Other State Parkland - Follow up

[Caveman Jim]

The Sheriff and local policy makers should all be criticized for what they were allowed to do. Coddling criminals so their numbers looked good, it's all in the narrative they seek to further themselves.

 

[titsonritz]

Honestly, this feels like scapegoating:

or political showboating.

It will go no where.

 

[RicInOR]

The Sheriff and local policy makers should all be criticized for what they were allowed to do. Coddling criminals so their numbers looked good, it's all in the narrative they seek to further themselves.

The Sheriff was suspended, and a court upheld that suspension.
What else should the Sheriff face?

 

[bbbass]

The Sheriff was suspended, and a court upheld that suspension.
What else should the Sheriff face?

Leprosy would be nice...

 

[RicInOR]

Analysis on Scot Peterson

Deputy Scot Peterson (of Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS Fame) Being Prosecuted for, Essentially, Cowardice in Battle

 

[GWS]

Peterson is a scapegoat, though not undeservedly.

The Sheriff was suspended, and a court upheld that suspension.
What else should the Sheriff face?

He should have been fired along with the school, FBI and other officials who left that little popcorn fart free to kill. They could have put that turd under wraps over 20 times but failed to do so and by failing, they left him capable of legally buying a rifle and then killing all of those kids.
They need to be truly held accountable for that.

 

[P7M13]

When I read the timeline as many here have, it describes a series of mistakes by those in authority.
It reads like a template of what not to do.
Peterson was just the tip of the iceberg.
UNPREPARED AND OVERWHELMED

Thank you for posting this. I had stopped looking at threads on Parkland after it was used as a media posterchild to further a leftist agenda. What a sad read, tragic on so many levels.

Criminally negligent... IDK. But he is also accused of perjury, that would be a valid criminal complaint against him.

I work in hazardous processes, and the legal precedent exists, where if it can be proven that I abandoned or avoided the responsibilities of my position and people died, I can be held criminally negligent and even tried for manslaughter. When the published standard for training and response following Columbine was to rush in, the SRO and Sheriff could be held to that standard.
It's been 8 years since I had experience with this legally. At my old job, I had a VP who repeatedly thwarted my attempts to replace life safety equipment that I could demonstrate had failed. When I brought up the precedent to him at a meeting, I was screamed at by two higher-ups for 30 minutes. I found another job shortly afterward. Everything I told them would happen did, though no one was harmed due to sheer luck.

Analysis on Scot Peterson
Deputy Scot Peterson (of Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS Fame) Being Prosecuted for, Essentially, Cowardice in Battle

Touching on a fine line here. LE are to an extent, paramilitary, and from an observer's standpoint, he deserted his duty. Do soldiers get put in the brig and prosecuted for such?

 

[Caveman Jim]

Peterson is a scapegoat, though not undeservedly.

He should have been fired along with the school, FBI and other officials who left that little popcorn fart free to kill. They could have put that turd under wraps over 20 times but failed to do so and by failing, they left him capable of legally buying a rifle and then killing all of those kids.
They need to be truly held accountable for that.

Exactly my point from above. Thanks for that.

There were at least 39 encounters with those mentioned above and he was still out among the population!!!
The sheriff had something to do with that in a few instances I found along with school officials and other LEO.
As bad as the law abiding gun owners are taking the brunt from that shooting yeah he & the others should be in jail.

 

[awshoot]

I read a comment on an article today somewhere, forgot where so can't give credit where it is due, but it involves the question of arming teachers.

Let's say a teacher decides to be armed (legally, under the rules and guidelines) and finds him or herself in an active shooter situation and then collapses in fear -- this will happen to some percentage -- would that teacher face criminal charges?

Personally, I would hope not. It's one thing if a veteran Navy Seal runs away -- we'd expect he already has the necessary experience to know which way he'll run -- but a teacher who's worst fight involved raised voices and cuss words? There's not much way to tell what that person's body would do to them in that moment. I don't think it would be fair to subject such teachers to criminal prosecution. It's bad policy too -- the savvy teachers, those most able to be honest with themselves and say "I don't know exactly how I'd respond" would probably choose not to carry precisely because of the risk.

 

[awshoot]

Criminally negligent... IDK. But he is also accused of perjury, that would be a valid criminal complaint against him. It was interesting as I listened to the news of this on the radio, that all the charges are misdemeanors... it makes it sound like minor offenses. Petty stuff. Oh well.

The perjury is worth a year in the pokey. The other charges are felonies and add up to nearly a century. If I was to bet, there will be a lot distraction away from those farther up the ladder and in the end, he'll take a misdemeanor plea deal on the perjury bit.

 

[bbbass]

Let's say a teacher decides to be armed (legally, under the rules and guidelines) and finds him or herself in an active shooter situation and then collapses in fear -- this will happen to some percentage -- would that teacher face criminal charges?

Personally, I would hope not. It's one thing if a veteran Navy Seal runs away -- we'd expect he already has the necessary experience to know which way he'll run -- but a teacher who's worst fight involved raised voices and cuss words? There's not much way to tell what that person's body would do to them in that moment. I don't think it would be fair to subject such teachers to criminal prosecution. It's bad policy too -- the savvy teachers, those most able to be honest with themselves and say "I don't know exactly how I'd respond" would probably choose not to carry precisely because of the risk.

