Posted: 12/6/2010 8:26:24 PM EDT
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So, today I'm headed north on I-5 around 1330. I had finished my day but the boss asked me to make one "quick trip" back north to drop off some chemicals and replace a paper towel dispenser. Hour work max even with traffic.
As I pass the off ramp for WA-520 I see rollers coming up slowly in the passing lane. It was one of SPD SWAT's pigs, PK-2 I think, rolling code, going all of 62 MPH up the Interstate. I lost sight of him before Exit 170 and got off to make a drop by Green Lake. As I turned off of the off-ramp I saw the rollers ahead of me making a right turn toward Ravenna. I thought, 'someone's having a bad day'.  By the time I got to the location to change the dispenser SPD had taped off a one block cordon AROUND THE CLIENT.  I found parking and walked a roundabout way into the site. Those Army MOUT skill still come in handy. The owner was quite shocked that I showed up and made it through since all of their customers had been evac'd.A woman "with access to firearms" had "barricaded" herself into the house directly across street from the restaurant. I'm thinking, "give me a stick."  Pig in the road pointed at white subject house, client's site behind. Picture taken from the media holding site. I got the dispenser changed out and decided to hang out for a bit since the cordon was really messing with traffic. I figured I'd play "spot the long rifle". The building I was in was the obvious line of sight except that the rifles would have to be on a low floor to get a line into the subject house. I walked around the NE corner of the cordon to get a look at the north face of the building. Didn't spot anything obvious.  On the way along the north edge of the cordon I find Unit 955 parked halfway into the alley that led to the back door of the subject house. When I stopped in the sidewalk to punch my SSN into my phone so I could clock out the badge heavy kid behind the wheel dropped his window and yelled, "HEY MAN! KEEP IT MOVING!" Officer Shithead was quite a change from the very courteous and patient officer working the busy Roosevelt and 65th corner who dealt with incredibly stupid questions ("Can I get my car from in front of that white house?") very tactfully. He seemed nearly apologetic when he asked me to move out of the media holding area. I was going to ask the media professionals why they were filming the static front of the building when the negotiation, and other interesting stuff, was going on 75' up the street but then, I knew the answer. Yes, the ass end of his vehicle is sticking out into the very congested roadway, no doubt for fear of blocking the sidewalk.  "Protect, serve, cause head on collisions" would be too long to fit on the scroll I guess. So, once I broke the plane of Unit 955's sight I reversed my coat, pulled up my hood, took off my hat and doubled back across the street behind the unit. Another pig was debussing in the alley in front of 955 so I stayed in the driver's blind spot and continued to play spot the long rifle without any luck.  The last officer out of the pig took up position behind a civilian vehicle in front of 955.  That pig headed up the road and turned south on Roosevelt and ended up parked in front of the subject house alongside the other one. I stood around and listened to the negotiation for awhile but this wasn't much of a situation so I headed back to my truck. On the way the only other likely firing point I could see was the apartments above the QFC to the NE of the subject house.  The eastern most apartments have the line and enough elevation to make the shot feasible. Didn't see anyone but the regular nose pickers. I assume the long rifles were out there so I just wasn't seeing them.   I don't get this at all, the command post, all vehicles, packed into the corner of a gas station parking lot TWO HOUSES DOWN from the subject house. Let me count the ways this is stupid.
Some day a scene like this will be an ambush and the house will be full of demo. Don't get so close unless you can get gone fast.  And, for fucks sake, spread out! This isn't a goddamn coffer klatch. Dispersion mitigates not only enemy fire but friendly fire too.  Hey 955, get the fuck out of your car where you can see what's coming. Did you think she was going to come blasting out of the house in some souped up muscle car like a '80's action hero? You were the only asshole trying to keep warm and dry while the rest of your family was actually doing cop stuff. |
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1.Unless you're using runners you don't need your command staff and comms this close to the scene.
