Post by Critique on Feb 7, 2007 1:43:01 GMT -5
January 30, 2007
by Jesse Fray
TOPEKA, KANSAS – An officer fired his weapon, but some of his bullets didn’t even hit the target he was aiming for and ended up elsewhere, District Attorney Robert Hecht said.
It happened after a car chase in December that ended at 10th and Indiana.
Police chased a van into a ditch after hearing gunshots nearby, Hecht said in a memo brief he sent to the police chief Tuesday. When an officer approached the van, Hecht said the officer feared for his life thinking the passenger might have a gun. The officer fired three shots at the vehicle after the driver and passenger wouldn’t cooperate. But two of the officer’s bullets didn’t hit the van.
Instead, one hit the hood of a Pontiac, which was sitting behind a nearby house. The other hit the home next door.
“Missing an entire vehicle from 6 to 15 feet away does not encourage confidence in marksmanship,” Hecht said. “When another uninvolved vehicle, as well as a residence, is struck, one must be concerned as to the risk innocent bystanders or residents may be exposed to.”
But, just because one officer missed his mark, Police Chief Ron Miller said there’s no reason for you to be concerned.
“I think the citizens should be confident that the police officers in Topeka are highly-trained individuals,” he said. “But, there’s always room for improvement.”
Hecht said Miller is requiring additional firearm training from the command staff, down. They’ll be taught to better understand what situations pose a threat, and understand how to make those decisions quickly and under stress.
While Hecht said several of the officer’s actions appear to be against police policy, he said the officer didn’t break any laws.
www.49abcnews.com/news/2007/jan/30/officer_misses_his_mark_others_risk/
by Jesse Fray
TOPEKA, KANSAS – An officer fired his weapon, but some of his bullets didn’t even hit the target he was aiming for and ended up elsewhere, District Attorney Robert Hecht said.
It happened after a car chase in December that ended at 10th and Indiana.
Police chased a van into a ditch after hearing gunshots nearby, Hecht said in a memo brief he sent to the police chief Tuesday. When an officer approached the van, Hecht said the officer feared for his life thinking the passenger might have a gun. The officer fired three shots at the vehicle after the driver and passenger wouldn’t cooperate. But two of the officer’s bullets didn’t hit the van.
Instead, one hit the hood of a Pontiac, which was sitting behind a nearby house. The other hit the home next door.
“Missing an entire vehicle from 6 to 15 feet away does not encourage confidence in marksmanship,” Hecht said. “When another uninvolved vehicle, as well as a residence, is struck, one must be concerned as to the risk innocent bystanders or residents may be exposed to.”
But, just because one officer missed his mark, Police Chief Ron Miller said there’s no reason for you to be concerned.
“I think the citizens should be confident that the police officers in Topeka are highly-trained individuals,” he said. “But, there’s always room for improvement.”
Hecht said Miller is requiring additional firearm training from the command staff, down. They’ll be taught to better understand what situations pose a threat, and understand how to make those decisions quickly and under stress.
While Hecht said several of the officer’s actions appear to be against police policy, he said the officer didn’t break any laws.
www.49abcnews.com/news/2007/jan/30/officer_misses_his_mark_others_risk/