I don't think they could legally be held responsible... Teachers don't take an oath... teachers don't take a paycheck to perform that kind of duty... their task is to teach... to defend their students, and their own lives, would be optional, a choice, not a legal obligation. IMO.

 

[nammac]

I've not read through the thread, but based upon what I've heard in radio news, I think the arrest and charging of the deputy that was the SRO is a dangerous and slippery slope.

I do believe he should have been relieved of his duties and perhaps his ability to gain future LEO employment been interrupted, as he did fail to discharge the responsibilities of a peace officer. With perhaps a path back contingent upon successful completion of remedial training... Again my opinion. At the very least, this is something he'll have to live with the rest of his life.

However, bringing criminal charges seems to not be the right thing to do. I think it creates a slippery slope that most likely will never be recovered from. If peace officers are held personally liable for minors involved in any type situation, when does their responsibility start? When does it end? Who decides that? Legislators? Police chiefs? Sheriffs? Courts and judges? This is just plain wrong, to take this action. Again, my opinion. Should he be disciplined, surely. Should he lose his job, perhaps. Should he be turned into a criminal for failing to protect and save those children, I don't think so.

I liken this to a firefighter that hesitated to go into a burning structure, because he knows the structure is unstable and perhaps his department has blurred lines or conflicting protocols as to whether he should or shouldn't. Should said firefighter be charged with the deaths of innocents because he hesitated? Misunderstood his departments protocols? Waited for more help and a better opportunity to enter?

This situation will make others reconsider being a civil servent, this precedent will surely make some, perhaps many, rethink a career in law enforcement. As well it should. Personally, I think this is the overstepping of power, yet again, by elected officials. It's a way to get the heat off them and have a sacrificial lamb...

We should all be concerned for the implications such actions will have on future incidents and the future behavior of law enforcement in similar situations...

Flame away

 

[uberguy]

I'm not sure about FL law regarding the child endangerment charges, but this guy is clearly culpably negligent in my view, as a trained LEO, assigned as a School Resource Officer (for 8 yrs) with special training on Active Shooter Response scenarios - which incl. rapid engagement, even for solo officers.

From reading the links, the Sheriff and School Administration have some degree of culpability also, but administrative discipline is more appropriate there as it doesn't rise to the level of criminality.

 

[41mag]

Peterson is a scapegoat, though not undeservedly.

Should he be turned into a criminal for failing to protect

My opinion: as a sworn LEO his degree of FAIL on many levels, facing trial before a jury is appropriate.

 

[DirectDrive]

Peterson might get convicted of a misdemeanor....I don't think they'll get him on a felony.
And then he will face the civil lawsuits which will probably make him a pauper for the rest of his life.
And he will think...."I should have gone in" for the rest of the his life as well.

I have no sympathy for Peterson.
He suckled at the teat of the Broward County taxpayers for 30 years and had an easy job driving around on his golf cart all day long.

Then on to Israel and the rest of the command structure that enabled the Peterson debacle.

 

[RicInOR]

Analysis on Scot Peterson's charges

Was Scot Peterson's Cowardice a Crime?

 

[Stomper]

I've not read through the thread, but based upon what I've heard in radio news, I think the arrest and charging of the deputy that was the SRO is a dangerous and slippery slope.

I do believe he should have been relieved of his duties and perhaps his ability to gain future LEO employment been interrupted, as he did fail to discharge the responsibilities of a peace officer. With perhaps a path back contingent upon successful completion of remedial training... Again my opinion. At the very least, this is something he'll have to live with the rest of his life.

However, bringing criminal charges seems to not be the right thing to do. I think it creates a slippery slope that most likely will never be recovered from. If peace officers are held personally liable for minors involved in any type situation, when does their responsibility start? When does it end? Who decides that? Legislators? Police chiefs? Sheriffs? Courts and judges? This is just plain wrong, to take this action. Again, my opinion. Should he be disciplined, surely. Should he lose his job, perhaps. Should he be turned into a criminal for failing to protect and save those children, I don't think so.

I liken this to a firefighter that hesitated to go into a burning structure, because he knows the structure is unstable and perhaps his department has blurred lines or conflicting protocols as to whether he should or shouldn't. Should said firefighter be charged with the deaths of innocents because he hesitated? Misunderstood his departments protocols? Waited for more help and a better opportunity to enter?

This situation will make others reconsider being a civil servent, this precedent will surely make some, perhaps many, rethink a career in law enforcement. As well it should. Personally, I think this is the overstepping of power, yet again, by elected officials. It's a way to get the heat off them and have a sacrificial lamb...

We should all be concerned for the implications such actions will have on future incidents and the future behavior of law enforcement in similar situations...

Flame away

If I seem to recall, Peterson was treading water as an SRO until his upcoming (soon to be) retirement.

 

[DirectDrive]

And Depts. don't use their best people for SRO jobs.
The top people work the street.
The system needs repair.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

"As Reason's Robby Soave noted, the report showed that Cruz was entitled to special needs assistance while attending Stoneman Douglas, but the school never provided him with the help he needed."

As the parent of a child with an IEP I can tell you that this is an egregious violation of federal law. The school helped create this shooter by ignoring his situation and withholding special assistance. Some school district officials need to be explaining themselves to a judge and looking for new careers.

 

[DirectDrive]

I wonder if any Depts have tried cycling everyone through SRO duty ?
Like a 2 week stint every so many months ?