After watching that frightening and sad video of a lady bartender being badly beaten by an off duty cop, I have another that more accurately reflects just who are the men and women of the Chicago Police Department. You will see some early 1970s and before rare images of Chicago policewomen at work.
So you’re confident that that .40 caliber S&W service round will keep you safe. Maybe you’ll have second thoughts after you see this video. One hot summer night in 1994 Tempe and Mesa Arizona police were involved in a pursuit with this suspect who ran into a stranger’s apartment to hide after being shot TWICE in the chest. He was shirtless and you can see the blood pumping out of those two wounds. What’s really frightening is just how agile this fellow is as he struts to the ambulance. If he was not handcuffed and had a knife or a gun, ask yourself if he could still hurt you, your partner or a hostage? If your jurisdiction demands that officers carry either the 9MM or the .40 Caliber S&W it’s time to show this video to your bosses and lobby to have the .45 ACP round authorized. The switch may well reduce the screaming by self-appointed community activists about how many rounds police had to use on a suspect. The really talented and courageous video journalist, Karen Ke...
Comments
Nice montage. Although Abbate deserves a fair trial free of public speculation (like anyone accused of a violent crime) it is difficult to think of any mitigating circumstances that would justify his pummeling of a woman less than half his weight, unless it is the psychological pressure of a job that also has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation. I hope he gets the help he needs.
Fortunately Abbate is not the face of the Chicago PD, or of law enforcement in general. The only thing that separates this story from similar stories that occur every day (besides the voyeuristic tendency to sensationalize anything caught on tape) is the fact that the public holds officials in law enforcement to a higher standard. Abbate's behavior is a rare exception to the vast majority of officers who do their jobs well without making the headlines.
Is Abbate a rarity? Guess it depends on how frequently a rarity can occur. While his attack was not typical, I don't think it should be characterized as rare, either. Paul, thanks for covering it.