JULY 24, 2014

Around the Water Cooler: News Briefs

It was a Matter of Time -- NYPD apparently tried to take a resisting suspect into custody. It appears an officer got an arm around the suspect's neck and they went to the ground. The suspect died in custody. Everyone predictably screamed about "choke holds." You know, like the ones your young nieces and nephews do regularly in judo classes, like competitors do in MMA. Same thing. The suspect appears to be obese, he and others in the photos appear to be dressed for warm, even hot, weather. He's heard to say he can't breathe -- meaning he can. Surprisingly, CBS turned to the National Law Enforcement Training Center, my alma mater, and sought out the truth. What follows is the fairest discussion of Lateral Vascular Neck Restraint I've seen in media. Want to read it? See CBS News. Rules Violations -- In Wednesday's stack of news, we had a pair of NDs from cops. One was a reserve officer at the end of a chase planting a round in the door of the suspect's vehicle. No injuries. Then there was an officer who was attacked by a dog. In the process of stopping the dog attack he apparently "accidentally shot himself." The condition of the dog wasn't reported though the officer had injuries described as "non-life threatening." Finally, a citizen who -- it appears -- pocketed a handgun without benefit of a pocket holster shot himself when he hitched his shorts up. Guns in pockets after going into a pocket holster.