PHOENIX, ARIZONA — Phoenix Police Department dispatcher Andrea Max said she and her family received death threats after a recent video went viral, showing Phoenix police officers drawing guns and cursing at a family suspected of shoplifting.
As reported by Arizona Central, journalism is a business that harps on transparency for public officials, so we tend to provide easy and relatively direct access to any and all cowards and idiots who wish harass or threaten us.
You get used to it.
Just as seasoned police officers grow accustomed to dealing with salty language and less than friendly felicitations from some members of the public with whom they come into contact.
Lately, Phoenix Police have been under fire over a viral video showing officers pointing guns and yelling profanity-laced threats at a young couple with two young daughters after the couple said their 4-year-old daughter took a doll from a Family Dollar store.
Police believe there was more to the incident than that, but the video does not paint a pretty picture.
The idiots and cowards making the calls weren’t speaking directly with officers, however, but with the police dispatchers. The good people who answer the phones.
Police spokesman Tommy Thompson said, “Communications Operators received approximately 1,800 telephone calls to the call center.
As a result, Phoenix Police Investigators are currently reviewing them for evidence of viable threats.
Those particular calls that are determined to contain the necessary elements of a threatening statement will be investigated.”
And, hopefully, prosecuted.
The couple involved in the shoplifting case filed a $10 million claim against the city.
Phoenix Law Enforcement Association has asked the public to withhold judgement until an internal investigation into the officers’ conduct is completed.
Not many people are finding that easy to do.
Now, some of those who condemn the police for overtly threatening tactics by officers reverted to overtly threatening tactics against … 911 operators.
I’m not sure how many wrongs all of that adds up to.
But we’re in dire need of a right.
[divider style=”10″]
Interested in learning more about how to get started as a Flight Medic, Flight Nurse or EMS Pilot?
Join our Future Flight Crew Private Facebook Group. Answer 3 simple questions to join, takes less than a minute.
CLICK THE BANNER to Sign Up:
[arrows style=”arrow-red-11.png” align=”left”]
