I am all for increased firepower. Memphis is very dangerous.
A few months ago we had a home break-in in our jurisdiction where 3 rifles were stolen. Suspect’s car was described as small, blue, with a loud muffler. 6 cars combed the surrounding area looking for the vehicle. 1.5 hours into the search my Chief radios that he found, and is in process of, pulling over a vehicle that matched the description. 4 other cars met the chief for the stop. 3 of us armed with AR15s, one with a MP5 sub machine gun.
Turned out it was not the suspects car. Funny thing is, I can only imagine what the driver though when looking in his rear view mirror at our firepower for what the driver probably thought was just a stop for a minor traffic violation.
Your chief did the right thing by having rifles and a machine gun as back up because if that had been the suspect, your guys would have been out gunned. There are going to be people who feel you guys were paranoid, but your chief was trying to keep his officers safe.
Last year, two cops were killed during a traffic stop right around West Memphis.
It was one of those “sovereign citizen” types, and his 16-year-old son.
When the dashboard camera footage was finally released, it turned out it was the 16-year-old who jumped out of the car with a semi-auto rifle and killed the officers.
There is plenty of footage on Youtube of the final shootout with the pair in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart. Hundreds of rounds fired, and the suspects’ vehicle finally disabled by a Game and Fish officer who rammed their car with his truck.
Very ugly indeed.
After losing two officers in a traffic stop last year that culminated in a raging shootout with two suspects killed (including a sixteen year old) no wonder West Memphis cops show up this armed for a traffic stop.
Traffic stops are one of the most dangerous encounters a law enforcement officer walks into on a regular basis and many of the officers working in and around my community are qualified on patrol rifles.
I always have an AR -15 in my vehicle. If the LEO’s in ND want to carry AR’s on a traffic stop I don’t have a problem with theirs as long as they don’t have a problem with mine.
I think it will save lives, and not necessarily the LEOs. If the cops know they have the edge in firepower, they’ll be less likely to panic and shoot some poor schmuck who’s combing his hair or calling his mama on his cell phone.
I have no problem with this whatsoever. The second officer standing back with the rifle or shotgun at a distance that the weapon is effective for suppressive fire is an excellent idea.
I don’t understand why there’s a problem, superior firepower rules!
I am all for increased firepower. Memphis is very dangerous.
A few months ago we had a home break-in in our jurisdiction where 3 rifles were stolen. Suspect’s car was described as small, blue, with a loud muffler. 6 cars combed the surrounding area looking for the vehicle. 1.5 hours into the search my Chief radios that he found, and is in process of, pulling over a vehicle that matched the description. 4 other cars met the chief for the stop. 3 of us armed with AR15s, one with a MP5 sub machine gun.
Turned out it was not the suspects car. Funny thing is, I can only imagine what the driver though when looking in his rear view mirror at our firepower for what the driver probably thought was just a stop for a minor traffic violation.
Your chief did the right thing by having rifles and a machine gun as back up because if that had been the suspect, your guys would have been out gunned. There are going to be people who feel you guys were paranoid, but your chief was trying to keep his officers safe.
If I recall correctly, that PD lost two officers to Meth Heads /Sovereign Citizens last year on a traffic stop, probably some bad memories still…
West Memphis is actually Arkansas
Noted, logged, amended.
Alaska is abbreviated AK. Arkansas is abbreviated AR.
http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/usps_abbreviations.html
OK. TX.
Oh no! They’re holding a rifle. *Gasp* how terrible! (he said sarcastically)
So what. Now some two-bit hood will think twice about shooting a cop.
Last year, two cops were killed during a traffic stop right around West Memphis.
It was one of those “sovereign citizen” types, and his 16-year-old son.
When the dashboard camera footage was finally released, it turned out it was the 16-year-old who jumped out of the car with a semi-auto rifle and killed the officers.
There is plenty of footage on Youtube of the final shootout with the pair in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart. Hundreds of rounds fired, and the suspects’ vehicle finally disabled by a Game and Fish officer who rammed their car with his truck.
Very ugly indeed.
After losing two officers in a traffic stop last year that culminated in a raging shootout with two suspects killed (including a sixteen year old) no wonder West Memphis cops show up this armed for a traffic stop.
Traffic stops are one of the most dangerous encounters a law enforcement officer walks into on a regular basis and many of the officers working in and around my community are qualified on patrol rifles.
I always have an AR -15 in my vehicle. If the LEO’s in ND want to carry AR’s on a traffic stop I don’t have a problem with theirs as long as they don’t have a problem with mine.
“Assault rifles for me, but not for thee.”
Free the West Memohis Three. http://www.wm3.org
I think it will save lives, and not necessarily the LEOs. If the cops know they have the edge in firepower, they’ll be less likely to panic and shoot some poor schmuck who’s combing his hair or calling his mama on his cell phone.
I have no problem with this whatsoever. The second officer standing back with the rifle or shotgun at a distance that the weapon is effective for suppressive fire is an excellent idea.