A spate of shooting attacks on law enforcement officers has authorities concerned about a war on cops.
Police Fear ‘War on Cops’
A spate of shooting attacks on law enforcement officers has authorities concerned about a war on cops.
In just 24 hours, at least 11 officers were shot. The shootings included Sunday attacks at traffic stops in Indiana and Oregon, a Detroit police station shooting that wounded four officers, and a shootout at a Port Orchard, Wash., Wal-Mart that injured two deputies. On Monday morning, two officers were shot dead and a U.S. Marshal was wounded by a gunman in St. Petersburg, Fla.
On Thursday, two Miami-Dade, Fla., detectives were killed by a murder suspect they were trying to arrest.
“It’s not a fluke,” said Richard Roberts, spokesman for the International Union of Police Associations. “There’s a perception among officers in the field that there’s a war on cops going on.”
With the Florida deaths, the nation is on track in 2011 to match the 162 police officers killed in the line of duty in 2010, said Steve Groeninger, spokesman for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that tracks police casualties. In January this year there have been 14 deaths, the same number as in January 2010, the fund posted on its web site.
The 2010 toll ended a two-year drop in fatalities and spiked 43 percent over the 117 killed in 2009, Groeninger said.
Law enforcement advocates worry that cuts in police budgets could exacerbate the danger.
“We don’t have any data, but there seems to be a type of criminal out there looking to thwart authority,” he said.
He cited the example of Jared Loughner, accused of killing six and wounding 13, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, on Jan. 8 in Tucson, Ariz. “People with this mentality feel the need to eliminate those in position of authority,” he said.
Roberts said the recent shootings are reminders that officers must constantly stay on alert.
“The bad guys are not afraid of cops,” Roberts said. “They’re rarely rational. You get that combination, when you ID yourself as a cop, it does not scare them away; it makes it more dangerous for you.”
Noting the Oregon and Indiana shootings occurred during so-called “routine traffic stops,” Roberts said, “The word routine should be eliminated from the job. There’s no such thing. There is only ‘known risk’ and ‘unknown risk’ ” he said.
Roberts, a former North Beach, Md., police officer, and Groeninger both voiced worries over police budget cuts.
Reducing police response times and cutting back on in-service training can endanger not just citizens but cops on patrol, they said.
“It’s not a good situation out there,” Groeninger said.
Here is the status of the police shooting investigations on Monday:
* Indianapolis police say they arrested Thomas Hardy in the shooting of Officer David Moore, who was shot in the face and body and remained in a coma.
* A manhunt continued in the Oregon beach town of Waldport for a gunman who shot officer Steven Dodds, 45, a six-year veteran of the Lincoln City Police Department. Police were looking for the owner of a 1984 Dodge truck that fled the shooting scene.
* In Detroit, four officers shot inside their precinct were recovering, police said. Investigators said Lamar Moore, 38, of Detroit entered the 6th Precinct on the city’s northwest side about 4:30 p.m. Sunday and shot Cmdr. Brian Davis, Officer David Anderson; Sgt. Ray Saati; and Sgt. Carrie Schulz. Officers returned fire and killed Moore, who was scheduled to be sentenced Monday for his role in a double homicide, they said.
* One of two deputies wounded in Port Orchard, Wash., was released from the hospital while another remained in satisfactory condition after being wounded Sunday in a gunfight. A suspect and a female victim who came running to his aid were killed. Police were investigating how the female victim was shot. The gunman was identified as Anthony A. Martinez, 31, of Salt Lake City. The Deseret News said police had issued an endangered persons advisory for a 13-year-old runaway believed to be traveling with Martinez.
* In St. Petersburg, Fla., a suspected gunman was found dead after two police officers were shot to death and a U.S. marshal was injured as they tried to make an arrest. Suncoast Benevolent Association President Mark Marland identified the fallen officers as Tom Baitinger and Jeffrey Yaslowitz.
* In Miami, thousands of law enforcement officers gathered at a funeral service in American Airlines Arena to honor Roger Castillo, 41, Amanda Haworth, 44, who were killed on Thursday while serving a warrant on a suspected killer. The suspect, 22-year-old Johnny Simms, was killed by another officer.
Milhouse
And how many innocent people have the cops shot over the same period? Like that guy in Vegas who was shot down in cold blood in a parking lot, when he tried to comply with a police demand that he drop his (legal) gun to the ground. Or all the people who are killed defending themselves against what appear to be burglars, usually because the police raided the wrong address. Why not count those and compare the two numbers?
And how about all the people who are not killed, but who are harassed and arrested merely for “contempt of cop”, which is of course not a crime? People arrested for recording police, while of course the police are free to record them. If the cops fear a war on them, maybe they shouldn’t be waging war against the people.
Remember, police work is NOT the most dangerous job in America; it’s not even in the top ten. So they don’t deserve any breaks. They have a responsibility to the public and when they fail in that the public has the right to hold them in contempt.
Time for a CHANGE
time for all police officers to act as people.
even when you write a tiket you dont have to do it like a beast. than you will ern the respect.
stop antagonize the people.
Freakin Media
Typical media making a big deal out of a non-story. War on cops? Come on! Here are the stats for officers killed in the line of duty since 2001:
2010- 162
2009- 128
2008- 147
2007- 197
2006- 159
2005- 165
2004- 164
2003- 148
2002- 159
2001- 242* (inflated due to 9/11)
Looking at the numbers, the number of officers being killed is just about average, meaning criminals are just as crazy today as they have been over the last 10 years. The only people quoted in this article are FOP spokespeople who are trying to create controversy over budget cuts across the nation.
On a side note, trying to spin the horrible atrocities committed by a deranged individual as an attack on police is reprehensible, and disrespectful to the victims (none of which were members of law enforcement, by the way).
wow
this is getting crazy moscow bombs this Moshiach is coming ! yay
Not Connected
I don’t see the connection. These all appear to be unrelated incidents.
ceo
they need to make a “war” on GANGS and hard core crime before it comes to that. There have to be other things to do about this.
Its not a war!
Cops get shot everyday. I think its the over popularization in the media and more focus on the deaths.
why?
What is this news doing on this website ??
What has it to do with Jews and Judaism ??? just asking.
stupid
war on gangs and dangerous people, not tickets, then they wonder…
GO-D-S RIGHT HAND MAN
crown heights has got a place in the top ten “ it’s payback time” go shomrim
my opinion is the truth is go-d ordered it to remind all of creation of his supremeness and he is the maker and giver of law/s ! CUT A TIP OFF & REDEEM THE FIRSTBORN’S