A couple of officers off the job after actions during Ferguson protests.

[Denali]

This comes as no surprise. Social media has ruined many careers.

But the individual examples of abhorrent behavior bear no responsibility?

[Koshinn]

This comes as no surprise. Social media has ruined many careers.

Do police ruin the lives of criminals, or do criminals do it to themselves?

[Eurodriver]

What happens when Wilson's grand jury comes back with an indictment? How is that going to affect LE actions in the future? You're getting your head smashed in by a big ass guy, but you're white and he's black - you shoot and go to jail or you don't shoot and suffer brain damage. Sucks to be in that position.

Now where are all the "nothing will happen to those goons" people???? Where are they now????

If I thought I saw my neighbor brandish a gun, thought I heard gunshots too, and walked over there pointing my AR15 at everyone and started yelling obscenities and you were the first LEO to respond - would I be facing something more serious than losing my job?

Sometimes police have to use "persuasion" to get people, especially angry people or people actively breaking the law, to comply.
Sir, drop the gun... Sir, drop the gun... Drop the f%#*ing gun or I'll shoot you in the F&^%ing face!

This is totally understandable and no one should have any issues with this.

[Irish]

Yes it is a volatile situation there between citizens and police but those cocky little white kids with their camera phones would be eaten alive by all the homies if the cops weren't there.

No question! The knock out game followed by emptying of pockets.

What the camera doesn't show is the brandishing of a firearm and shots fired seconds before this incident.

I'm not questioning your integrity but is your information solely derived from a news article?

Sometimes police have to use "persuasion" to get people, especially angry people or people actively breaking the law, to comply.
Sir, drop the gun... Sir, drop the gun... Drop the f%#*ing gun or I'll shoot you in the F&^%ing face!

Yep, I get that. But the only thing I saw on camera was a bunch of white d-bag camera phone wielders.

What I could see happening there is the gun fire occurring and a few cops not realizing that it was under control and the are still in condition red while other officers know that the situation was already under control.

I can totally see that. Thanks for your response. As always, just looking for good conversation and your well thought out responses.

Check this dude out... He's right on point.

[CoryCop25]

I like that dude, Irish.

I read the article and that is where all our information comes from in this particular incident. Hell, no one really knows what happened in the shooting yet!
I know the person that posted that video would like all his viewers to think that mean old cop pointed a gun at them unprovoked and yelled bad words at them. But seriously, a 20 year veteran Lieutenant? C'mon! That video would never make it to the interwebs if some dirt bag came rushing through the crowd of Dbags with camera phones unloading his pistol.
The problem I have with this is that how ever many people viewed this video saw a cop yelling bad words and pointing his rifle at a bunch of idiots that ran toward him when his rifle went up (does anyone see a problem with that????) and got fired!
Bullets travel faster than it takes to think about whether or not the group of people running toward you are the ones with the guns or not. YES he pointed his rifle at some camera phone wielding protesters, NO he did not light them up and he went home that night, and got fired the next day....

[Belmont31R]

For clarity he wasn't fired. He resigned which means he'll keep getting paid (pension/retirement). He didn't get charged with a crime as anyone else would for pointing a firearm at someone and threatening to kill them. He was recommend for resignation or firing by the citizens review board which is a recommendation not a fiat. The police chief defended his actions. He can still be hired by another department.

[T2C]

When faced with an angry crowd approaching you in an area that has a reputation for violence, what would the people participating in this thread do to protect themselves?

[MorphCross]

What happens when Wilson's grand jury comes back with an indictment? How is that going to affect LE actions in the future? You're getting your head smashed in by a big ass guy, but you're white and he's black - you shoot and go to jail or you don't shoot and suffer brain damage. Sucks to be in that position.

Until a trial determines guilt, an indictment by the grand jury is just a formal charge. How the law is explained to the Jurors will go to determining if they return an indictment on Wilson. IOW, it won't affect current LEO work besides each officers own personal perceptions. Just like how cases of personal defense that are currently being tried shouldn't effect your choice beyond perception of shoot/don't shoot.

[jmoney]

When faced with an angry crowd approaching you in an area that has a reputation for violence, what would the people participating in this thread do to protect themselves?

thats my question. What did they expect him to do. Did they not arrest several people over those days with weapons, and have incidents involving weapons? That was a bad situation all around, but looking through the lens of the LEO, I can understand. These people are provoking him and got the exact response they wanted. Could he have used better language? Absolutely, but when 100's of people take to the streets trying to get provoke an officer to point their weapon at them, what do they expect?

[Irish]

Everyone milling about, and wandering around aimlessly, no one running, no one panicking, including your average everyday whitebread sympathizer, yet somehow guns were brandished and shots fired... I'm not buying it.