What can we blame the police for today huh???

[jumper69]

I cannot believe peoples first reaction in a tragedy is to blame the police.

My daughter died in a car wreck and it's the police's fault even though she wasn't wearing a seat belt, it was pooring rain, had balding tires, and the drivers door to her car wasn't the original which probably caused it to pop open. And I'd put money on she was talking on a cell phone.

I'm truly sorry for the parent's loss. Nobody should have to bury their child. But let's put the responsibility where it belongs. ON THE DRIVER!

But it's too easy to blame the officer for failing to see a body 40 feet away, at night, in driving rain, when he had no reason to suspect he should even be LOOKING for a body!

PLUS!!!! You get to be on TV and get off a "the cops shoulda..." blast with no police officer around to refute you.

Well, like I said, I'm sorry for their loss but FUCK THEM AND THE TRIPLE WHOPPER WITH CHEESE THEY EAT THREE TIMES A DAY!

Source

[Gunslinger]

Jump, she wasn't 40 feet away. She was 1/10 of a mile away from the car. That's 520 feet!!!!! How in the hell was the officer supposed to see her from that far away in the dark while it is raining. Espicially when he didn't see any signs that someone had been thrown from the vehicle. Hell, even if he would have found her, it wouldn't have done any good anyway. She died as soon as her head hit the pavement after she was thrown from the car.

It just kills me that people want to put undue burden on police officers with rules, regulations, tons of paperwork, etc, etc,etc. But when something doesn't go there way, the first thing they do is blame the police. "Why didn't the police search for my baby?" The question should be, "why was your baby driving a car with balding tires in the rain with no seat belt on?"

Heaven forbid we actually hold the person responsible for the accident accountable for their actions.

[cincygreg]

This is pretty much saying the same thing.


Cheif Absolves Officer

[reason]

The family of the deceased is not blaming the police for the death of their daughter. They are criticizing the police for not looking around for a victim.

I drive that stretch rather frequently, and while I'm not sure of the exact location of the body, it is perplexing that the body went unnoticed for nine hours on what is one of the busiest roadways in the metro area.

Put yourself in the family's shoes. Their loved one died and layed on the side of a major highway for nine hours. I can't imagine the pain they must be feeling. Then to see the police tape played over and over and over on local television, continually highlighting that poor woman lying there, I can certainly understand *why* they feel the way they feel, regardless of whether they are right or not.

I'd say their anger is an appropriate and reasonable response.

In defense of the police, I've not heard of anyone reporting a body on the side of the road after nine hours of traffic driving by. While there are a lot of unconcerned people in the world, I'm willing to bet each and every one of us here would have reported this if they had seen her lying there. I'm guessing many others driving along I-75 would have too, except most - if not all - aren't expecting or accepting the fact that that "thing" on the side of the road is really a dead woman.

I guess my point is that while I understand the sentiment of the family of the deceased, I'm thinking that her presence on the side of highway wasn't as obvious as the media and logic would suggest.

I look forward to hearing the results of the police investigation.
]

<font color="#FFFFAA" size="1">[ March 29, 2005 10:23 AM: Message edited by: craig. ]</font>

[jumper69]

I disagree reason. The family got on TV and specifically blamed the police for leaving their daughter to lay there for 9 hours or so. They also demanded an apology.

If she was, as GS, says 520feet away, I defy any of you to spot the body when: 1. you're not looking for one. 2. It's nightime. 3. It's raining!

If, like you state reason, that for 9 hours nobody ELSE saw the body either tells me it wasn't readily observable.

Having been on patrols in driving rain, at night, I could hardly see the guy 15 feet in front of me. And I'm LOOKING for him.

No..there is nobody to blame in this case except the driver. The parents are grieving and that's understandable but to take the police to task is just wrong.

[reason]

Originally posted by Jumper69:
I disagree reason. The family got on TV and specifically blamed the police for leaving their daughter to lay there for 9 hours or so. They also demanded an apology.

If she was, as GS, says 520feet away, I defy any of you to spot the body when: 1. you're not looking for one. 2. It's nightime. 3. It's raining!

If, like you state reason, that for 9 hours nobody ELSE saw the body either tells me it wasn't readily observable.

Having been on patrols in driving rain, at night, I could hardly see the guy 15 feet in front of me. And I'm LOOKING for him.

No..there is nobody to blame in this case except the driver. The parents are grieving and that's understandable but to take the police to task is just wrong.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Your original post implied the family blamed the police for the death of their daughter. This did not happen.

They blamed the police for not looking for a victim of an accident. I can understand why the family feels this way, particularly when they've been shown police tapes with their loved one highlighted to demonstrate that the police passed right by her.

Their anger is perfectly appropriate and reasonable. I'm not saying the family is right, but I do understand why they feel the way they do.

[reason]

Absent from the discussion is the fact the police first treated this as a homicide and made at least one family member feel like a suspect.

Ouch. Talk about adding insult to injury.

[reason]

The coroner pretty much immediately established the death was instantaneous. I'm sure they could also determine time of death, which is something that will be pondered when it goes to court.

[jumper69]

Aren't family members ALWAYS the first suspects?

Like I said I understand that their upset. I just believe they're upset at the wrong people.

[Blast from the Past]

Originally posted by craig.:


Your original post implied the family blamed the police for the death of their daughter. This did not happen.

Their anger is perfectly appropriate and reasonable. I'm not saying the family is right, but I do understand why they feel the way they do.[/QB]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">What side of your mouth should we listen to? How can someone be "perfectly appropriate and reasonable" and in the next sentence you say "I'm not saying the family is right..."

Apparently you missed this section of the original news story Jumper posted:

"At a candlelight vigil Monday outside City Hall, about 75 people celebrated Mechley's life. Some carried signs critical of the police, including: "Next Time Look Twice, She Deserved Better and We've Got Questions. Got Answers?"

If that isn't laying blame, what is?