Parkland Cop, Scot Peterson arrested

[xsubsailor]

Scot Peterson, the Broward Sheriff's Office school resource officer who failed to protect Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students in the February 14, 2018 massacre, was fired today and arrested on 11 criminal charges related to his conduct the day of the shooting. Broward State Attorney Mike Satz and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced the state has charged Peterson with seven counts of child neglect, three counts of culpable negligence, and one count of perjury.

"The FDLE investigation shows former Deputy Peterson did absolutely nothing to mitigate the MSD shooting that killed 17 children, teachers, and staff and injured 17 others," FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen said in a media release. "There can be no excuse for his complete inaction and no question that his inaction cost lives."

 

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/parkland-bso-deputy-scot-peterson-arrested-on-11-charges-11188755

[E4 No More]

I don't think it'll stand. The Supreme Court ruled quite some time ago that law enforcement has no duty to protect you. We'll see.

[DaveTN]

 That will never stand; even if a jury agrees (they will probably want to). It’s another political stunt.

If it does stand, arrest and charge the people that don’t allow teachers to defend themselves and their students by banning guns in schools. No question that cost lives.

[FUJIMO]

1 minute ago, DaveTN said:

 That will never stand; even if a jury agrees (they will probably want to). It’s another political stunt.

If it does stand, arrest and charge the people that don’t allow teachers to defend themselves and their students by banning guns in schools. No question that cost lives.

I started typing my thoughts but Dave done summed it up. I see "liberal message" ALL over this one. 

 

[xsubsailor]

 The perjury charge might stand.

[Chucktshoes]

I don’t see any way that it stands. SCOTUS has made it clear multiple times that police have no legal duty to act to protect citizens from harm. 

 

Peterson absolutely failed his moral duty to protect those kids, but he had no legal duty to act. 

[DaveTN]

21 minutes ago, xsubsailor said:

 The perjury charge might stand.

It’s a misdemeanor; they can’t do anything more to Peterson than has already been done. Other than maybe push him to suicide. This is all about politics and the civil case.

I have to laugh every time I see the FBI charge someone with no crime other than lying to the FBI. We don’t want this…I can assure you. But it sure would have made it a lot easier for us to get dirtbags off the street when I was a cop.

 

Edited June 4, 2019 by DaveTN

[E4 No More]

13 hours ago, DaveTN said:

It’s a misdemeanor; they can’t do anything more to Peterson than has already been done. Other than maybe push him to suicide. This is all about politics and the civil case.

I have to laugh every time I see the FBI charge someone with no crime other than lying to the FBI. We don’t want this…I can assure you. But it sure would have made it a lot easier for us to get dirtbags off the street when I was a cop.

 

I can't see how this lying to the FBI charge can stand either. I'm amazed that it hasn't been challenged up to the Supreme Court yet - at least I'm not aware if it has been challenged.

My canned answer to any Fed has become, "I don't recall."

[DaveTN]

50 minutes ago, E4 No More said:

I can't see how this lying to the FBI charge can stand either. I'm amazed that it hasn't been challenged up to the Supreme Court yet - at least I'm not aware if it has been challenged.

My canned answer to any Fed has become, "I don't recall."

I agree. I’ve always said that if I was being questioned by the cops after a good shooting; I’ll talk to them without a lawyer.  

But if the FBI wanted to talk to me about anything; I would either refuse or tell them I need a lawyer. And I would tell them its because they can charge me with a crime, simply if they don’t believe what I’m saying.

Good grief man, if cops could do that you would have to start building super big jails right away. Most criminals can’t do anything other than lie to the Police; even when its something that has nothing to do with the case. 

[DaveTN]

I’ll add this…

The role of a School Resource Officer changed when the school shootings started. It went from the day to day enforcement of the laws in school, drugs, violence, etc., to being responsible for engaging an active shooter.

Scot Peterson was too old and too out of shape to be doing that. And I don't think he had the ability to deal with that situation. Our schools need Officers capable of handling the threat, not giving the job to someone as a pre-retirement gift, or someone that wasn’t good on the streets. Our SRO’s when I was a kid was cops going from the street headed to the bureau. They were more than capable of doing the job.

