Family Outraged After North Miami Beach Police Use Mug Shots as Shooting Targets

[jlagman]

It's not about optics, although that's why it's a news story, it's about approach to the job. Citizens are not targets, active threats to public safety may be targets, but conflating the two shows a complete failure in judgement, and the idea that this is acceptable behavior shows a failure to adequately recognize the police officer's inherent subservience. As such, these are not people who the public should trust to patrol the streets, armed. I wouldn't want that going on in my town anyway.

I wonder, if a cop hesitates in a justified shooting, because of a lack of desensitizing and subsequently killed, will you make as big of a deal of it?

The fact of the matter is, a cop may have to shoot another human being in the course of their duties. If they are unprepared to do so, it's a liability and someone like that shouldn't be armed in the first place.

 

[drstrangelov]

Who is in extra danger due to the cops using mug shot pictures rather than concentric circles as targets?

Who is in extra danger if the mayor spends thousands of taxpayer dollars on high end prostitutes? Not fit for duty doesn't inherently mean more likely to cause physical harm, or even more likely to create added danger. I understand it's a local issue, but if you're not holding your public servants to a higher standard than that, you're local government is probably a disaster.

 

[drstrangelov]

I wonder, if a cop hesitates in a justified shooting, because of a lack of desensitizing and subsequently killed, will you make as big of a deal of it?

The fact of the matter is, a cop may have to shoot another human being in the course of their duties. If they are unprepared to do so, it's a liability and someone like that shouldn't be armed in the first place.

It could be worse even, what if because a cop doesn't use images of his neighbors as target practice, he fails to shoot fast enough, and terrorists blow up Joe Robbie Stadium?

 

[ultramanhyata]

Using a picture of an actual person by police is dumb.

People who become cops are known to be highly empathetic and compassionate. The pictures are necessary to help desensitize them so that they can function properly and use deadly force when required.

 

[fissionfusion]

Who is in extra danger due to the cops using mug shot pictures rather than concentric circles as targets?

It's called desensitization and classical conditioning.

Unless you are a sociopath or have received training specifically designed to desensitize you; the likelihood of you being able to actually kill someone trying to kill you is very low - assuming you'd be dead because they were properly trained.

When properly aiming, your target is blurry and difficult to make out. You at first focus on the target through your sights to positively identify the target. Once you have identified that the target is legitimate, you stare down the sight post/chevron/whateveraimingreticleistheflavorofthemonth at which point the target get reaaaaaaaaaaal blurry. This is the most critical part behind being able to pull the trigger when it matters.

Your temporal lobe will translate your sight and tell you subconsciously that this is no different than shooting at the range. Thus, pulling the trigger is simply something you've done thousands of times.

Police Officers, primarily with handguns, should ideally engage a target from 7-10 meters due to trigger pull, target acquisition with handguns and the overall maneuverability they provide at reduced distances vice a rifle/shotgun. When engaging someone from that distance, you aren't looking down your sights - given you have the proper grip, you should be staring at the target and pointing your thumb directly center mass. You will see your targets face. You will see the mixed emotions and expressions. You will see fear. That's not easy to shoot.

There is a reason for this. The reason for which you may find good or bad.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Who is in extra danger if the mayor spends thousands of taxpayer dollars on high end prostitutes? Not fit for duty doesn't inherently mean more likely to cause physical harm, or even more likely to create added danger. I understand it's a local issue, but if you're not holding your public servants to a higher standard than that, you're local government is probably a disaster.

I'm all for higher standards for government and police officers. My contention is there's nothing "reckless" per se about using the photos. I only made a point of it because it seems to be unnecessary hyperbole. This can be attacked solely on the PR grounds so no need to insinuate that negative consequences of any material sort arise from using one type of target vs. another. That's all I'm saying here.

 

[Ippwnage]

They may have been recycling the mug shots they use for victim/witness identification after they are no longer required ?

If you have a perfectly good mugshot going into the shredder anyway, it's probably just a matter of saving printing costs.

save the planet shoot a picture of a black

this could go viral

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

It's called desensitization and classical conditioning.

Unless you are a sociopath or have received training specifically designed to desensitize you; the likelihood of you being able to actually kill someone trying to kill you is very low - assuming you'd be dead because they were properly trained.

When properly aiming, your target is blurry and difficult to make out. You at first focus on the target through your sights to positively identify the target. Once you have identified that the target is legitimate, you stare down the sight post/chevron/whateveraimingreticleistheflavorofthemonth at which point the target get reaaaaaaaaaaal blurry. This is the most critical part behind being able to pull the trigger when it matters.

Your temporal lobe will translate your sight and tell you subconsciously that this is no different than shooting at the range. Thus, pulling the trigger is simply something you've done thousands of times.

Police Officers, primarily with handguns, should ideally engage a target from 7-10 meters due to trigger pull, target acquisition with handguns and the overall maneuverability they provide at reduced distances vice a rifle/shotgun. When engaging someone from that distance, you aren't looking down your sights - given you have the proper grip, you should be staring at the target and pointing your thumb directly center mass. You will see your targets face. You will see the mixed emotions and expressions. You will see fear. That's not easy to shoot.

