The Price of a Life

There is a local story that has me depressed. Yet again the local police prove that they are incompetent. Either they beat up innocents or, in this case, they respond to a 911 but don't bother to get out of their car to investigate.

In this case they respond to a 911 call of shots fired. The constable drives around the neighborhood, sees nothing, so he leaves. He doesn't bother to stop at the house of the person who made the 911 call to get any facts. Instead, he says he "sees nothing" so he leaves. But...

From BC's Global TV:

A B.C. RCMP officer who didn't get out of his car to investigate a 2008 Mission shooting has been reprimanded for "disgraceful conduct."

A hearing Friday found that Cpl. Mike White did not adequately follow up on a shots-fired call on Sept. 18, 2008 that ended up being a double homicide.

One of the victims, Lisa Dudley was found clinging to life four days later, but died en route to hospital. Her boyfriend, Guthrie McKay, is believed to have been killed instantly in the targeted shooting.

Insp. Tim Shields said the RCMP board of adjudication handed White "a written reprimand and the loss of one day's pay for disgraceful conduct."

"He committed an act of omission by not conducting a thorough investigation in September 2008 when he responded to a shots fired call. Cpl. White did not contact the complainant directly, but instead, he made patrols in his police car, and finding nothing out of the ordinary, he left the scene to take another priority call," Shields said.

The family of Lisa Dudley were devastated. They asked "is the life of Lisa worth only one day of lost pay?" The answer in BC is "yes". The police here can't be bothered to step out of their cruisers. They can't be bothered to ask questions or follow up on a 911 call. They have more serious business, like getting back to the donut shop to chat with their buddies. To heck with somebody slowly bleeding to death over four days. Since when is that the business of the cops when there are tasty donuts and a cup of coffee to be had?

Of course the official police response is that they have "learned a lesson" and that this won't happen again because:
B

ut as a result of Dudley's death, the RCMP has made it mandatory for its members to speak directly with all 911 callers in reports of shots fired.

"Now, responding officers must speak directly with the complainant to determine if there are additional facts that might lead to further investigation such as door knocks, foot patrols or the use of a police dog," Shields said.

And if you believe that, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I will sell to you for $100.

Update 1011mar20: Here another video clip and story from another news outlet.