Patriot86,
While I am not thrilled with this situation, there comes a time when there is a choice to be made. Frankly I am not thrilled with any bank robbery to be honest. I would prefer there had been less people involved but given that there is a bank robbery and the history of violence with some bank robberies, one should ask who is more important than who. Meaning, if there was a shootout, was the people there and detained at this intersection more important, or are others down the road if there was a chase that may have been involved in a shootout more important, or who? Just who is more important... Kind of a difficult question. Thankfully this bank robber did not fire on others.
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Now that we KNOW it was a GPS tracking device who is the mo mo who decided to confront an armed suspect with 20 other cars around? Why not wait a mile..two miles..5 miles until they could not only narrow down the suspect car but also stop it in an area that is less populated. What would have happened if the bank robber came out guns a blazing with an AK-47 and killed some of those motorists? The more I learn the more I have to question some of the basic tactical leadership of the LEO's in command in this case.
I understand there is a concern about a hostage but what is perhaps 1 or 2 hostages weighed against 20 some odd motorists? Last time I checked 2 is way less than 20...This whole stop just seems reckless to me.
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From the videos of chases I have seen there are almost always way more then 20 innocent people involved that just happen to be on the same road, area, etc. I could ask the same question of "who is the mo mo that decided to let the person through and let a chase begin instead of keeping him trapped at the intersection? Or who let this mo mo through and let him shoot others or shoot at others in a chase?"
Dealing with a person robbing a bank, who, according to the early news source I posted earlier may have hostage(s), there is no great solution that doesnt place people in danger. I also dont think this robber in aurora said "give me your money or I will tell you a bad joke." There was a threat made, and with the history of bank robberies there was a threat of
violence.
Say, if the officers let this guy proceed through the intersection and a chase started like the one in Rock Hill S.C. by an officer on his way to work who was flagged down and told of a bank robbery, would those at the intersection have their lives valued more then the lives of those in/around a chase? This is the video I am referencing:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...5116174896808#
After whatching this video that happened about 1 hour and 45 min away from me, can you honestly say that the people around this bank robber at the intersection in Aurora, that their lives where worth more then those around a possible chase like this rolling shootout/chase? Luckily in this video, no one else was hurt but the robber. I lost track of the cars, and possible people involved. Just which lives are more important? Thats never an easy answer. Just as its never easy to answer will this robber give up, or will there be a shoot out?
Either way, if they caught the guy at the intersection as they did, or if they let the guy through and a chase started, or in between. Lives are at risk in some way. There really isnt a way to avoid putting lives at risk. Its a gamble either way. I for one am glad it turned out safely for all.
As I said earlier, its up to the courts to decide just how many vehicles, and how large of an area, if at all can be be detained, or what settlement and how large it will be. I am not someone who is willing to give up rights either, but there again, I dont want someone to say their loved one died because LE let the badguys slip away and they tried again later with deadly results.
Edit to add...
MLeake,
I just realized I didnt answer your question earlier.
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it seems to me that many (if not most) departments encourage officers to find more suitable places to stop suspects, if given the option, than crowded public arenas.
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Yes, most agencies encourage officers to find a suitable place to stop that involves the least risk to innocent people. With not only the public outcry, but also the risk involved in a chase, it has become preferable to try to wait until a vehicle that a suspect is in becomes tied up in traffic, if it is at all possible when there is the risk of a chase. Whether it is at an intersection such as this, or in another way. A simple traffic stop is one thing. But trying to corner a person such as a bank robber in this case, lately the choice is to try to reduce the possibility of a chase if possible. Having a limited number of folks that can be hopefully removed or evacuated has become preferable to having a fleeing person risking many people over many miles during a chase that may not be able to be removed/evacuated. There is no easy answer. There is always a level of risk involved. Honestly, there are many folks more intelligent then myself trying to find a solution to this very issue.
Have a great night all!