General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Stop asking why the Texas police response was a clusterf#*k [View all]Shipwack
(2,179 posts)Fellow squid (ret) and new Texas resident here. I agree, "the fish rots from the head down", but it's worse than that.
The police system in the US is broken, not just in Texas. This is the second time (that I know of) that the stated reason for the slow response to a school shooting was "I was scared to get hurt". The police culture in the US teaches at least two things:
1) Everyone out there not in a uniform is your enemy.
2) Your life is far more valuable than a citizens.
"Oh, that black kid in the park looks like he has a rifle. I'd better drive up next to him and shoot him before he knows I'm here, even though it is legal to carry a rifle in in public in this state"
"I thought his cell phone was a gun, so I shot him."
"That gunman is killing innocent children? I know my police car has 'To serve and protect' scrawled on it, but he has a gun and can shoot back. I'll stay here where it's safe, and physically abuse some parents that are whining too much, to show them who's in charge."