Medford Police: Being "Proactive"

[Jamie6.5]

Taken into "protective" custody via SWAT ops.
Beware of letting anyone think you are "disgruntled" before purchasing a firearm!
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100309/NEWS/3090315
Excerpt:

Concerns about an Oregon Department of Transportation employee who purchased several guns after being placed on leave prompted law enforcement across Southern Oregon to step in.

Negotiators and a SWAT team from Medford police safely took a man — whose name wasn't released — into protective custody Monday morning in the 500 block of Effie Street, Medford police said in a news release.

He was taken to Rogue Valley Medical Center for a mental-health evaluation.

The man recently had been placed on administrative leave from his job and was "very disgruntled," the news release said.

ODOT Communications Director Patrick Cooney said there were administrative, personnel matters involved that limited what the department could discuss.

However, the state agency had reported concerns about the man to law enforcement agencies, who started monitoring him, officials said.

"We had concerning information regarding a personnel issue and were watching the subject," Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters said.

In two days, the man bought a Heckler & Koch .45-caliber universal self-loading handgun, a Walther .380-caliber handgun and an AK-47 assault rifle, Medford police Lt. Bob Hansen said. All of those firearms were purchased legally, with required record checks by the Oregon State Police.

Authorities were "extremely concerned" that the man may have been planning to retaliate against his employers, the news release said.

"Instead of being reactive, we took a proactive approach," OSP Sgt. Jeff Proulx said.

Read More

 

[Mutoman]

Hard to come to a conclusion without the "personal knowledge", which one could believe is the incrimination evidence in this situation, it is difficult to determine if this "proactive" response was warranted or not. If so, they probably saved the guys life and a few of his co-workers. This may just turn out to be a win.

 

[Riot]

If I got fired in today's economy I would be disgruntled too! But purchaseing three firearms after you just lost your job is not something you normally do...normally I would be all over this going "wtf, socialism?!" But there is a point where my common sense kicks in and goes "maybe they stopped a trajegy?"

How else did they know he was buying guns? Did he bragg about it? Did he threaten people?

There are underlying causes here not in the article that we don'tknow about...

 

[Member 5605]

I don't know if we can really comment on this subject as we don't really have all of the information.

How 'disgruntled' was he etc.

Does this set a precedent for future people who buy multiple weapons within a short time span?

 

[xstayfrostyx]

...normally I would be all over this going "wtf, socialism?!" But there is a point where my common sense kicks in and goes "maybe they stopped a trajegy?"

Totally. Especially after the increased frequency of all these workplace shootings. Like that temp. employee in Ohio (iirc) yesterday... he get's a less than stellar performance review, and comes back the next day and drops his supervisor over it... over a performance review! It seems like the "average working man's" fuse is growing shorter, and starting to enter "nothing left to lose" territory. Crazy.

 

[Ravenous]

I'm really torn on this one, but I can't decide one way or the other without knowing the reason for him being placed on "administrative leave". Which is not fired by the way... There is more to the story, I am sure.

 

[supergenius]

Totally. Especially after the increased frequency of all these workplace shootings. Like that temp. employee in Ohio (iirc) yesterday... he get's a less than stellar performance review, and comes back the next day and drops his supervisor over it... over a performance review! It seems like the "average working man's" fuse is growing shorter, and starting to enter "nothing left to lose" territory. Crazy.

I applaud them, its not socialism... Nor Authoritarian to the nth (at least in my eys)... Its actually the law doing something to a questionable action BEFORE ANOTHER moron goes on a shooting spree making crap even rougher for "us"

 

[tonyspdx]

This guy has a great case for lawsuit. Lawyers come a knockin.

 

[chemist]

If I got fired in today's economy I would be disgruntled too! But purchaseing three firearms after you just lost your job is not something you normally do...normally I would be all over this going "wtf, socialism?!" But there is a point where my common sense kicks in and goes "maybe they stopped a trajegy?"

How else did they know he was buying guns? Did he bragg about it? Did he threaten people?

There are underlying causes here not in the article that we don'tknow about...

How indeed did they know what he bought and when? Is this some special action that he attracted by his behavior, or do civil servants in some office somewhere pore over every gun purchase record?

I'm gratified by what I see as a realistic and tolerant attitude here in these forum responses. Sometimes intervention IS necessary, 2nd A or not.

