I read some doozies on the Forum, and bite my tongue on 99% of them, but David your last couple of posts are at the top of any that I've ever read. Wow, where to start.....

First, I've worked with many policemen, and are good friends with a couple, and frankly I'm really sick and tired of the characterization of them. It's gone on long enough. But that's for another time.... You of course go to the scenario of a cop shooting a Child with a toy. First, and unlike your implication, no police officer EVER wants to murder a child with a toy. But more than that, no officer should ever be expected to "take a bullet". "Basic Taxpayer Expectations"?! Talk about talking tough from behind a keyboard!  I know the training they go through, the care they take, and the preparations the go through to try to disarm every encounter with NO ONE getting hurt. 

You also initially defend the officer as a victim for freezing and not entering the building when he heard the shots - which as a police officer is indefensible. But I guess defending a Cop bothered you, so you had to take a cheap shot and say he's probably as "dirty as a snake anyway". Of course you have no logical reason for saying that other than your own prejudice, but you had to take your shot anyway so no one sees you as pro-cop.

I talked to a city Police Officer friend this morning. He's embarrassed by the actions of the officer that stood outside the building. Obviously the Florida Sheriff was too when he suspended him without pay, and you could see his disgust when he talked about it. Sorry David, but there's no defense. And those that comment the the Officer would have been "walking into his own execution" against an AR-15 have NO concept of guns, police training, or their capacity for defense......I'm just floored by some of the things people say. At this point I shouldn't be, but damn........

--Mark T

Yes, it is very easy to sit behind a keyboard and say someone should ideally do this or that, but I think we've all at some point in our lives been given a choice of doing the easy thing that suits us or the riskier, harder thing that is the RIGHT thing.

When kids are being shot and you are the best chance they have for survival, I think making some effort to at least make your presence known, behind cover, would not have been asking for too much.

I would also add, I would  give the deputy in question some measure of sympathy. I don't doubt for a second that he wrestled with his fear about going in... I imagine he will relive his failure to do so for the rest of his life.

I admit that I am ignorant. Please explain how a police-issue handgun would be an effective "defense" against a semi-automatic rifle. 

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To be fair, there sits a space between the two options of (1) a sheriff waiting outside as kids are shot inside and (2) using a handgun as a a defence against a semi-automatic rifle. 

The school was a sizeable building. Inside was a shooter versus children. The officer risked his own safety by entering, but increased the chance of helping those inside before further help arrived. Staying outside guaranteed his own safety, but did nothing to help those inside.

Between the binary choices of entering or staying outside exist a varying degree of outcomes. It is not as simple as saying if he entered the building he would die.