http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3478918
I peeked over in O.com and there was no discussion about this. Interesting since it involved a police officer.
Knowing the media and it's habit of getting simple facts wrong I was not expecting much but was still distressed over the lack of real investivagtive and informational reporting done in the story.
Add to that the continued bluring of the lines between the decription of Security Guard vs police officer. This is a major pet peeve of mine.
Beginning with quotes like
we get the idea that a contract or inhouse security officer fired the taser.
Then, several paragraphs into the story we read-
So it wasn't an actual security guard/officer. The video of the incident makes this more clear. While the other officer (dark uniform) in the video may indeed be a contract or inhouse security officer/guard, Mr Boling is clearly wearing a Houston Police Department issue uniform and as such is acting with the authority and powers granted to a sworn LEO. Yes, he is there, alongside the secruity staff, providing security to the hospital, but that does not make him a security guard. It makes him a cop, on assignment and paid by the hospital through an agreement with the police department. In other words, a Rentacop.
We have enough problems with the general public misidentifying us. Even people who saw the story on ABC.com made comments such as
. Although the article IDs the cop by name and department the public still walk away with the impression that it was a minimum wage janitor/guard who pulled a taser on a man holding a baby in the hospital.
It's time the press began clearly making the distinction between police officers working extra duty assignments, aka Rentacop details, and actual security officers.
Please, think of the children.
Thanks for reading.
Comments please.
I peeked over in O.com and there was no discussion about this. Interesting since it involved a police officer.
Knowing the media and it's habit of getting simple facts wrong I was not expecting much but was still distressed over the lack of real investivagtive and informational reporting done in the story.
Add to that the continued bluring of the lines between the decription of Security Guard vs police officer. This is a major pet peeve of mine.
Beginning with quotes like
a hospital security guard fired a stun gun
Then, several paragraphs into the story we read-
David Boling, an off-duty Houston police officer working security at the hospital, and another security guard can be seen on the surveillance video arriving at the elevators and trying to talk with Lewis.
We have enough problems with the general public misidentifying us. Even people who saw the story on ABC.com made comments such as
security guards are not the brightest people on the job,
It's time the press began clearly making the distinction between police officers working extra duty assignments, aka Rentacop details, and actual security officers.
Please, think of the children.
Thanks for reading.
Comments please.

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