05-27-2014, 08:45 AM
(05-27-2014, 08:17 AM)thekid65 Wrote: I don't hold the PD accountable for this. Everyone is looking for someone to blame, EXCEPT the nut-job himself. The Dad of one of the victims is pointing the finger at the NRA...wtf....
Policeman are just that...they arent trained psychologists. And had they gone in, done a thorough search, and confiscated this guys weapons, or perhaps even held him for observation in some mental hospital for evaluation, groups like the ACLU would be all over their asses claiming his rights were violated.
It's a no win situation for the cops in this case.
It's definitely tough for cops to gauge mental wellness and stability, especially with people who are on meds and crafty. This guy wasn't bouncing off the walls and there was no history of violence or "episodes" on his record.
In this case, I don't know if the cops messed up or not yet -- need more info. It's important, to me, not to screen it if cops did drop the ball (even though I agree that Rodger is the the obvious bad guy and responsible for the deaths) -- not for punitive reasons against the cops, but so that it can be a learning experience and area of focus for other cops who find themselves investigating a similar complaint/situation.
I don't think the ACLU would have been all of over the cops in this particular case -- Rodger made suicidal and homicidal threats and posted them in the public domain. Why didn't SBPD know about those threats from the parents and/or therapist who reported Elliot Rodger -- or were cops in fact told about them and just never followed-up? I'm hoping that question is answered soon.