Those Of You Who Hate On The Bismarck PD-Were You There Friday?
Many will wonder what the point to this story is - I answer with one simple word - "RESPECT"
What happened here in Bismarck last Friday is rare; WE who live here know that. Big cities all around the country see situations like this all the time. The job of a police officer is to serve and protect. The second they put on their uniform and leave the house, they put their lives on the line for us.
What happened Friday is just another example of "the unknown"
When you drive by and see someone who has been pulled over, we never give it a second thought that the police could be dealing with a volatile, deadly situation. Last Friday, just past noon, over on 12th Street South, police responded to a call of a woman who was behind the wheel of an SUV, intoxicated or on drugs. The "unknown" where police approaches every scene.
Disobeying commands and steering a 2,000-pound vehicle with the intent to run over police
53-year-old suspect Melanie Udell made the ultimate wrong decision after talking with police, to step on the gas. According to kxnet.com "Police officials say body camera video appears to show that during the interviews, Udell attempted to leave the parking lot in her vehicle and was ordered to stop. She didn’t stop and swerved at the 11-year veteran officer, nearly striking him"
One officer was hit and hospitalized
An 11-year veteran was hit by Udell and sent to the hospital. "According to police, officers fired at the vehicle and struck Udell to protect not only the 11-year veteran officer, but numerous bystanders in the area as well" kxnew.com reported. The suspect was pronounced dead at he hospital.
Bismarck Police Department Facebook
As of today ( Sunday March 8th ) there were over 424 comments on the Bismarck Police Department Facebook Post
Most of the comments were "Thank you's " and words of support. For some though, this was their spotlight to vent - "Why didn't the police just shoot out the tires?" - OR "The police rained out bullets with no regard to innocent people". "SHOOT to kill-WHY?" These are some thoughts of people who have NEVER been put in a dangerous scenario of life and death. Would these same people have the forethought to put their own lives in danger to protect others? I doubt it.
Bodycams and witnesses
Obviously this is another textbook reason why law enforcement wear body cameras. Witnesses only have a second or two to compute and remember exctly what they just experienced. I am grateful for all police officers who put their lives on the line 24/7.