WEATHERSTON HAS BRUISES ON HER LEG AND ARM. SHE SAYS SHE WASN’T HIT AS MANY TIMES AS A COUPLE OTHER STUDENTS. THIS ALL HAPPENED WHEN SHE AND A FEW OTHERS WERE TAKEN AS HOSTAGES, THEY DIDN’T MIND THAT. BUT WEATHERSTON SAYS SHE WAS SCARED WHEN THE OFFICERS STARTED SHOOTING TOWARDS THEM AND HIT THE HOSTAGES INSTEAD OF THE PRETEND SUSPECTS. > Weatherston- “We didn’t know what to do and we were getting shot at and we were um it was kind of scary.” > > CHIEF LYNN ARCHIBALD\REXBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT: > “We wanted it to be realistic the school cooperated the students cooperated there were a few injured to some people and we feel bad about it but it was never intended to happen.” > > THE STUDENTS HIT IN YESTERDAY’S DRILL WERE TREATED AT THE HOSPITAL. THE POLICE DEPARMTENT IS PAYING THOSE BILLS.ALONG WITH REIMBURSING A FEW OF THE STUDENTS RUINED CLOTHES. - “It was pretty chaotic and a lot of stuff happened that shouldn’t have.” “We made some mistakes we made mistakes that we would do different next time.” > > THE POLICE AND SHERIFF’S STAFF MET TODAY. THEY HEARD FROM A STUDENT AND HIS DAD ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY WILL DEFINITELY DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME. THE REXBURG POLICE CHIEF SAYS HE DOES APPOLIGZE TO THE STUDENTS INJURED. BUT HE SAYS THE EXPERIENCE WAS POSITIVE AND BENEFICIAL TO THOSE INVOLVED. THE STUDENTS TAKEN AS HOSTAGES WERE TOLD THEY COULD LEAVE IF THEY WANTED TO, BUT WEATHERSTON AND THE OTHERS STAYED. [/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/2 "2003-12-13T06:41:34Z")
> [@](#): > > easily bruised young females Ahem. On behalf of liberated females everywhere, I would like to point out that young males are just as easily bruised as young females. > [@](#): > > \*\*THEY HEARD FROM A STUDENT AND HIS DAD ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS. \*\* A student and “his” dad. 😉 I know you didn’t mean it. And that you won’t do it again. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Astra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@Astra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astra)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/3 "2003-12-13T06:44:28Z")
My forensic science instructor offers extra credit for participating in exercises at the police academy. If you go, you have to sign all sorts of paperwork and let them know whether you are willing to be a “rough” suspect (for evading and resisting arrest) or just want to be the nice lady in an ordinary traffic stop. It sounds like these kids weren’t informed of what was going to be part of the drill. I also wonder if the school knew paintballs would be used on the premises - those things are a mess to clean up. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/4 "2003-12-13T06:54:54Z")
“treated at the hospital” Are you kiding me? Ok, this was a stupid idea, and I hope the kids were at least given face protection before the shooting started, but treatment at the hospital for a bruised thigh? Cry me a fucking river. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/5 "2003-12-13T07:02:12Z")
I have another concern with this situation. These kids were the HOSTAGES right? And they got shot half a dozen times from five feet away? Does this police department subscribe to the “Let God sort 'em out” school of negotiation? ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/6 "2003-12-13T07:03:19Z")
Heckler & Kock – When Negotiations Fail ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/7 "2003-12-13T07:03:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose \* > \*\*Ahem. > > On behalf of liberated females everywhere, I would like to point out that young males are just as easily bruised as young females. > \*\* I respect your scope of knowledge DDG, but in my experience women and teenage girls, in general, bruise considerably more easily then teenage boys and men. [Bruises and Blood Spots Under the Skin](http://myhealth.barnesjewish.org/library/healthguide/illnessconditions/topic.asp?hwid=bruse) > [@](#): > > Women tend to bruise from minor injuries—especially on the thighs, buttocks, and upper arms—more easily than men ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/8 "2003-12-13T07:28:34Z")
I still think [this](http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=1638&u_sid=940982) was worse. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/9 "2003-12-13T09:16:50Z")
> [@](#): > > The managers were told that the guns were not loaded and that the exercise was to see how they would react. I wonder what would have happened if the unknowing participant reacted by pulling a concealed weapon out of her purse and firing at the morons with unloaded shotguns? Don’t people _think_ before doing crap like this??? ---
