April 6th, 2009
On Sunday, police defended the 43 minutes it took to enter the building after the first frantic 911 calls from terrified immigrants inside the center.
The officers on the scene waited for SWAT to arrive. It’s tough to know what was going on and what the best thing would have been, but 43 minutes is a long time.
Police Chief Joseph Zikuski:
“All I can tell you is that we did what was expected and was the right thing to do under the circumstances.”
Now, it may have actually been the best thing to do under the circumstances. But it sure as Hades isn’t what anyone expects.
You are responsible for your own safety at all times.
UPDATE: More here.
Tags: NY
April 6th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Normal cops aren’t trained to enter a building? Come on! Load up the shotgun or trunk gun, stack at the door and get in there.
Soldiers and Marines don’t wait for Force Delta when they come upon a building occupied by hostiles.
April 6th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
The thing that always gets me when it seems to take so long for authorities to enter is that we are always hearing about no-knock drug raids and people getting shot because the cops went in heavy and hard when they maybe didn’t need to.
I worry a bit about “militarization” of police forces, then something like this happens and I wonder where all the Rambos went.
I know it’s easy to critique after the fact, but this was clearly a case where heavy reaction was easily justified. And they didn’t.
April 6th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
[...] 43 Minutes [...]
April 6th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
[...] The officers first on the scene waited for the SWAT team to arrive. It took 43 minutes. [...]
April 6th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
The only working solution for active shooters is for the first responders to grab a long gun and charge in.
The second through fifth responders can form a fireteam and stack up.
When SWAT finally gets there, it will either be resolved, or will have degenerated into a hostage situation, something SWAT teams are trained to handle.
ANY armed resistance disrupts an active killer, and often causes the active killer to suicide immediately.
April 6th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
“Now, it may have actually been the best thing to do under the circumstances. But it sure as Hades isn’t what anyone expects.”
Yeah, no kidding:
http://www.wfsb.com/news/15114002/detail.html
April 6th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Unacceptable on any level.
Every first responding officer that waited 43 minutes to move in should be up for review on charges of malfeasance and cowardice.
By the time an active shooter has even entered the building, the fight is on. Press the fight. Education for those who are in a position to be involved in an active shooter event is to “Do whatever you feel is necessary to stop the threat.” This is being put forth in universities, businesses, and schools across the country because no amount of pleading or begging works with these animals. They’re there to kill as many as possible before killing themselves.
NYPD most likely has a carbine or patrol rifle in just about every unit, much like any other PD that has militarized in the last 15-20 years. If this weaponry isn’t there to provide a cadre of capable, ballistically advantaged first responders who can charge in hard and meet a deadly threat head on while a second team is arriving/forming up, then what, exactly, is it there for? Are they law enforcement, or just living the lifestyle?
If they, man or woman, don’t have the balls to meet life-threatening danger head on and crush it where it stands, they need to ask for a transfer to the traffic division. Get the f@&% out of the way and let the people willing to solve the problem get in there.
This cult of “we need military arms and tactics for “officer safety” so we can sit on our asses for nearly an hour while spree shotters are free to do their work” is sickening.
Cowards all.
April 6th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
My mistake.
Not NYPD, But Birmingham NY’s PD. Mea Culpa.
April 6th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Jeebus, Binghampton PD. Need to go get a coffee.
April 6th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
43 minutes? But they entered the building then, right?
Beats Columbine High School by several hours. But, then, that’s was just unarmed kids and teachers.
April 6th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
The Supreme Court of the U.S. recognizes that a police officer & department has two duties; arrest lawbreakers and gather evidence to aid in the prosecution. The same court has also ruled that neither an officer or department cannot be sued for failing to perform either duty. Neither can they be sued for failing to prevent a crime or for failing to stop a crime in process. In other words, like it or not, Binghampton PD walks.