this made me angry

[wisconsin shooter]

Normally I love reading MSN's news of the weird every week, but this made me angry.
In a July ceremony, Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan honored SWAT officers for their bravery and professionalism during a December middle-of-the-night raid of a house that supposedly contained a gang's guns. However, it was the wrong house, and the bewildered, frightened resident started shooting back. Said Dolan, "The easy decision would have been to retreat (but the) team did not take the easy way out." The house got riddled with bullets, but no one was hit, and the chief later apologized but still felt that it was "a perfect example of a situation that could have gone horribly wrong, but did not because of the (team's) professionalism." [WCCO-TV (Minneapolis), 7-29-08]
The worst part is those poor people will most likely get no justice. Swat will get off with a slap on the wrist at worst.

 

[Rugerlvr]

I think this has been discussed here before.

 

[Tommygunn]

It is very trying to hear of police raids conducted either wrongly or on the wrong house and rarely hear of any repercussions against the police.
I'm not sure that means there are never such repercussions. That could simply be because the MSM put it on page 56 below the fold, or I wasn't watching the news the day the repercussions were covered ...
OTOH to hear of a SWAT team actually being honored is despicable.

... but no one was hit, and the chief later apologized but still felt that it was "a perfect example of a situation that could have gone horribly wrong ...

The first element resulted through sheer good fortune on the part of the home owner. I'm real touched the spetsnaz er, Captain apologized.
The situation DID go "horribly wrong" -- when the SWAT smashed into the wrong house.

Hondo Harrelson never made this mistake ... I presume he could read more proficiently though .......

 

[mgkdrgn]

"I'm not sure that means there are never such repercussions."

It -means- just what it says. Your dogs are dead, you might be dead, your house is shot up ... and the cops in the raid pack up and go home with out as much as a "oopsies!". They're out again doing tomorrow.

 

[doc2rn]

C.S.S.
Police chief needs to be replaced by the voters. Put it on the ballot.

 

[Deleted member 66305]

Is it the SWAT team's error that the wrong house was raided, or did they raid the house they were told to, and the error was higher up?

If the error was elsewhere, then i am inclined to be relieved they took the time to assess the situation, use good judgment once shooting started and avoid killing the innocent homeowner. It could have ended far, far worse.

The one who got the housenumber wrong needs to be nailed to the wall at the ballot box, though.

 

[bragood]

Just a thought, What if somehow the SWAT team was injured/shot? What would be the consequences for all parties involved? Would there be jail time? This worries me a little.

 

[Jeff White]

Off topic take it over to http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/