WCCO – Man Shot, Killed By Plain Clothes Cop
WCCO – Le Sueur Deputy Not Charged In Swim Trunk Shooting
I feel that Tyler’s death was completely pointless and preventable. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
The information I can gather is that a police officer who was not in uniform did not specify he was actually law enforcement until after he fired several shots. What happened next is irrelevant, anyone would go on the defense if some random guy approached and was behaving like that. I think it is apparent that the officer could have handled that situation completely differently, but because of his carelessness, a life has been lost. Hindsight may be 20/20, but foresight shouldn’t be legally blind.
According to WCCO the family is considering filing civil charges against Waldron.
I have simply had it with the lackadaisical approach towards ethics in law enforcement.
Did you know it is illegal for a police officer to exceed the speed limit in the state of Minnesota unless they have a siren or red light on? I see Minnesota State Troopers speeding down I-94 between Hudson and Woodbury all the time. It wasn’t until I laid on the horn at a trooper speeding by me that he turned his lights on. What a great example of hypocrisy.
His destination? The median in the middle of the road so he could set up a speed trap. I wish I had that one on film, I would have reported a crime of him speeding. But his immune ass probably wouldn’t have gotten a ticket.
And then there is officer Todd Lappegaard, who tasered Rolando Ruiz for not resisting. At least in this case the FBI is reviewing it, but this officer still has a job doing desk work. Oh yeah, his carelessness is what lead to an innocent jogger dying on the scene because he smashed a fleeing SUV right at him in 2002. I guess we should be reassured he has a desk job now. I could be terminated for significantly less at my job…
Some cops seem to have the ability to do whatever they want because they are abusing their legal authority. Unfortunately, these are the bad apples that spoil the bunch by creating an environment of distrust towards the majority of law enforcement officers that do have ethics.