What is your take on the new warfare against Law Enforcement?

SGT John W Lugo — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 16:04:53 -0400

http://dlug-assets.grvcdn.com/da/d0/ed/77/90/07/11/9a/e0/c1/14/5f/f9/89/b4/45 [login to see] 55e35cb704c9c3.08772788.jpg

HOUSTON (AP) — The man charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a uniformed suburban Houston sheriff's deputy will be arraigned this week, jail records show.

Shannon J. Miles, who has a criminal history that includes convictions for resisting arrest and disorderly conduct with a firearm, is due in court Monday. Court and jail records did not list an attorney for the 30-year-old Houston resident, and attempts to reach his family members on Sunday were unsuccessful.

His arrest Saturday came less than 24 hours after authorities said he ambushed Darren Goforth, a 10-year veteran of the Harris County Sheriff's Office, at a suburban Houston Chevron station.

Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman said the attack was "clearly unprovoked," and there is no evidence so far that Goforth knew Miles. Investigators have no information from Miles that would shed light on his motive, Hickman said.

"Our assumption is that he was a target because he wore a uniform," the sheriff said.

More photos of Darren Goforth and the suspect:

PHOTO GALLERY | 1 of 6 IMAGES

⟨

⟩

This undated photo provided by the Harris County Sheriff's Office shows sheriff's deputy Darren Goforth who was fatally shot Friday, Aug. 28, 2015. Goforth, was pumping gas into his vehicle when a man approached him from behind and fired multiple shots, Harris County Sheriff's Office spokesman Ryan Sullivan told The Associated Press. (Harris County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Miles' criminal record begins in 2005, when he was convicted of criminal mischief, giving false information to police and resisting arrest, according to records. In 2006, he was convicted of disorderly conduct with a firearm and sentenced to a maximum of 15 days in jail. He was convicted of evading arrest in 2007, and his most recent conviction came in 2009 for again resisting arrest. Records show that he was sentenced to several short stints in jail, anywhere from 10 to 6 days.

Goforth, 47, was pumping gas at a Chevron station Friday night in Cypress, a middle-class to upper middle-class suburban area of Harris County that is unincorporated and located northwest of Houston, when the gunman approached him from behind and fired multiple shots, continuing to fire after the deputy had fallen to the ground.

The killing evoked strong emotions in the local law enforcement community, with Sheriff Ron Hickman linking it to heightened tension over the treatment of African-Americans by police. Goforth was white and Miles is black.

The nationwide "Black Lives Matter" movement that formed after 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri has sought sweeping reforms of policing. Related protests erupted in Texas recently after a 28-year-old Chicago-area black woman, Sandra Bland, was found dead in a county jail about 50 miles northwest of Houston three days after her arrest on a traffic violation. Texas authorities said she committed suicide but her family is skeptical of that.

Watch more coverage below:

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Aug 30 at 2015 5:00 PM

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 17:00:32 -0400

We have a serious problem right now, a problem that only a few are doing the work for the masses. There is a shift in the population, where the respect towards those wearing a uniform is no longer respected. This year there have been 23 Law Enforcement Officers murdered additionally, look at the attacks on our service members. We are lacking personal investment into our country, so few are actually sworn to serve/protect/defend our country and the sense of entitlement is running rampant. And that, my friend is a serious problem!

Response by Cpl Mark McMiller made Aug 30 at 2015 8:12 PM

Cpl Mark McMiller — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 20:12:30 -0400

I think the attacks on law enforcement officers are despicable. I believe the majority of law enforcement officers are honorable and try to do the right thing. However, we have a saying in the Marines that one "Oh shit!" wipes out a thousand attaboys, and I believe law enforcement has no one to blame but themselves for the anger directed toward them. When law enforcement officers bend over backwards to protect bad cops and defend the indefensible; when municipal boards exist to give law enforcement officers immunity for their misconduct (Google Erik Scott gunned down by Las Vegas PD); when law enforcement officers act like they can treat us however they want merely because they are law enforcement; that angers people. A lot of police misconduct used to be "he said/she said" and was just covered up by the police. But with everyone carrying a camera around with them nowadays, police misconduct is not that easy to hide any longer and goes viral on the internet, causing many to believe that it is much more rampant than it probably really is. If law enforcement agencies want to quell the anger, they need to start realizing that we aren't willing to put up with the bullshit any longer and they need to start working within the framework of our Constitution instead of teaching their officers how to contort the law to get around it.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 30 at 2015 10:36 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 30 Aug 2015 22:36:44 -0400