When I retired one of my friends ask why I didn’t go back into Law Enforcement if I wanted to do something. I laughed and told him I would get my azz kicked and I’m not chasing anyone unless I’m in a car. While I’m sure with my experience I could find a Department to hire me; my common sense tells me that would be stupid. The streets are a young mans job.

I have never made the assumption criminals aren’t trained in the use of weapons or violence. Taking on a serious threat would require good training and being in shape. I know that with absolute certainty because I have experienced it firsthand when I was a young man in good shape.

Edited June 5, 2019 by DaveTN

[A.J. Holst]

21 hours ago, DaveTN said:

have to laugh every time I see the FBI charge someone with no crime other than lying to the FBI.

On the fed level, didn't the laughter begin with Ollie and Iran-Contra and continue through every admin to date, devolving to include the dreaded, "found in contempt of Congress"

If it weren't on the tax payer dime, it'd be free entertainment

[OLDNEWBIE]

It's my understanding that not only did he do nothing himself, he hindered others from doing something.

There's a crime there somewhere. Freezing up is one thing, slowing up the willing is another.

 

[Magiccarpetrides]

When I was at Maryville High School our SRO was a bada$$ ...he not only busted our Principal and Office Manager for embezzling funds he also went on to become an Air Marshall.

 

I hope Scot Petersons guilt and shame causes him to eat a bullet...that's what that coward deserves.

[gregintenn]

On 6/4/2019 at 5:11 PM, DaveTN said:

 That will never stand; even if a jury agrees (they will probably want to). It’s another political stunt.

If it does stand, arrest and charge the people that don’t allow teachers to defend themselves and their students by banning guns in schools. No question that cost lives.

I keep waiting for a lawsuit from a victim of a crime in a gun free zone because they were rendered unable to defend themselves. You think that would ever fly?

[A.J. Holst]

On 6/5/2019 at 1:12 PM, DaveTN said:

The role of a School Resource Officer changed when the school shootings started

Your number one job is to run towards gunfire and stop the threat.

Then fulfill the traditional role.

Dave is right, filling with a less than optimal candidate, is playing the odds and hoping it doesn't happen.

It may be a deterrent, but not a threat to a determined attacker.

Engaging in a gunfight with the good possibility of students in the foreground and background, get these officers some additional training.

[bersaguy]

On ‎6‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 4:49 PM, E4 No More said:

I don't think it'll stand. The Supreme Court ruled quite some time ago that law enforcement has no duty to protect you. We'll see.

If it is not their job to serve and protect people from harm, especially our children just what are they paid to do and why are they needed at all ??????

[bersaguy]

1 hour ago, OLDNEWBIE said:

It's my understanding that not only did he do nothing himself, he hindered others from doing something.

There's a crime there somewhere. Freezing up is one thing, slowing up the willing is another.

 

If I would have been one of the first responders on the scene and he was trying to stop me from going in I would have ignored him and went in because that is where he should have been was inside and not out side........JMHO

[gregintenn]

2 hours ago, bersaguy said:

If I would have been one of the first responders on the scene and he was trying to stop me from going in I would have ignored him and went in because that is where he should have been was inside and not out side........JMHO

You are a better man than he is, Doug.

[bersaguy]

25 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

You are a better man than he is, Doug.

Thank you Greg and I would like to think I am a better man then him. I have always been a person that in a case where a mass shooter is in a school shooter children that I would run as fast as possible towards the gun fire to try and end the carnage as fast as possible.

[gregintenn]

28 minutes ago, bersaguy said:

Thank you Greg and I would like to think I am a better man then him. I have always been a person that in a case where a mass shooter is in a school shooter children that I would run as fast as possible towards the gun fire to try and end the carnage as fast as possible.

I have no doubt that is true.

[E4 No More]

On 6/8/2019 at 12:00 PM, bersaguy said:

If it is not their job to serve and protect people from harm, especially our children just what are they paid to do and why are they needed at all ??????

