Did the cop do anything wrong here?

http://komonews.com/news/local...now-faces-discipline

SEATTLE - Newly released video shows a dramatic police takedown, and raises new questions about whether one officer acted courageously or went too far in his attempt to protect the public.

Officer Nick Guzley now faces discipline for how he subdued a man armed with an ice ax. A complaint was filed about his failure to de-escalate the situation. However, other officers have said he made the best of a bad situation, and no one ended up getting hurt.

The Seattle police footage came from body cameras now being worn by officers, and begins inside the REI on Yale Ave. N. Security workers for the store called police to report that a man had just stolen an ice ax, then threatened one worker with it when she tried to stop him from leaving.

Police tracked the man outside the store and called for back-up when they too were threatened.

"He's been looking back at me, and he's holding it up like this like he's going to swing it at me," said one officer during the body camera recording.

In the video, the man clearly refuses to stop. He also won’t follow commands, even though officers repeatedly order him to “drop the ice ax.”

Kevin Stuckey, the president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, said the officers on scene had limited choices.

“At some point, if we don't act, someone's going to get hurt," Stuckey said.

Officers followed the suspect for blocks. At the same time, they also tried to clear the streets as the man with the ax marched ahead, yelling to people in his path to “step away” or “get out of the way.”

It is at that point in the video that the suspect passes Officer Nick Guzley, who’d just pulled up in a patrol car.

The suspect made his way into a narrow corridor just past the old Seattle Times building. It was there that police tried to press in, warning the man he would be “Tased” if he kept ignoring their orders.

In response, the man can be seen on the video turning to face the officers while holding the ice ax over his head.

Moments later, once the man turned back around, Officer Guzley rushed up from behind and made the tackle.

“I thought it was a commendable act,” Stuckey said. “The alternative is to continue to let him keep walking, until he walks into somebody while he’s clearly having a mental break, and he hits them in the head. And then what? Then the question would be, ‘Why didn't you act sooner?’"

The man with the stolen ax was later identified as James Ray Smith. He was convicted of robbery and is currently in prison.

Officer Guzley remains on patrol but is awaiting potential discipline. One of Guzley’s own supervisors filed the complaint against him with Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability.

The investigation is for "failure to de-escalate." The case remains open, but the recommendation is for Guzley to receive a two-day suspension without pay.

A due process hearing is set for May 11. The officer will have one last chance to plead his case before Chief Carmen Best finalizes any punishment.

Perhaps he should have approached the man and repeated the ultimatum and added "or Else"




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb21_qI90pE

quote:

One of Guzley’s own supervisors filed the complaint against him with Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability.

For "failure to de-escalate"? Are you fucking kidding me? This jackass needs to be outed in public, spraypainted pink and forced to eat his pussy hat on the city hall steps. Any police superior who would file a complaint about this isn't a leader.

I'm surprised any cops still work for that city. It needs another good fire.

for those unfamiliar with an ICE AX, they are pretty brutal, and pretty sharp, most with a nice point on the end of the handle.

Not something to get hit with. Hell, they should have shot him, and then shot him again.

But it's Seattle. The land of Evian water and expensive coffee.

Looks like another city where you're going to see prospective officers start to say it's just not worth it anymore. It's already a thankless job, but most officers are willing to put up with that. In quite a few large cities the pendulum is swinging even further, and good officers doing solid police work are being punished and having their careers ended for political reasons in spite of doing the right thing. It makes me wonder how many have already just said forget it?

It's not just police officers, teachers and other public servants are being bullied off the job as well. Those careers just aren't worth it anymore due to questionable wages and ever increasing public abuse.

I wonder if they are unionized? If so, this would be a field day for the cop and his attorney.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
I wonder if they are unionized? If so, this would be a field day for the cop and his attorney.

I would hope so. Seems the Seattle area is becoming a mirror image of San Francisco.

quote:

Originally posted by Scoutmaster:

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
I wonder if they are unionized? If so, this would be a field day for the cop and his attorney.

I would hope so. Seems the Seattle area is becoming a mirror image of San Francisco.

The sad thing is that, even if they are unionized, he can still be suspended without pay, which is what will be in the papers. What won't be mentioned is that after the arbitration, the officer will be absolved of any wrongdoing, and get every second of his pay back.

He will also have a nice target on his back for daring to defend himself from his own departments witch hunt.

quote:

Officer Nick Guzley now faces discipline for how he subdued a man armed with an ice ax.

Almost anywhere else in the country, someone armed with an ice ax would have been "subdued" by shooting him full of holes.

Isn't odd that these days the one who perpetrates a crime seems to be the only one who has rights, or at least he has MORE rights than anyone else.

Unless something is missing from the article, he should be getting an award, not discipline.
Next he should be looking to move to an area of the country where he would be appreciated.

Yup, what Seattle PD should have done was keep and eye on the suspect and then called the National Guard!

Subject was warned multiple times and never complied, but responded with threats. The taxpayers pay the police to resolve this kind of situation. Why are we even having a "failure to de-escalate?" debate?

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

Officer Nick Guzley now faces discipline for how he subdued a man armed with an ice ax.

Almost anywhere else in the country, someone armed with an ice ax would have been "subdued" by shooting him full of holes.

Yep
He'd get ventilated

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
Unless something is missing from the article, he should be getting an award, not discipline.
Next he should be looking to move to an area of the country where he would be appreciated.

Here's video -Facebook link

Why didn't they have just shot the weapon out of his hand?

Tackle?

They pushed him into a wall.

Fracking pussies, Libtard Seattle and it’s ilk.

And tidal waves couldn’t save the world
From Californication

I’m confused. I’d have thought tackling the guy was de-escalation. I’d have supported a supervisor taking him aside and privately pointing out that, “The department doesn’t pay you to get hurt and that you probably should have given serious thought to having the asshat ride the bull (while a co-worker stood by with his pistol and a position that provided a good backdrop if the taser didn’t work out and he had to fire.) Glad it worked out, and attaboy, but be more careful next time.”

What do I know though...

Thank God it wasn’t a potato peeler ...

His own people filed the "complaint"? Insanity.
Hey, Nick! Use the suspension time to apply at other departments. Somewhere in America!