SHOT DEAD

SHOT DEAD! (Green Bay Press Gazette)

Well I guess it had to happen and I'm proud and profoundly sad at the same time. I'm talking about the shooting death of 82 year old Ralph Slattery Wednesday morning around 2:00 A.M. west of Marinette, Wisconsin in the town of Beaver.

I guess I'm proud because a person 82 years of age can still pose a challenge of danger to Police officers, and saddened because it cost the man his life. The actions of Slattery undoubtedly cost the man his life, and the Marinette County Sheriff officer probably had no choice in the matter. I wasn't there, so the only first hand information that I have is what the deputy reported.

The incident occurred early Wednesday morning when Slattery's wife called 911 reported a domestic violence issue with her husband, who had threatened her with his shotgun. There had never been such a call from the  address, and no other calls to 911 except for medical assistance.

I don't question the actions of the officer, like he has stated, "I had no choice," when apparently Slattery "chambered" a round in his shotgun and swing it towards the officer. The sheriff's officer let loose with three rounds from his department issued .223-caliber rifle.

All three rounds struck the elder Slattery, one in the stomach and two in the chest. According to the county coroner, "death came quickly" for the 82 year old man. The 10 year veteran of the Marinette County sheriff's department who shot his weapon and killed Slattery, was the senior officer at the scene and was in charge.

Not being a gun guy, I had to look up what a .223 caliber rifle looked like and from what I saw and read, the N.R.A would be proud of the Marinette County Sheriffs department's choice of weapon. Actually one shot from the lethal appearing rifle probably would have done the job on Slattery, but three was probably better.

I am in no way calling into question the validity of the officers decision to shoot Slattery, once the man came out of his house with a gun, rather the method and the reason for the confrontation. Mrs. Slattery was out of the house, was safe and her husband was no further threat to her well being. In addition he was not a threat to the officers at the scene, they were behind the garage.

Slattery was on his own property and by 2:00 A.M. the situation had been basically defused, so why didn't the county sheriff's officers simply wait the old fart out, I'm sure it was almost his nap time. Why wasn't pepper spray used, way wasn't a Taser used. Wasn't there any other way to keep an old 82 year old man alive?

The county sheriff Jerry Sauve has said that the correct procedures were followed, the procedure was to "shoot to stop the threat." Let that sink in for a minute....."shoot to stop the threat." Actually that means that a threat is "in the eye of the beholder," so there really isn't a "procedure." Although cops are under a microscope, from the glare of community scrutiny, to media probes, police agencies operate usually with impunity for their actions.

There jobs are thankless, dangerous and stress filled, they can be spit at, urinated on and worse, during the course of their duties. I would not want to be a police officer on any level, of any kind, I am quite happy to let those folks that seem eager for the job, to have the job.

That said, when I see a county sheriff conduct a press conference with an American flag in the background, it makes me wonder why that is, unless you think that an American flag isn't an intended prop. To me, whatever the top Marinette County cop says is somehow tainted by that single "backdrop" and no matter what the message, it is somewhat convoluted, it's more like a photo opp.

In American, there are hundreds of deadly police shootings every year, there are dozens of lethal Tazer incidents and thousands of brutal physical attacks on prisoners  by police. In addition  the dozens of corrupt cops that are exposed every year helps to paint law enforcement in not the best color possible.

Copping in the United States is not rocket science, nor brain surgery, it's upholding the law of the land, and helping little Kathy's cat out of a three. It's helping people against themselves, those crazy decisions that are made in the heat of the moment, or in a drug or alcohol induced fog. Police officers are a necessary evil in our society, not so much to protect us from others, but from ourselves.

And cops are no different, they just have  added authority that we as citizens have basically accorded them. Cops need to under public scrutiny and they should welcome it, but sadly most don't, and therein lies the problem. Most of these guys approach their work the same as anybody else, "it's a job," they want to get their 20 or 30 years in and retire to there upstate summer digs.

Remember during the course of your duties, "Mr. Police Officer," that guys just like me, all over the country are not taking what you say as gospel, we demand a clear and concise reports on ever incident, especially incidents that take what we regard as  most precious, a life.