Cowardice and Neglect of Duty

" The only armed sheriff’s deputy at a Florida high school where 17 people were killed took cover outside rather than charging into the building when the massacre began, the Broward County sheriff said on Thursday. The sheriff also acknowledged that his office received 23 calls related to the suspect going back a decade, including one last year that said he was collecting knives and guns, but may not have adequately followed up.

The deputy, Scot Peterson, resigned on Thursday after being suspended without pay after Sheriff Scott Israel reviewed surveillance video.

“He never went in,” Sheriff Israel said in a news conference. He said the video showed Deputy Peterson doing “nothing.”

“There are no words,” said Sheriff Israel, who described himself as “devastated, sick to my stomach.”"  NY Times

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And how could Sheriff Israel not be sick at heart at this display of cowardice by one of his men, a man sworn to protect these children if necessary by sacrificing his life for them.

I am old and past the time when false modesty obstructs free expression of the harshness of truth.  I have faced many bullets in the performance of duty and I judge Peterson a coward who should be punished for his cowardice..  pl  

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/22/us/nikolas-cruz-florida-shooting.html

Comments

[Linda]

Yes

[Tyler]

Pretty convenient Sheriff Israel decided to let this fact slip after blaming the NRA for his department's failures during CNN's struggle session.

[Laura]

wow...instant conspiracy theory. Good job, Tyler.

[DianaLC]

I have never faced danger from a shooter. I have no idea how I would react if I did. But I know that I would have never taken a job that might require me to do just that if I didn't think I could do it. (With my extreme nearsightedness comes no eye-hand coordination, so I have also chosen never to own a gun since my aim would be terrible.)

However, as a mother when my children were small, I knew in my heart that I would take a bullet if it would save them.

I just recently re-read the memories of one of my dearest friends who had served in Vietnam. He was drafted. I have cried many tears for my friends who served in that war after hearing some of their memories. I have to accept that these friends are somehow now better than I am as humans since they have been tested the way they were and have grown kinder and more thoughtful than they were as boys.

We owe so much to men and women who can take up arms for the sake of others, who are willing to scar their own hearts and souls, and be harmed physically sometimes, for others and perhaps be killed themselves.

But to take a paycheck without the determination to carry out one's duty, especially if doing one's duty is to protect others is quite wrong. He will spend the rest of his life now remembering that day and re-evaluating his worth as a man.

[BillWade]

The whole thing just smells.

[John Minnerath]

Shameful cowardice, but is there any punishment for a civilian police officer who neglects to do his duty?
Probably nothing more than losing his job and this guy took the easy way out by resigning.

[The Twisted Genius]

That coward has to live with himself. I can't think of a more fitting and terrifying punishment. Even if he manages to hide far away from his friends, family and community, he cannot hide from the knowledge and consequences of his cowardice. He will relive it for the rest of his life.

[turcopolier]

TTG

your comment would well apply to an honorable man who failed in the instant. Some people have no honor. pl

[turcopolier]

BillWade smells of what? pl

[turcopolier]

Diana LC

Wounded children? Why not accept your old friends as men rather than wounded children. BTW The money is nothing, the oath is everything. pl

[turcopolier]

tyler

A coward is still a coward. pl

[The Twisted Genius]

pl,

You're right. Under our legal system I don't think there's any punishment for this kind of behavior. I remember in Germany they had the Good Samaritan law. If you passed someone injured on the road and did not stop to render aid, your ass was in serious legal trouble. If this now former deputy has no sense of shame over his inactions, it doesn't say much for the selection and training process of that sheriff's department.

[Jack]

Sir

Yes, Deputy Peterson was a coward and failed in his duty as a Sheriff's Deputy. This case is another example of a significant failure of law enforcement (FBI, Police, Sheriff) as well as the school authorities. This deranged young man was reported many times to the authorities including the FBI for making specific threats. No one took any action. This is a broad systemic failure and IMO, exemplifies the depth of incompetence and politicization across all levels of government.

[Jack]

He will still get his pension as he retired.

[Ishmael Zechariah]

Col. Lang,
re: "The money is nothing, the oath is everything"

Absolutely. And this is universal. The draftees in TSK get paid a pittance but they take a public oath, all together, after basic training, with one hand on a weapon. Those who have never taken such an oath might not realize its power. You really cannot betray it and live with yourself. I guess this is what TTG was also stating.

Do the police in US also take such an oath?

Ishmael Zechariah

[Dabbler]

Agree re Peterson. Dereliction of this MOST SACRED duty should be punished; he should not be left to dwell with whatever conscience he may have (which might in any case be in conflict with “well at least I made it through”). I’ve entrusted the care of my many children & grandchildren to others; others have entrusted theirs to me. My strong instiinct is that Peterson should suffer.