2.Don't park on or near things that burn or go boom 3.No local security 4.No escape route 5.No barricades Bravo! I yell at the TV all the time over shit like that. |
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Quoted:
Tall fooker idn't he? They've always been pigs to me, dunno what SPD calls their's tho. It's a cute 'ute 
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*** Post edited per request ****
I originally posted a very limited discussion of why civilian LE sometimes uses tactics that appear to be less safe or less efficient than they could be. (I wasn't defending any dumb-asses) It was suggested to me that a couple things I said might have been a little too much for a public forum. My hope was to make a few things a little clearer to interested citizens who could appreciate a little deeper insight into the way police are trained. I personally feel that I didn't post anything that wasn't obvious, but I do respect to desire to limit open discussion of some police tactics for safety reasons. Suffice to say the OP made some excellent observations, but not everything is quite so straightforward in the civilian LE world. |
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Tweak,
Good write up, good movement, good thinking, and good evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. I often wonder why more of the police don't act like the one who was so good at handling idiotic questions. Those are the kinds of officers I like my tax dollars going to. I'm just hopeful that the one in the car was detailed to monitor the computer in the vehicle or something other than just trying to stay warm. By the way, Law enforcement needs people who think like you working for them. Why not help improve things from the inside? Citizens like myself would appreciate having more folks like you and the one professional one you mentioned working the streets. |
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Quoted:
*** Post edited per request **** I originally posted a very limited discussion of why civilian LE sometimes uses tactics that appear to be less safe or less efficient than they could be. (I wasn't defending any dumb-asses) It was suggested to me that a couple things I said might have been a little too much for a public forum. My hope was to make a few things a little clearer to interested citizens who could appreciate a little deeper insight into the way police are trained. I personally feel that I didn't post anything that wasn't obvious, but I do respect to desire to limit open discussion of some police tactics for safety reasons. Suffice to say the OP made some excellent observations, but not everything is quite so straightforward in the civilian LE world. Whoever "requested" that you update your post... WTF? It's not like "the terrorists" are watching the WAHTF in the hopes of Wikileaks dropping information vital to national security in here. And SWAT tactics? There's shit tons of books about that out there. A couple sentences from someone on a forum isn't anything to get worked up over. 
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Quoted:
Quoted:
*** Post edited per request **** I originally posted a very limited discussion of why civilian LE sometimes uses tactics that appear to be less safe or less efficient than they could be. (I wasn't defending any dumb-asses) It was suggested to me that a couple things I said might have been a little too much for a public forum. My hope was to make a few things a little clearer to interested citizens who could appreciate a little deeper insight into the way police are trained. I personally feel that I didn't post anything that wasn't obvious, but I do respect to desire to limit open discussion of some police tactics for safety reasons. Suffice to say the OP made some excellent observations, but not everything is quite so straightforward in the civilian LE world. Whoever "requested" that you update your post... WTF? It's not like "the terrorists" are watching the WAHTF in the hopes of Wikileaks dropping information vital to national security in here. And SWAT tactics? There's shit tons of books about that out there. A couple sentences from someone on a forum isn't anything to get worked up over. I'm glad I wasn't the only one to hoist the flag. |
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Quoted: .not one piece of multi-cam. Actually saw some cam, SWAT ops were wearing mixed (some cam some black) uniforms, dunno if they're transitioning, different teams, different positions or what. Saw good gun handling and good movement techniques with the exception of one ofc retrieving a shotgun and muzzle sweeping the world (and that same knot of LEOs) as he walked down the sidewalk installing himself into his super sling. Me? I looooooove light and power poles, LOVE them. Unless Spectre is shooting at me.  Quoted: *** Post edited per request **** I understand that everything is done for a reason and per regs. As a friend of mine liked to say, "There's no time limit on stupid. 'We've always done it that way' isn't a valid argument." I know SPD and every other agency out there is doing the absolute best that they're allowed to. I want to make sure that when the real shit does go down that the good guys win. The Weatherman and SLA may be defunct but that doesn't negate the lessons learned. Quoted: Ballard is in the heart and mind, some people can always see Ballard.  Quoted: Citizens like myself would appreciate having more folks like you and the one professional one you mentioned working the streets. Genin, I appreciate the sentiment but that's not really an option for me.  I was the only amateur there, 955 might have been having a bad day, maybe he's on light duty but he was getting paid for it and he's there 24/7. While his demeanor left a lot to be desired and proper signage could have saved him the hassle he was at least present.  Quoted: "Officer Tweak".....has a nice ring to it. But, my opinion of SPD is they're the Keystone Kops. Ask for badge 106. You know better, on both counts.  I know they're good folks caught in a shitty department like so many others. I'd like to see the Chiefs and the City Attorney go hands off for a month and let the harness bulls do what they felt was best. I think a return to 1950's style policing "How hard is it to find a guy?"  "This will always be your way back to Chicago." would be excellent. Quoted: I am assuming the situation was resolved and everyone at the "DreamClinic Massage" had a happy ending? AFAIK she walked out, once I heard that there was no hostage and no shots fired and SWAT started dry running a frontal assault I figured there wasn't much entertainment left to be had. |
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Quoted:
FIX THE MULTIPLE QUOTE FUNCTION! They only do it to piss YOU off.
I have noticed it gets screwed up more often when I quote Tweaks posts than other peoples. Even when it's not multiple quotes. Quoted:
A woman "with access to firearms" had "barricaded" herself into the house directly across street from the restaurant. I'm thinking, "give me a stick." You lose your bat in less than 24 hours?
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Quoted: They only do it to piss YOU off. It's working. Quoted: I have noticed it gets screwed up more often when I quote Tweaks posts than other peoples. Even when it's not multiple quotes. Maybe you just quote me more. Only thing that might be different is that I'm using Chrome and the WYSIWYG editor. Can't even do it long hand. Quoted: You lose your bat in less than 24 hours? It's a walking stick. I leave it in my car while at work tho. |