Bravo to Dallas Police Chief David Brown

[SickOfTheOnePct]

Negotiating with the gunman

Brown said the gunman was only willing to negotiate with a black police officer during the standoff.

He was also singing while speaking with police officers, Brown said.

"We had negotiated with him for about two hours, and he just basically lied to us -- playing games, laughing at us, singing, asking how many (police officers) did he get and that he wanted to kill some more and that there were bombs there," Brown said, "so there was no progress on the negotiation."

"I began to feel that it was only at a split second he would charge us and take out many more before we could kill him," he said.

That, Brown said, is when his officers devised a plan to use a robot to detonate a bomb near the gunman.

The decision to use a bomb

Brown said he faced a difficult choice -- with no way to send officers after the gunman without further jeopardizing their lives.

"He was secreted behind a brick corner," he said, "and the only way to get a sniper shot to end his trying to kill us would be to expose officers to grave danger."

When his officers proposed using the robot, Brown said, "I approved it. And I'll do it again if presented with the same circumstances."

"You have to trust the people whose lives are at stake. I appreciate critics, but they're not on the ground, and their lives are not at risk," he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/10/politics/dallas-shooting-police-chief-david-brown/index.html

[annavictorious]

1. Chief Brown is an impressive man in many respects.

Anyone second guessing his decision should watch this interview and then reassess.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

7. I didn't get to see it

I was just up reading the CNN website - think I'll watch it later though. I've been very impressed with him throughout this entire episode. From what I've observed, we could use a whole country full of police chiefs just like him.

[840high]

2. Chief Brown did the right yhing.

[hamsterjill]

16. I agree.

I think it was hard choice but the most realistic choice to keep more officers (and who knows who else) from being killed.

I respect Chief Brown.

[WhiteTara]

3. Judge Jury Executioner nt

[uponit7771]

5. What were the options? tia

[SickOfTheOnePct]

6. OK

You're the police chief in the situation described above.

What would you have done?

[WhiteTara]

9. What happened to tear gas

what happened to waiting. Two hours and they're ready to kill.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

12. Did you read the article?

He was acting in an unstable manner, and the police chief feared that he would emerge and start firing.

[Duckhunter935]

13. Yep, let's make a huge smoke cloud

That would obscure him and allow him to shoot more officers.

[hamsterjill]

17. How long should they have waited?

Trained negotiators made the call that the negotiations were going no where.

What if the suspect had gotten away? More killing?

[StoneCarver]

21. I agree.

what happened to tear gas? What is wrong with people? Yes, I'm pissed at what he did, but this is crazy! It is a symptom of the times, drone strikes are ok, because they were the bad guys anyway. Human life does not matter to a lot of people on du and FU. You aren't liberal, you're pathological.
I'm a proud gunowner who disapproves of this bomb thing to be judge jury and executioner.

This rational of "he could have charged" at any time can be applied to any bank robbery, etc situation. You are bat shit crazy!
Stonecarver

[jmg257]

22. Police Chief with 33 years experience, BA, MBA, SWAT, etc - I kind of have to back his judgement

in this situation. He was there. He made the call.

[StoneCarver]

23. He wasn't there

A bunch of Dallas cops who just had their buddies killed were there making the recommendations on the ground! Do you think there could have been a little bit of bias?
Stonecarver

[840high]

24. The Chief did the right

thing. Yes he was there talking to the suspect. The man was laughing, singing and threatening. Did you want more people killed?

[christx30]

26. Next time there is a hostage situation

and people are dead, I nominate you to go down to the crime scene and tell the police everything they are doing wrong. Bonus points if you can find a way of crapping on the dead people.
Of course they're emotional! But who else is going to stop the bad guy? You want to get a judge and a lawyer there on scene and do a trial? Be my guest. I'd rather send Johnny 5 out there with a grenade in his hand to disassemble the multiple murderer.

I'll say again what I've said time and time again: He could have given himself up at any time. He would be sitting in a cell right now. Instead he was singing and bragging and asking how many cops he killed. So they blew him up rather than let him kill anyone else. The chief has said "This wasn't an ethical dilemma for me; I'd do it again to save our officers."

That's good enough for me.

[FSogol]

8. Too bad the Police Chief didn't have you to go in and read the shooter his rights!

[SickOfTheOnePct]

11. Being read your rights

is a privilege reserved for those who are arrested.

The shooter could have surrendered, and he would have read his rights and afforded a trial. He chose otherwise.

[FSogol]

18. I know that. I was commenting to the people bemoaning him not being read his rights.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

19. My bad, I apologize!

I've just been somewhat taken aback by the number of people here who are appearing to try to treat the shooter as a some kind of victim.

I didn't pay close enough attention - sorry!

[FSogol]

25. No worries. n/t

[rollin74]

10. the murdering sniper got killed

cry me a fuckin' river

[Duckhunter935]

14. Was not even really a sniper

Fairly close range and multiple rounds. Snipers use very few at very long distance.

[X_Digger]

20. Defense of self and others. n/t

[rollin74]

4. saw the interview

I have nothing but respect for Chief Brown (and Dallas PD response on Thursday night)

agree with all that he said during that interview

[Historic NY]

15. Whatever the robot cost it was worth it....

its designed for high risk situations, like this.