Police Spouse Criticizes Coverage of Officer Involved Shootings (World News Now KVBC 07132006) Coverage Gives Las Vegas Metro BAD Name

I cannot say that I blame that wife of the Officer, there has been a lot of shootings in Las Vegas, however it shows that Las Vegas Metro is seeing a lot more Violence and armed suspects in the city. However there are the normal opposition that are out to go against the Police for preserving the life of the People Gambling on the Strip, and their own lives for that matter. The ACLU, thinks that it is that Easy to be a Police Officer then why don't they strap the gun on and do it?

I think that the Police Officers' of Las Vegas have done what the needed to do in order to keep the peace in Las Vegas!!

BSRanch
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Police spouse criticizes coverage of officer involved shootings

Over the past few weeks News 3 has covered a number of officer involved shootings and some are concerned that the coverage is giving Metro a bad name. The people closest to these officers, their wives, say there's a lot we don't see or hear when it comes to our police department.

One wife, who didn't want to appear on camera, says the public is quick to forget the good police do. According to her, it's simple: if people stop pulling guns on cops, they'll stop defending themselves. "Sometimes it's hard because my husband will call me when there is an officer involved shooting just to say 'I'm just calling to let you know I'm okay, I can't talk right now.'"

She's been married to a Metro officer for nearly two years. "He's been in a couple of chases where the suspect was shooting out of the car." It could be another 15 years before he retires. For Mrs. Smith that's just too long to sit around and worry. "I trust him, I trust his judgement, I trust that he won't intentionally put himself in harm's way."

20 officer involved shootings in seven months. It's a number that some groups like the ACLU and the NAACP are criticizing.

Smith says if it's her husband looking down the barrel of a gun she hopes for one thing: "That he pulls his gun and defends himself. It's sad, but in the case of those two people, I want my husband to come home."

She wants the public to view our police like they view our firefighters, with respect. "They're doing their job and that's not being covered. Their first response is to defend themselves and come home at the end of their shift."

The most recent Metro graduates went through 23 weeks of training before they hit the streets and then another 18 weeks of field training. When someone is killed during an officer involved shooting there is a coroner's inquest. Of the 20 officer involved shootings this year 11 have been fatal.