Thread: Stoneman Douglas cop resigns; sheriff says he should have 'killed the killer'

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeach

MW, I heard what you wrote about Columbine today.

I remember hearing about the procedure change awhile back. One man, ten men, it doesn't matter, rush to the sound of the gunfire. Law enforcement, just like military members, know the risk when they sign on. Aren't our children worth the risk?

Related:


BREAKING: Armed School Guard AND 3 BROWARD COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES Waited Outside Parkland HS During Shooting


https://www.alipac.us/f19/breaking-a...utside-356150/

Sources: Coral Springs police upset at some Broward deputies for not entering school
By Jake Tapper, Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent
Updated 4:47 PM ET, Fri February 23, 2018

(CNN)When Coral Springs police officers arrived at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14 in the midst of the school shooting crisis, many officers were surprised to find not only that Broward County Sheriff's Deputy Scot Peterson, the armed school resource officer, had not entered the building, but that three other Broward County Sheriff's deputies were also outside the school and had not entered, Coral Springs sources tell CNN. The deputies had their pistols drawn and were behind their vehicles, the sources said, and not one of them had gone into the school.

With direction from the Broward deputies who were outside, Coral Springs police soon entered the building where the shooter was. New Broward County Sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene, and two of those deputies and an officer from Sunrise, Florida, joined the Coral Springs police as they went into the building.

Some Coral Springs police were stunned and upset that the four original Broward County Sheriff's deputies who were first on the scene did not appear to join them as they entered the school, Coral Springs sources tell CNN. It's unclear whether the shooter was still in the building when they arrived.

Deputy who stayed outside during school shooting had glowing reviews, his personnel records show

What these Coral Springs officers observed -- though not their feelings about it -- will be released in a report, likely next week.

Sources cautioned that tapes are currently being reviewed and official accounts could ultimately differ from recollections of officers on the scene.

The resentment among Coral Springs officials toward Broward County officials about what they perceived to be a dereliction of duty may have reached a boiling point at a vigil the night of February 15, where, in front of dozens of others, Coral Springs City Manager Mike Goodrum confronted Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel. A source familiar with the conversation tells CNN that Goodrum was upset that the Broward deputies had remained outside the school while kids inside could have been bleeding out, among other reasons.

Goodrum said in a statement to CNN, "Given the horrific events of that day emotions were running high and the sheriff and I had a heated moment the following evening. Sheriff Israel and I have spoken several times since and I can assure you that our departments have a good working relationship and the utmost respect for each other." Goodrum declined to comment on the content of their conversation.

Sgt. Carla Kmiotek, public information officer for the Coral Springs Police Department, would not comment about CNN's story. "The Coral Springs Police Department will speak on behalf of our officers and their response in that incident," she said. " We will not speak on behalf of Broward Sheriff's deputies and their response to the incident."

Two days after the shooting, Coral Springs Police Chief Tony Pustizzi addressed some of the concerns voiced by his officers in an internal email obtained by CNN that said, among other items, "I understand that another agency has given the impression that it had provided the majority of the rescue efforts, and that the tremendous work of the Coral Springs Police and Fire Departments has not been recognized. Please know that this issue will be addressed, and the truth will come out in time. The focus for us now, however, must be on healing -- for ourselves, our families, our community and those residents surrounding us. While recognition is not the reason we choose to do what we do, our Commission, City Manager and residents are well aware of the actions our members took in the face of danger and the heroes that you are."

The Broward County Sheriff's Office did not return multiple requests for comment.

Information about ways the Broward County Sheriff's Office didn't sufficiently handle the shooter both before and during the incident started coming out in full force on Thursday, when Broward County Sheriff Israel announced that video showed Deputy Peterson outside the building where students were being shot for "upwards of four minutes."

"What I saw was a deputy arrive ... take up a position and he never went in," Israel said at a news conference. Israel said Peterson should have "went in. Addressed the killer. Killed the killer." Peterson was suspended without pay, after which he resigned.

County Superintendent Robert Runcie said, "I'm in shock and I'm outraged to no end that he could have made a difference in all this.

It's really disturbing that we had a law enforcement individual there specifically for this reason, and he did not engage. He did not do his job. It's one of the most unbelievable things I've ever heard."

Israel also announced an investigation into how two other deputies had handled warnings about the gunman prior to the shooting.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/23/polit...ies/index.html

Originally Posted by Judy

. . . It's interesting that officers from another county are providing him with protection.

He lives in Palm Beach County so when he is at home The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Dept. is the local jurisdiction.
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An Associated Press reporter says he tried twice ringing the doorbell at Peterson's home in a suburb of West Palm Beach and saw lights on inside and cars present. But no one answered.

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/artic...-misled-police

Originally Posted by Judy

I would caution everyone to tread carefully on judging this officer. These are law enforcement officers, not cops on a suicide mission. These are regular beat cops, not SWAT. SWAT has special weapons, special gear, special protection to enter with less risk to their lives.

[snip]

It just bothers me to see this officer called a coward when he was actually following procedures. I think it's a big PR problem for law enforcement, they don't want the public to think they won't rush in to help them, but when it boils down to it, they will won't rush in, not until SWAT gets there. The risk to their own lives is too high in these situations.

"<acronym title="Google Page Ranking">PR</acronym>"! In this politically correct society, many officers don't jump into a situation because they may be found to have violated somebody's rights. We don't know what this officer was thinking. On the other hand, he accepted the big money knowing that he may be called on to sacrifice his life! I recall in the Redlands, CA, shooting, when escorting people out, an officer told them to stay behind him, if someone was going to be shot, it would be him. Not everybody is a hero.

Originally Posted by Judy

A single officer with no back-up? I don't agree with that. That's a suicide mission.

He had no way to know how many shooters there were. Sometimes it is better to have a strategy before acting. The bigger failure was the other officers, who after coming on the scene, hid behind their cars.

Originally Posted by Beezer

Same with arming teachers.

Not at all the same. If you are a teacher, pinned down and cornered, you want a fighting chance. This officer was not in danger where he was.

Originally Posted by jtdc

He had no way to know how many shooters there were. Sometimes it is better to have a strategy before acting. The bigger failure was the other officers, who after coming on the scene, hid behind their cars.

Exactly. He also didn't know if doors are locked or open either. If locked inside, no door to open and duck in for cover or reload or anything else. Once the other officers got there, and there were 4 of them, now you've got a small gang and back up for each other. I'm not saying he made the right decision, I'm saying he's not a coward for the decision he made when he was by himself.

Originally Posted by jtdc

He had no way to know how many shooters there were. Sometimes it is better to have a strategy before acting. The bigger failure was the other officers, who after coming on the scene, hid behind their cars.

He may have known. Reports were flying out of that school like flies to honey. Remember, most of those children and all the teachers have phones. Plus, he should have had radio communications with the school office.

Seriously though, it doesn't matter, the procedure under a mass shooting situation is to rush to the gunfire regardless of how many you are. How many you are isn't important when it comes to saving the lives of those children ..... you take the risk! As I've said before, this wasn't a hostage situation, this was an active shooter attempting to kill everything in sight. Time is critical in such a situation. He was wrong and he knows it as do most other people.

Three other Broward County Deputies did the same thing Peterson did, they stayed out outside with him. 2 other Broward County Deputies who came along later about the same time 4 officers from Coral Springs arrived went inside the school, but the 4 other Broward County Deputies stayed outside, 3 taking cover behind their vehicles with Peterson behind a column by the stairwell talking on his radio, according to several students who saw him. He's 6' 5" so hard to miss.

So I guess we'll hear shortly about the resignations/firings of the other 3 Broward County Deputies.