**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/10 "2003-12-13T13:42:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spooje \* > \*\*I wonder what would have happened if the unknowing participant reacted by pulling a concealed weapon out of her purse and firing at the morons with unloaded shotguns? > > Don’t people _think_ before doing crap like this??? \*\* Or pressed assault charges against the morons. ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/11 "2003-12-13T13:50:48Z")
Well, the police chief said that he felt bad about the situation. I think that should be enough. None of the students were killed or permanently injured. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/12 "2003-12-13T14:10:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rhum Runner \* > \*\*“treated at the hospital” > > Are you kiding me? Ok, this was a stupid idea, and I hope the kids were at least given face protection before the shooting started, but treatment at the hospital for a bruised thigh? Cry me a fucking river. \*\* You ever been shot by a paintball? Even from a distance, they sting like hell. When I played, we were specifically told that if we were in a point-blank situation, we should simply yell “bang” rather than firing because of the risk of injury. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/13 "2003-12-13T14:24:11Z")
Muscle mass tends to act as a bruise protection, and since young men typically have more muscle than young women, young women have a higher chance of bruising then young men. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/14 "2003-12-13T14:56:10Z")
I am inclined to agree with Nanoda – the situation with the convenience store clerk thinking she was about to die was certainly worse. This doesn’t mean that cops running amuck in a school with paintball guns is right or appropriate, and anyone with the brains to be a cop or police chief should have some clue that there are lawyers who would love to become involved in a screwup like this… ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/15 "2003-12-13T16:18:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Finagle \* > \*\*You ever been shot by a paintball? Even from a distance, they sting like hell. When I played, we were specifically told that if we were in a point-blank situation, we should simply yell “bang” rather than firing because of the risk of injury. \*\* Yeah, I’ve been hit by a paintball. It does hurt…But it isn’t hospital worthy, is it? Hell, I goot hit in the hand once on a cold cold day from about 15 feet, and it hurt like a motherfucker. Broke the skin and everything. Nasty purple/yellow bruise. But it wasn’t something I was going to the hospital for! What the hell would they do, kiss it and make it better? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/16 "2003-12-13T16:24:34Z")
Hey, the offenderatti are late. Didn’t they notice the word “retard”? ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/17 "2003-12-13T16:25:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Master Wang-Ka \* > \*\*I am inclined to agree with Nanoda – the situation with the convenience store clerk thinking she was about to die was certainly worse. > \*\* I agree. Holy shit I’d be pissed if someone pulled a “training” stunt like that. I’m not a big fan of lawsuits over stuff liike this, but here’s as good a case as you’ll ever find. I don’t doubt the woman was traumatized by the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_great_unwashed/32/4791_2.png) [@The\_Great\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/18 "2003-12-13T17:24:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rhum Runner \* > \*\*Yeah, I’ve been hit by a paintball. It does hurt…But it isn’t hospital worthy, is it? Hell, I goot hit in the hand once on a cold cold day from about 15 feet, and it hurt like a motherfucker. Broke the skin and everything. Nasty purple/yellow bruise. But it wasn’t something I was going to the hospital for! What the hell would they do, kiss it and make it better? \*\* I’m just wondering what medical training you have had? ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/19 "2003-12-13T17:32:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Great Unwashed \* > \*\*I’m just wondering what medical training you have had? \*\* None. So? Do I need a medical degree to determine that a bruised hand does not require a trip to the hospital? I put a glove on and kept playing. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2003, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750/20 "2003-12-13T18:55:11Z")
And I was fairly confident that this thread was going to be about [this](http://kget.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=ed9cc47f-da34-405c-a679-9591ada281dc). > [@](#): > > _We’ll Kick Your Ass_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-some-grown-policeman-and-police-chiefs-such-intense-retards/218750.md?page=2)