I’m watching TV when I hear something that sounds like a gunshot and a lot of screaming of get down. So I look out the window and the apartment across from mine has about 12-15 swat members, some armed with MP5s, going through someone’s apartment. After about 10 minutes of that the officers leave, and a handful stay behind. The gunshot sound was just them breaking the door down.
Exactly why would so many police officers armed with MP5s and body armor be called out like that? Maybe it’ll be in the paper tomorrow, who knows. It sounds excessive, even for a serious crime like murder unless it was an active hostage sitation or something like that.
Typical procedure for a drug-bust or suspected gang hideout. Basically, any time the police think they’re going against someone who may be well-armed, they’ll do that type of entry. The bang was probably a flashbang.
All that for a crackhouse? What a letdown, and it still sounds excessive to send out so many heavily armed swat members for some drug dealing. Technically its not across the street though, its a 4 sided apartment complex (basically a rectangle with a courtyard in the middle) with all the apartments facing towards the courtyard. They were on the opposite side of the courtyard.
Would you prefer that they engage in Simon Says? :rolleyes: Those who disregard the law in one area are likely to disregard it in others. Sorry, but I have to vote for the badge wearers who are acting to preserve their own asses. Last time I checked, violators have little mental restriction when it comes to capping a LEO.
While I have no experience with large quantities of police showing up for something, I do know that other types of emergency personal often show up in larger quantities than seem neccessary. The same principle might apply.
Example 1: person at doctor’s office with broken leg. Recommendation of ambulance to take to hospital. Police, Fire truck, and ambulance show up (in more or less that order) and all check to see if person has circulation to his toes. Um, hello-- don’t you think the doctor would be aware of the importance of circulation in toes?\
Example 2: Fire Alarm set off in Apartment building because of small cooking fire with significant smoke. 3 fire trucks, 2 fire marshals and at least 2 police cars show up. Fire was out before first fire truck arrived.
Example 3: Person in church faints. Ambulance summonned to take to hospital. At least 3 sets of paramedics and two fire trucks show up. 3 fire men in full regalia walk through building to make sure there is no gas leak. (Despite the fact that it was summer and the person who fainted had underlying health problems which made the faint worrying but more understandable than in some theoretically healthy individual). Note: The walkthrough by the firemen was required by some local ordinence- or so I was told.
Yep, that was my personal goal. I think there is no problem the police cannot talk about with a suspect and end the crisis. I dream of a world where we don’t even need police, just the ability to communicate effectively.
Having said that, if this guy was a non-violent criminal then yes, sending 12-15 (maybe more) swat members with body armor and machineguns was excessive. This was a second story apartment, many of the swat team members couldn’t fit on the 2nd floor patio. It was pointless to send that many out.
I would suspect that if you have a gun on you but are just sitting there watching the television, seeing a dude come through the door with a gun versus a whoole bunch of dudes with lights and big guns and body armor and just generally looking very intimidating–well that makes a big difference in whether you pull your gun or crap your pants.
So it’s probably not a matter of expecting they will have to handle something requiring that level of manpower–but rather that this will ensure they don’t have to handle anything at all.
I’ve noticed excessive numbers of cops doing just about everything.
Just the other day, there was a traffic stop near my house, and there were 4 (count 'em, 4) cop cars at the scene. Curious, I walked to the corner of my yard and watched the scene unfold, thinking I’d see a takedown or something similarly exciting. But as far as I could tell, all the cop did was write the guy a ticket and let him go.
4 cop cars for that? The only thing I can think of is maybe the car fit the description of the murderer/rapist/fugitive du jour.
Standard strategy is that if you can provide overwhelming force yopu will take zero casualties. Typically
11 vs 10 ends up with 8 of the 11 hurt
20 vs 10 ends up with 5 of the 20 hurt
100 vs 10 ends up with 0 of the 100 hurt.
The key to a quick and painless resolution is overwheming force.
After the Brown v. Board of Education which compelled school integration, President Eisenhower thought local police and a couple of federal marshalls could easily handle any problems. After all, they were school kids, right?
By the time the schools in Little Rock were being integrated, Eisenhower sent in the 82nd Airborne Division, fully outfitted in combat gear and carrying loaded weapons.