While I understand your emotions, Doug, they do not change facts. Law enforcement is not the military where your superiors can order you to charge a machine gun nest by yourself. Many departments actually have policies in place not allowing you to act until the situation is assessed and command makes a decision. Police have stood by while people were murdered on the other side of the an apartment door.

[DaveTN]

On 6/8/2019 at 3:34 PM, bersaguy said:

Thank you Greg and I would like to think I am a better man then him. I have always been a person that in a case where a mass shooter is in a school shooter children that I would run as fast as possible towards the gun fire to try and end the carnage as fast as possible.

I’m sure you would, as would many people. There are many people alive today because of cops. As I have said before their job is to go when called and assess the situation when they get there.

Yes, it is their job and most take it seriously; many have laid down their live to protect others. The “Duty” that many like to discuss has little to do with duty and plenty to do with liability. If the Police are required to protect you; so are the courts. And that just won’t fly.

People making broad sweeping statements about cops because Peterson was a coward is no different that the broad sweeping statements made about gun owners after a shooting. Or making generalizations about gun owners because of the type of guns they have or the amount of ammo in their house.

You say you have disregarded what Peterson said and went in. With all due respect, you don’t know that; that’s your emotions talking. Hindsight is 20/20. Its pretty easy to make judgments after the fact, when you know the facts. It took awhile for other responding Officers to figure out what was going on and act.

Blame Peterson, blame the Sheriff’s department, blame the school board, blame the citizens of a rich community that didn’t give their kids the protect they needed; and that they could afford.

I’ll blame the shooter.

You, Me, 10 other people on this forum together, or a SWAT team, could not stop a school shooter from stacking up a big body count if they are dedicated and prepared to die. All you can do is try to reduce the body count. Someone running in and getting killed instead of being focused on taking out the shooter might get them hero status; but it does nothing for the next victims in line. The challenge is to take out the shooter, not be a bullet sponge.

As I said before Peterson should not have been there; he was not qualified to deal with the problem; its not a retirement gig.

 

[bersaguy]

2 hours ago, DaveTN said:

I’m sure you would, as would many people. There are many people alive today because of cops. As I have said before their job is to go when called and assess the situation when they get there.

Yes, it is their job and most take it seriously; many have laid down their live to protect others. The “Duty” that many like to discuss has little to do with duty and plenty to do with liability. If the Police are required to protect you; so are the courts. And that just won’t fly.

People making broad sweeping statements about cops because Peterson was a coward is no different that the broad sweeping statements made about gun owners after a shooting. Or making generalizations about gun owners because of the type of guns they have or the amount of ammo in their house.

You say you have disregarded what Peterson said and went in. With all due respect, you don’t know that; that’s your emotions talking. Hindsight is 20/20. Its pretty easy to make judgments after the fact, when you know the facts. It took awhile for other responding Officers to figure out what was going on and act.

Blame Peterson, blame the Sheriff’s department, blame the school board, blame the citizens of a rich community that didn’t give their kids the protect they needed; and that they could afford.

I’ll blame the shooter.

You, Me, 10 other people on this forum together, or a SWAT team, could not stop a school shooter from stacking up a big body count if they are dedicated and prepared to die. All you can do is try to reduce the body count. Someone running in and getting killed instead of being focused on taking out the shooter might get them hero status; but it does nothing for the next victims in line. The challenge is to take out the shooter, not be a bullet sponge.

As I said before Peterson should not have been there; he was not qualified to deal with the problem; its not a retirement gig.

 

I have always had the utmost respect for your posts and this one is no different. You have raised some many great points in this post also and being a former police officer I have no doubt that what you say is totally correct. It's just my knowledge of what I have learned over my time in the military that I refer to many times about this subject. And yea, my emotions do play a role in my posts when it comes to some crazy person in a school killing children that would draw me towards the gun fire without hesitation even knowing I might get shot or killed. If I can draw the perps attention away from killing kids long enough to give other officers time to get in place to kill him I have done my part. You mentions a swat team or 10 other members could not stop a crazy person from taking lives if that is their goal and of course you are correct. It is not the fact that we could not stop the shooter from killing or wounding people . The point is to limit the amount of carnage the shooter can do before he is stopped that I am referring to I guess. ..............JMHO