There is a reason for this. The reason for which you may find good or bad.

So you're saying it puts the cops in less danger by making them more likely to save their own lives when confronted with a physical attack upon their person?

 

[fissionfusion]

So you're saying it puts the cops in less danger by making them more likely to pull the trigger and kill someone when under the impression a physical attack upon their person is imminent?

Edits in bold to better attribute your statement as to what I said.

 

[drstrangelov]

I'm all for higher standards for government and police officers. My contention is there's nothing "reckless" per se about using the photos. I only made a point of it because it seems to be unnecessary hyperbole. This can be attacked solely on the PR grounds so no need to insinuate that negative consequences of any material sort arise from using one type of target vs. another. That's all I'm saying here.

Wrapped up in the definition of reckless is unaccountability, or lack of concern for consequence, which is where I think it's application here fits. But, if all we're doing is splitting hairs, who cares.

 

[2DUM2TAP]

People who become cops are known to be highly empathetic and compassionate. The pictures are necessary to help desensitize them so that they can function properly and use deadly force when required.

I don't buy it. In the armed forces we don't shoot at actual pictures of people. There is no need. You wanna put up Hitler's face... fine. You want to put up a picture of some kid who lives in your district who was busted shoplifting some candy.... not really cool.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Edits in bold to better attribute your statement as to what I said.

Ok. Well, that's mighty theoretical. Especially considering how little cops are known to train. But go ahead an show me how shootings by police (of non-aggressive suspects) has increased since the practice was implemented. Probably you could look at a graph of said shootings and pinpoint the implementation of mug shot targets because of the uptick, yes?

Wrapped up in the definition of reckless is unaccountability, or lack of concern for consequence, which is where I think it's application here fits. But, if all we're doing is splitting hairs, who cares.

Nobody really, but most of us are killing time at work so I thought I'd point out that the connotation of reckless seems well beyond the "damage" done by these actions. It seems if it wasn't for one person being related to a person in a mug shot this practice would go unnoticed due to it being without consequence.

 

[fissionfusion]

Ok. Well, that's mighty theoretical. Especially considering how little cops are known to train. But go ahead an show me how shootings by police (of non-aggressive suspects) has increased since the practice was implemented. Probably you could look at a graph of said shootings and pinpoint the implementation of mug shot targets because of the uptick, yes?

Of course it's theoretical which is why I left the reasoning up to personal interpretation. There are too many controls that would have to be implemented to prove/disprove what either you or I said.

 

[Cubo de Sangre]

Of course it's theoretical which is why I left the reasoning up to personal interpretation. There are too many controls that would have to be implemented to prove/disprove what either you or I said.

Then in the absence of any evidence of this practice leading to more frequent or more questionable police shootings I'll just have to stick with my opinion that there's nothing remotely tangible to suggest there is anything "reckless" about using mug shots as targets.

If it were up to me I'd just have the officers bring in pictures of their ex-wives.

 

[James Keith]

Eh they probably shouldn't have done that. At least restrict it to scumbags who deserve to get shot in the face.

Solved the issue for you guys.

 

[nhbbear]

Guy was arrested for being involved in a drag race that resulted in two deaths.

Yeah, apparently this was a mistake. His mugshot was supposed to be used for driver training and pit maneuvers, but the range guys grabbed it by mistake.


Seriously, what the fuck? We have joked about it-using some local dirtbags instead of a random "bad guy" or zonked bottle target, but everyone knows it is not professional or ethical. Apparently not north Miami pd.

If anyone of theses guys is ever shot-holy shit! And to leave it at the range for others to find.

 

[MicroBrew]

Yeah, apparently this was a mistake. His mugshot was supposed to be used for driver training and pit maneuvers, but the range guys grabbed it by mistake.


Seriously, what the fuck? We have joked about it-using some local dirtbags instead of a random "bad guy" or zonked bottle target, but everyone knows it is not professional or ethical. Apparently not north Miami pd.

If anyone of theses guys is ever shot-holy shit! And to leave it at the range for others to find.

Dude it's Florida...

 

[lookslikeseen]

All I know is that whenever I see a dark silhouette in the distance I have to be forcibly restrained before pulling my gun and shooting at it. I've learned this through years of shooting at the targets provided by my local range. It's a learned response due to my desensitization to dark silhouettes. Something needs to be done about this.

Give me a fucking break. You mean to tell me if I blow up pictures of a bunch of my neighbors and shoot at them suddenly I'm more inclined to shoot one of them in real life?

 

[jlagman]

Maybe this will set the precedent to ban paintball, laser tag, water guns and the like.

 

[boomertx]

Maybe this will set the precedent to ban paintball, laser tag, water guns and the like.

No, no that's an overreaction.

The department has decided to use beer bottles, tin cans and old phone books as targets. They've decided they can be politically correct and go green at the same time.