[jfruser]

One other thing...

Though I give the LEO in this case the benefit of the doubt, there is absolutely nothing wrong with criticizing his performance and/or decisions.

We do the same with non-LEOs in situations that don't end up with dead children as part of the consequences of their actions. To refrain because the good guy in this situation is a LEO is ludicrous.

LEOs are not anything special relative to other citizens(1). Both LEOs and non-LEO/non-military folks are civilians. I have had at least two jobs with higher OTJ injury & death rates and where quick decision-making under threat of death and/or injury was common, so that doesn't impress me much as an excuse. If my actions had helped get a child killed, I would not have had limited sovereign immunity and a ready-to-order fan club for my occupation to jump to my defense.

Criticize away. That is how we might learn something from the incident. Most folks can sift the unreasonable from the reasonable criticism.



(1) Sadly, our gov't has chosen to treat them differently vis a vis the law and consequences for actions while performing their duty.