 

[Arkarayne]

The medford police are actually stepping it up lately, from what i've seen. Mostly due to pressure from OSP and their funders for spending money and doing nothing with it.
I saw thier new tactical situation wagon..thingy, up close when it was getting detailed at the shop I work at a while back for their SWAT unit. thing cost at least a quarter mil, but had power, food and water and ammo for 5 days for 10 people for stakeout and hostage/siege situations, thing was bada--. Good to see they're finally using all these toys.

As far as "disgruntled" goes, I got laid off, bought a rifle, and let off some steam at a friend's shootin' spot. as much as I didn't like it, I didn't off my boss.
Until we know the deeper issues, we can't know if what they did was a pre-emptive lucky break, or boys with toys and the wrong info making a guy's already cruddy day, worse.
If his wife left him, or a death in the family.. yeah, i'd need a distraction too.
If he got caught drinkin' on the job, or such, he was a 'tard and could of just been bitter.
We don't know yet.
I've bought more guns since getting laid off... i'm not angry, just bored... and they were pretty

 

[pokerace]

I applaud them, its not socialism... Nor Authoritarian to the nth (at least in my eys)... Its actually the law doing something to a questionable action BEFORE ANOTHER moron goes on a shooting spree making crap even rougher for "us"

It is socialism it is authoritarian....

How time have you been told or heard the statement we can't do any thing
because he hasen't broken any laws.

 

[supergenius]

Sense... Youre making none....

It is socialism it is authoritarian....

How time have you been told or heard the statement we can't do any thing
because he hasen't broken any laws.

Quite a few... Exactly why this was founded... If you (he) make (made) enough of a stink that the MAN is watching what you (he) do (did) after you lose your job (for whatever reason, but OBVIOUSLY he made enough of a stink to where they payed attention to him), and THEN you choose to go on your spending/stocking spree....Its suspect. My opinion. Dont like it? Cool. We can just wait till the next moron goes out and kills a bunch of people.... and how HE caused US and OUR "cause" more uneeded drama.... Then people can whine more about it.

Doesnt hurt my feelings one bit compared to the outcome if he would have done something, then the hippies would have had even more ammo (no pun intended) to fuel the Gun ban rigamarol.

 

[gunnoob75]

Meh. Innocent until proven guilty.

 

[jimwsea]

Meh. Innocent until proven guilty.

Unless its "The Minority Report"

 

[Trlsmn]

Don't people need to commit a crime to be arrested?

 

[Ravenous]

Don't people need to commit a crime to be arrested?

We also need more details before we can say anything about the legality of any of this. Also the article never said that he was arrested or that he had been charged with anything. Until we know what happened at his job to make them concerned, we shouldn't make any assumptions. They don't send negotiators and SWAT without a decent reason.

 

[slideglider]

He committed no crime. Period. This IS pre-crime.

"Good to see they're finally using all these toys."

Really? Even when they may be used on you? After all, it doesn't even need to be a crime. Just a little bad blood or a dirty look at the wrong people and you get SWAT-ed. It will be for "your own good" though and "your safety". Uncle Sugar knows what's best.

His purchase was not out of the ordinary. A main hand gun, a small caliber back-up/ccw, and a main rifle. Maybe he was holding off the purchase and decided to get it now while he had the funds left. Plenty of other people, probably on this forum, who have lost jobs and still bought weapons in preparation for the future collapse. And he did it all on record. If he was going to blast some of his statist compadres, why would he buy that many weapons? Why not just the AK with a ton of mags? Or just the .45 so it can be concealed?

Just goes to show you, even the state workers will turn on their own class. Of course, he was fired, so he no longer is in their class, I guess.

 

[slideglider]

"They don't send negotiators and SWAT without a decent reason. "
Delusional. SWAT was not authorized at all. There was no hostage situation or any critical reason to send SWAT. They could have sent a Sheriff over there to ask a couple questions and make sure the person was of sound mind. He committed no crime. PERIOD.

 

[husker]

If a story came out a week from now that this guy killed someone or many people and it was found out the police new he was buying firearms people would be pissed. Even more if it was one of your friends that was killed.
The police step in and do something and people are pissed.
What is the answer? I would like to know. I am sure the people in charge would like to know also.
The police are just doing there jobs.
We do not know the whole store. Maybe he made a threat.
I dont like my freedoms being taken but maybe in this case it is a good call.

 

[pokerace]

They had no reason to arrest if no crime had been committed.