A SAD COMMENTARY

WELL, AT LEAST A COMMENTARY.  On law enforcement versus the people. Confused yet?  Well, probably not, I just got started.  I am sure that this is not exclusive to the State of New Mexico. However, I will keep my remarks to this State, with a focus on the city of Albuquerque. So here is the situation.
Lat fall sometime, a lady from a Southern State was driving down a highway in the State of New Mexico at a high rate of speed.  A State patrolman pulled her over and issued her a ticket for speeding.  She refused the ticket and put her car in gear and took off.  She was eventually pulled over a second time.  By this time there were other officers assisting the original officer. While they were trying to get this lady out of her car, ( she had her five children in the car with her ) her teenage son got out of the car and took a  swing or two at one of the officers. Then got back in the car. Actually a van. His mother, who had finally got out of the car, got back in. And started to take off, again.  The officers broke her van windows with their batons and one of the shot at her tires. As she sped down the highway, they chased her.  She finally stopped at a motel in Taos and her and her son were arrested on various charges. In her van they found marijuana and smoking pipes. She filed a complaint and the officer that shot at her tires was eventually fired.  This was all recorded on a dash cam.  It took over 45 minutes to play out. The news, with the exception of KOB, the NBC affiliate in Albuquerque, chose to show the 30 seconds where the officers broke her windows and shot at her tires. There was a public outcry from the public, and the police came off looking bad. Sure, they probably could have done some things different, but they should not have got in the trouble they did from the news and the public.  More attention should have been paid to the lady and her actions.
Now, there have been several officer involved shootings in Albuquerque since 2010. Enough that the police chief finally retired. People were upset that the police shot people.  I will mention one incident, which is similar to most of them.  A family called 911 because a family member was drunk, or high, and was being abusive to family members, and was threatening them with deadly force.  So, the police arrived and subsequently the abusing member was shot. Then the family turned on the police.  He was a good kid, they said. he didn't deserve to be killed, they said. The police should have subdued him and put him in jail, they said.  Well, if that was possible, why didn't the family just do that. When someone is showing a weapon and causing a threat, and after being told, repeatedly, by law enforcement officers, to drop their weapon, and refuses to do so, they will probably be shot. But still, every time, there is an outcry against the police.  After the chief retired, an acting chief was appointed.  Still, there was officer involved shootings. A new chief was recently hired. And this past weekend a homeless man was illegally camping in the foothills East of Albuquerque. A confrontation ensued. The man, who has a long rap sheet with the law, refused to cooperate with the police. He brandished two knives. After some time, he was shot. He died some time later in the hospital.  Now, there is a protest march against the police. And a city counselor wants to limit the power of the police. 
Well, I guess that's the way it goes, but if the police have to just back off every time a law breaker brandishes a weapon, then soon the city will be over run by criminals.  Hey, come to Albuquerque, the police have to back off if you show a weapon.  They are not allowed to use force.  Some times I think the public mind is going crazy.
AND THAT'S THE VIES FROM THE DITCH BANK