Gee, that sucks. Don't jump in the water if'n you can't swim. If I were the cop I would do the same.
It sounds bad to stand by and let someone drown, but sometimes that's all you can do.
Based on the facts as presented in the video, it sounds like this was going to be a difficult rescue. There was apparently no easy way to get back out of the water, and it was deep enough for the guy to drown, so the only option the cop would've had was to subdue him and hold him in the water until the boat arrived to pull them both out. That's a very dangerous proposition, dealing with someone in full fight or flight mode flailing around in the water, and double drownings are a very real danger even for experienced rescue swimmers--there's a reason that the Navy and Coast Guard have specially-trained rescue divers and the USAF PJs train for water rescues.
You also have the problem that he would've needed to get out of his gear and secure it, especially that little projectile launcher on his belt, before going into the water.
Could he have done something else? I don't know. Was it dark? Were there any tools in his vehicle that he could've used, and how far away was it? Was there anything handy that he could've used to reach out for the guy? I just don't have enough evidence to make an informed judgment on that, but I can't blame him for not jumping in after the guy.
FWIW, most of the comments on the video are taking the cop's side, at least as far as not going into the water after him.
Based on the facts as presented in the video, it sounds like this was going to be a difficult rescue. There was apparently no easy way to get back out of the water, and it was deep enough for the guy to drown, so the only option the cop would've had was to subdue him and hold him in the water until the boat arrived to pull them both out. That's a very dangerous proposition, dealing with someone in full fight or flight mode flailing around in the water, and double drownings are a very real danger even for experienced rescue swimmers--there's a reason that the Navy and Coast Guard have specially-trained rescue divers and the USAF PJs train for water rescues.
You also have the problem that he would've needed to get out of his gear and secure it, especially that little projectile launcher on his belt, before going into the water.
Could he have done something else? I don't know. Was it dark? Were there any tools in his vehicle that he could've used, and how far away was it? Was there anything handy that he could've used to reach out for the guy? I just don't have enough evidence to make an informed judgment on that, but I can't blame him for not jumping in after the guy.
FWIW, most of the comments on the video are taking the cop's side, at least as far as not going into the water after him.
Now they are in admin leave pending investigation. You couldn’t pay me enough to be a cop these days. They wade thru a cesspool of human excrement and every move is criticized after the fact by idiots who couldn’t make it a day in their shoes.
I retired as a fire Fighter, Rescue Diver, EMT, from a city near a large lake and with the Arkansas River running through town! We had more drowning than most larger cities, because of this. . We had five people drown in one day, was the worst event i can remember. In my experence alcohol/drugs were involved in 95% of the drownings I worked! I suspect there is much more to this story than we are being told, since the politicially correct thing to do right now is to TRASH THE POLICE, no matter the facts! In all these years I have a lot of first hand experence with the local news media, and like the national news media, their priorities are present a good synsational story that will get ratings, report what their BOSS wants to hear, HIS/HER OPINION, try to win awards, notoriety, that will help with their career, get job offers from larger organizations, etc. and way down on this list is, report the facts, if that does not interfere with these other priorities! UN-sheltered means homeless, I guess? We used to call BUMS, like this BUMS, back before it became FASHIONABLE, Now we are TOLD to call the COPS BUMS! Remember George Floyd? I hear they are naming schools after this BUM? I guess that will influence kids to grow up and act just like THIS HERO? GOOD LUCK TO US!
Must be a cop or retired? Shows the mentality when you can only respond by calling names. Seems I'm not the one offended now doesn't it?
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Seems pretty appropriate after that comment. I would say "must be a whiny little (FILL IN THE BLANK)" but that wouldn't be very nice, so I won't.
If YOU think going along with the politicially correct thing to think today, is thinking for yourself, you my friend are a FOOL,.. of the first order!, and simply too stupid to km now it!!
Show some respect, man. Some of these guys aren't dog-killin' wife abusers that drink their conscience away.
People that think all of any one group, race, religion, state, political party, etc. are all the same, is NOT THINKING AT ALL, they are simply repeating the lap dog news media HATE propagandize! The 1921 Tulsa Race Riot and all the killings assoated with it, are a DIRECT RESULT OF THE NEWS MEDIA OF THE DAY, THREE NEWS PAPERS IN TULSA, HAVING A CIRCULATION WAR, AND PRINTING FALSE SENSATIONAL STORIES, THAT THE BLACK MAN IN JAIL WAS GOING TO BE, OR SHOULD BE,TAKEN OUT AND LYNCHED! This story was never true, but CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN! an d like today, they have never been held responsible for what they caused! They first blamed black people, now they blame white people, when will we blame the new media?
