Saturday, December 29, 2012

Salt Lake Tribune: Ogden Family Distraught After Police Mistake Husband for Wanted Man - Updated

So what's wrong with the the Ogden Keystone Kops, we ask?
One of the officers made a comment about her husband coming to the door with a bat, saying that had it been a gun, the officers would have "blown you away."
Reporter Jessica Miller - Salt Lake Tribune
Ogden family distraught after police mistake husband for wanted man
December 12, 2012

It was a split decision to grab that bat. They could have killed him in his house for no reason in front of me and my kids. There should be other tactics to handle this kind of situation.
Melanie Hill - Salt Lake Tribune
Ogden family distraught after police mistake husband for wanted man
December 12, 2012

OK.  Ogden cops show up dressed in black with assault weapons at some Ogden resident's door @ 2:30 a.m. in the friggin morning, banging on the door to serve a federal warrant to "apprehend an AWOL US service member," believe it or not. When the homeowner asks "Who's knockin on my door" (and this is important) NOBODY from the crack OPD night assault team even makes a peep. Next thimg you know, the OPD has an innocent guy in handcuffs, who fortunately didn't get blown away.  Turns out they hadn't done their homework... and get this!  The guy who got his door kicked down and held at gunpoint... in the wee hours of the night? Wrong guy, people!  "Ooops! Sorry about that! Shit happens," sez OPD police Lt.Will Cragun.
Your blogmeister's distraught to even be reporting this major screwup.

So what's wrong with the the Ogden Keystone Kops, we ask?

Update 1/1/13 9:00 a.m: The Standard-Examiner is carrying the AP story, too:

8 comments:

blackrulon said...

It seems that OPD is allowing patrol officers take part in raids without any specialized training. Don't they do any prelimary survelliance prior to breaking into someones home? This is just the type of event Matthew Stewarts attorney will attempt to raise in court. It makes one wonder if there are more of these incidents than are reported i the press.

Reminisce said...

Given the way the local police acted in this, in the case where they gunned down a guy with a golf club, and the shootout in the Matthew Stewart case, one might ask, "What difference is there if such a raid was police or criminals?"

The answer is, "The police are worse."

These adrenaline fueled jackasses need to go.  Get rid of them.  We are better off without police than to have these monkeys killing us.

 

Phoenix3555 said...

I really would like to have confidence in our police force, after all they are the GOOD GUYS right!? Unfortunately the command structure of OPD and the Strike Force is not quite up to par.

This is a lack of leadership, and system problem. The FACT is that these officers believe they are "above the law" and this has been proven throughout their careers thanks to lack of prosecution by our District Attorney Dee Smith.

Mark my words, these "officers" will not face any charges, or repercussions of any kind, its likely If they would have killed the man, they would have been promoted and given another award.. These people are artists in covering up their actions while smearing the victim.

Smaatguy said...

I must have missed an edition of the SE...was this even in it?....What the hell is with these people...2 freaking thirty in the morning....to get a guy that is AWOL let alone anything else?  Nothing learned from the past here is there?....thugs in the night....this whole thing is outragous!  Guess we better ban baseball bats now...

AWM said...

Here's what I know "WON'T" happen in regards to this significant OPD misstep. Major Caldwell will NOT be holding a press conference this coming Wed on the steps of the Ogden City Municipal Building to reassure the burgers that live within the city limits of O-Town that he will call to task the Chief of Police on this matter.  It's becoming painfully apparent that he's a bureaucrat/manager with little, if any leadership training...a LEADER would already have set the OPD Chiefs arse on fire..considering the departments recent history of ineptitude in these type of situations..i.e. late night quasi paramilitary ops. 

AWM said...

Make that "Mayor" Calwell.

From_Utah said...

There is no reason whatsoever  police need to resort to violence over an AWOL soldier. I thought the police were supposed to be "peace officers" not "violence officers." But that's what we have here in Ogden. There is no reason whatsoever the police need to knock down anyone's door, let alone at 2:30 a.m., unless there were exigent circumstances. Shameful. OPD policies and practices need to be investigated.

rudizink said...

Exactly right, FU.  Maybe Mayor Mike Caldwell needs to get off his frggin' bicycle, and Instruct the overly armed OPD that we of Ogden city won't tolerate  a "police state" in Ogden

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