It would seem that the Tulsa Police Department should consider creating an age limit to the officers on ?its force.
It would seem for the low, low price of a $2,500 donation to the local sheriff’s department, 73-year-old ex-cops can shoot an unarmed black man in an undercover police operation.
At least, that’s what Robert Bates got with his donation to re-elect Sheriff ?Stanley Glanz.
A former cop that was on the force between 1964-65, Bates was sworn in as a reserve sheriff deputy and was brought along on an undercover operation involving Eric Harris, a 44-year-old unarmed black man.
Harris was attempting to escape police and was tackled to the ground by an official Tulsa police officer.
After he had been subdued, Bates drew his weapon and accidentally fired, believing it to be his taser.
Now, this whole story raises two questions in ?my mind.
First, why in the world would the Tulsa Police Department let this man have a gun?
Yes, he is an official reserve sheriff deputy, but this man is 73 years old. He shouldn’t be on any police force at that age, and the only reason he was out on that operation was the fact that he gave money to the right sheriff.
Second, and perhaps more importantly, what person who has had any training with firearms would ever mistake a taser for an ?actual gun?
Now, I’m certainly no gun expert, but I’ve shot a few guns in my time.
One of the first things I was taught was that if there is a loaded handgun anywhere near or on your body, you should be consciously aware of it at all times.
And this wasn’t even a police department-issued handgun given to Bates.
This was his own personal handgun that he brought from home.
He had shot this thing before, he knew what it felt like in his hand.
I’m not saying Bates saddled up that day expecting to shoot him some unarmed black guy, but he absolutely shouldn’t have been ?anywhere near that operation. His age alone should have disqualified him, if not his blatant disregard for ?firearm safety.
And while all of this sounds horrible in its own right, the way the Tulsa court system is treating this is even more sickening.
Although he is pleading not guilty to one charge of second-degree manslaughter, the judge granted Robert Bates permission to go to the Bahamas for a ?family vacation.
This man killed someone with his recklessness and he gets to soak up the sun and take it all in at the beach.
I guess all it takes to kill someone in America nowadays is money and a nice vacation house in the Tropics.
kevsjack@indiana.edu
