Aurora Police Chief apologizes for the ‘inconvenience’ to motorists who were held at gunpoint and handcuffed
Police Chief Dan Oates has apologized for “inconveniencing” motorists and their family members who were forcibly extracted from their vehicles at gunpoint and handcuffed without cause. See previous post here…
No doubt, the child with a shotgun in his face and an automatic handgun pointing at him as well will be gratified to know that the police are sorry for his middling experience and want him to have a happy afternoon. I’m sure his parents are thrilled as well. People generally don’t mind being yelled at by men with automatic weapons, shotguns and sidearms, and being handcuffed for two hours on a road side is a minor detail in a busy schedule…at least from the point of view of Dan Oates. Certainly, who could possibly object to their children being put in a submission hold with a shotgun pointed at his or her face?
Police Chief Daniel Oates on Monday apologized to the innocent bystanders that got caught up in the search for the suspect. Oates also said the ends justify the means since the suspect was caught.
‘The law is clear that investigative detentions are lawful for a reasonable period of time,’ Oates said. ‘Reasonableness is determined by the facts and circumstances at issue, and the facts and circumstances were the suspect was in one of 19 cars.’
Oats said the police department has received about five complaints regarding the methods used, but none of them came from any of the 40 people who were detained.
Some of the “detainees” don’t seem to agree. A parent of the child above posted on the local CBS blog:
That was my family and they are tramatized not because of a robber they had no clue of but because they had about 10 loaded weapons from shotguns,assault rifles,9mm,tasers,etc pointed at them this was uncalled for and media are editing a lot of the true story as you can see,as for today I am disappointed in the Aurora Chief for covering his officers misconduct and unconcerned of the well being of the innocent people and then for him to lie in the publics eye ? you put shame on that uniform and degrade law enforcement who obey their oaths. Those who would
sacrifice liberty for security deserve neither!
A woman claiming to the wife of one of the men held and handcuffed had this to say (It’s an Alex Jones site, but I think she is legit.)
My husband was caught up in this mess and some people were cuffed and others not. They even cuffed a child that looked about 14. He told the cops he was disabled and couldn’t kneel and they forced him down anyway and when he started to fall forward they yanked his arm up in a submission hold and told him to quit resisting. If that isn’t a violation of the 4th amendment it should be. These people were treated as criminals and guilty until proven innocent! My husband can barely move the arm that was forced up his back and this is 4 days later!
These folks obviously need to understand that the end justifies the means just like the chief…and virtually every 20th century dictator…said. They were threatened with guns, manhandled and handcuffed for the safety of the officers..and that is what is most important. We can all sleep better knowing that officers can can do whatever they like to us whenever it suits them as long as it makes them “safe”, and who can argue with that? If you feel inconvenienced when your child has a shotgun and handguns aimed at him or her at point blank range or has his arm wrenched up behind him because he is disabled and cannot kneel on command, then Dan Oates sincerely feels for you.