20 year old deputy kills 6 in jealous rage
Just damn. I would never have believed it. Someone saw fit to pin a badge on a 20 year old and issue him a weapon. He couldn't even purchase alcohol legally, at least not in my state, but is mature enough to make life or death decisions in a chaotic situation with no personal involvement?
Certainly he would never let his feelings interfere with his professionalism.
Not only did he do that, but he was not even required to undergo any kind of psychological testing prior to being sworn. Whoever hired him must be proud of their prowess at judging character. They surely placed their judgment above any kind of concern for the six young people in the morgue now that the young officer has used a gun to express his romantic frustrations. At least it wasn't (as far as I can tell) his official police weapon that killed those young victims.
There used to be a TV show called Doogie Howser, about a genius, who at a young age had completed med school and was a practicing doctor. The show never explained the lack of internship versus the young man's age. No need, since it was only fiction, and no real lives were at stake. I wouldn't have placed my critical care needs in his young hands without adult supervision, though. It takes time to gain wisdom.
The same thing applies here. I don't give a rotten rhyme scheme if the young officer had passed training. Training is not real life experience and will never substitute for the wisdom that comes from years of life.
I guess that, in hindsight, everyone will agree that he was too young.
But is that his fault? No.
The people that failed were the ones that hired and equipped him. And the apologists that want to tell us how hard a cop's job is. If the job is so damn hard, why let a kid do it? Or, how hard can it be if a kid can do it?
Doesn't anyone else see that this irresponsibility and resistance to accountability in the Law Enforcement community is systemic and ingrained? They are too much "in charge" to see how foolish their procedures and policies are in the face of people's lives. And they don't care. They will tell you that you don't know anything about it. Don't believe them. You know enough to see the truth. There's no "magic" in policing. Right and wrong aren't mystical concepts.
Every time something like this happens, there is someone who says that he/she couldn't see it coming. That's a cop-out (pun seriously intended) for people who don't want to accept responsibility for poor judgment. This time it's the city attorney, Lindsay Erickson. I bet she doesn't hire a six year old to mow her lawn, but if she did, and the six year old fell under the mower, would she say that she thought the child was mature enough to operate dangerous machinery? Or that she couldn't have foreseen the danger? She apparently thinks the ability to write "good reports" and be "true to his job" are adequate standards for an officer. Ms. Erickson, would you explain what the town's liability for this officer's actions might be if you allowed that he might have been too young? You are transparent, and your CYA attitude is just plain immoral.
Now understand, I'm not saying that Peterson did this under color of authority. I'm not even saying that it wouldn't have happened if he weren't a sheriff's deputy. I am saying that he should not have been a deputy. And that those who made the decisions that allowed him to become one made serious errors in judgment. I don't even want a twenty year old deputy who has passed psychological testing. Twenty years old is too young. Period.
I hope that those who made such awful decisions do NOT sleep well at night, for a LONG time. Maybe, just maybe, this will be a wake up call to the politicians and voters that changes are necessary.
My guess, though, is that they will continue in their jobs, accountability and common sense be damned. They will continue to make decisions based on bad judgment, and more people will die or be hurt as a result. And, ultimately, the voters will be held responsible. Ask the citizens of Durham, North Caroline.
I am really tired of all the death and inhumanity that is the result of the culture of "protect and serve." It's time to call it "endanger and dominate." That's closer to the reality of our police state. And it's just what the voters deserve.
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