Actually, it's not new. It's a lot more dramatic, thanks to the Media and that POS in the White House, but we were targets back in my days on the streets, some 35-40 years ago. But back then, police were still holding onto the old days' ways. But it did change, and it changed pretty fast. Nothing like today with people in your face because back then everyone knew that was a real no-no. But we had criminal scum laying low for any unsuspecting officer. We had the on-duty murders but, still, the maliciousness wasn't as obvious. I will agree that a few people have taken to assassinating officers in ways we would never have foreseen back them.

Response by SrA Matthew Knight made Aug 31 at 2015 8:19 PM

SrA Matthew Knight — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 20:19:09 -0400

Against all enemies foreign and domestic. It would appear that more and more domestic enemies are making themselves known which is part of the reason I want to separate from the military to work in law enforcement. This is becoming a very serious matter and the people of the U.S. are going in blind and ignorant to who the real enemy is. Sure there are issues in law enforcement that need to be corrected. But when something like this happens, when an officer filling his vehicle with gas is executed by a criminal for no reason other than being a cop, I don't understand how people can be shocked by law enforcement being on edge.

You want a real good idea of how bad it's becoming in the LE world. I am from North Dakota where I also plan on going back to be a cop. I know numerous people in law enforcement from my local area. They in turn know that I want to work in law enforcement, in the quiet state of North Dakota none the less. Despite that, in recent days I have gotten the feeling through what they have told me that they think I should consider something else. These problems are such a huge issue that even in quiet ND cops are telling me that the job isn't worth it. That is a problem for me.

I hope that most people will realize that the majority of peace officers are there to help the public. Unfortunately, and no thanks to social media and the internet, the police are being made out to be the bad guys. This is only making the problem worse in the sense that the more the police are made out to be corrupt, the more people are going to rise and retaliate. The more people retaliate, the more the police are forced to upgrade armaments, and defenses. They do this by purchasing military surplus like armored trucks, MRAPs, high powered firearms, military style clothing and so on and so forth. Then they're an even bigger enemy because they're "militarizing". They wouldn't have to militarize if you would stop shooting them or your fellow citizens. Or if you stopped burning down and looting and destroying your own communities. Law Enforcement will tone things down when they feel safe enough to do so which as things are going right now will happen oh....probably about never.

Response by Cpl Chris Cargile made Aug 31 at 2015 9:24 PM

Cpl Chris Cargile — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 21:24:48 -0400

As with so many other issues, the Left is schitzophrenic when it comes to police, guns, and violent crime. The police are racist thugs who hassle honest folks for no other reason than the color of their skin. They need to be regulated nine ways to Sunday so that doing their job of harassing honest folks is nearly impossible. Oh, and most violent crime is caused by easy access to guns. Violent crime would be reduced if guns were illegal and only the cops (you know, the racist thugs) had guns. This makes about as much sense as mounting an asshole on your forehead.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 1 at 2015 1:05 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 01:05:44 -0400

I consider this a bit more complex than just the war on cops because many of the same people come to this site and talk about Article 88 but do not address some of the violence aimed at black people that is extreme and perpetrated by blacks and law enforcement and this bothers me.

If people really cared for others Brown and Martin are not the only people to care about. An example being the guy who was choked and died

I am very upset over his loss and other innocent people whatever their race and humanizing one another. Not just words but even cops with less attitude and more empathy. Less handcuffing children and beating people down. No more excuses and a lot more of what good cops do and less racebaiting by politicians and need types. Less about martial law and Jade Helm.