At another level, what should be made of the acknowledgement that Sheriff Israel/predecessors, as well as FBI etc. “may not have adequately followed up”? Should the sheriff feel a little sick at heart when he looks in the mirror even though we here generally don’t practice prior restraint?

[confusedponderer]

TTG,
re: Germany and the failure to provide first aid to a person in need is punishable under § 323c of its criminal penal code.

Since I am from Germany I can clarify. We don't have a good samaritan law per se but you describe it correctly. Not giving first aid to a wounded person in an accident is simply regarded as a criminal act under § 323c StGB "failure to render assistance".

About that law I have a little story. I had that accident two years ago that kept me in hospital for about two years, but I am getting back into work.

Anyway, a couple months ago one morning I went to get a good, fresh coffee in the kitchen. There I met a colleague making her bread.

While doing that the lady happily told me openly that she had seen my accident but didn't help me, because she had an appointment. I was ... surprised. Thank the Lord I had saner persons helping me (which is why I am still alive) and was spared her attention then.

What she had confessed is the sort of crime I have very little sympathy for, and even less so this case, and I found that telling very odd, to put it politely.

After the accident, so I was told, the lady had roamed the house for a few weeks telling her odd story, and some odder stories, and she scared people. Thus she got undeserved help since saner folks from the company prevented her from talking to the cops, knowing that she would have digged her own grave if she did. My point to that would be 'Ah well, good riddance, threadworm'.

For a second I'd have liked to beat her, but sensibly I didn't and just went away annoyed to at least drink my coffee in peace and quietness, quietly grumbling about having met a proud, criminal, drooling moron.

From the silliness she told me I chose to believe the part I liked most, which was that the stop light I went over was green.

To disappoint the reader: That's however a choice, not reality. The creature said she had seen it in the back mirror of the car while she drove away. Well, it is effing impossible to see it that way since the traffic lights for pedestrians are side shielded and small and impossible to be seen in a back mirror while driving away. Also, the lady needs glasses.

[Webstir]

Evening Colonel-

First time commenting here. I’m an Idaho plaintiffs attorney and just wanted to mention that Mr. Dereliction of Duty actually did have a duty under common law. I’m not licensed on Florida, of course, but his inaction has possibly opened him up for 17 wrongful death lawsuits.

[Tel]

I'm not going to attempt to explain the actions of that deputy, other than to say it appears he was close to retirement, and now has chosen to retire, on a pension, paid for by the people who trusted him. Make of that what you may.

Sheriff Israel on the other hand, I remember reading comments from him at the time of the murders and what he said was this:

“We continually ask everyone to put out the message ‘If you see something say something,'” he said. “If anyone has any indicator that someone is going through behavioral changes, if you see a disturbing photo, video, fire bombs or anything that is just not right, please make sure law enforcement knows about it.’”

Hey buddy... a lot of people said something. There were TWO reports to the FBI, neither of which was seriously followed up, and there was a whole heap of incidents at the school (Cruz was expelled for fighting and other stuff) and there were a whole lot of domestic violence incidents (so I've read more than 20 police call outs), and Cruz had gone through some sort of mental illness. How many red flags would it take?

Then this useless so called "Sheriff" starts talking about how we should trust in the professionals and everyone hand in their guns; well please give one good reason why anyone should trust you Sheriff Israel.

[Tel]

https://heavy.com/news/2017/01/esteban-santiago-fort-lauderdale-airport-shooter-shooting-active-gunman-suspect-photo-citizen-isis-florida-facebook-new-jersey-victims-military/

Quick checklist:
* Young man with mental health issues.
* Happened on Sheriff Israel's watch.
* FBI knew in advance but did nothing.
* History of domestic violence (prosecuted for strangling his ex).
* Plenty of red flags, all ignored.
* Incident used as leverage for gun control.

Third time lucky? But wait, we just have to say something to the authorities, right? That will surely make us safe. Won't it??

[blowback]

Taking away his pension - he quit because he could retire.

[BillWade]

We've now tried and convicted two people in the court of public opinion before all the facts are in. One, a 19 year old with an inheritance trust of $800,000. when he turns 22; the other a Florida sheriff with 32 years of service who, more than likely, this being Florida, has been involved in numerous risky situations. The former should be presumed innocent for now, the latter - I want to hear his side of the facts.

[turcopolier]

BillWade

There is no "his side of the matter." There can be no excuses made for this man unless you are soft in the head. pl

[turcopolier]

mcohen

What a pathetic self-absorbed man you are. You remind me of Geraldo Rivera who said that because he was from NY he cared about 9/11. What? If he had been from somewhere else he would not have cared? pl

[Fred]

BillWade,

"We've now tried and convicted two people in the court of public opinion ...."

I believe you have the number of legal gun owners in the Republic wrong.