Decision Time

You're with the London police. You're staking out an apartment complex under investigation for housing people associated with the transit bombings. Suddenly, a resident emerges, wearing a large bulky coat (in July) and heading toward the underground. You tail him and when it is clear he is heading for public transport, you tell him to stop, but instead of stopping, he runs into the station and hops a turnstile.

In light of all that has occurred in London over the past week or so, what do you do? The suspect is cornered. People are everywhere. He may be wired to blow up himself and everything around him, including you and everyone else in the station. You have to make a decision. Now.

I read this morning that the family of the Brazilian killed by police in the scenario described above is considering legal action against the Londond PD. I don't blame them; what a horrible way to lose a loved one. I may react similarly under the same circumstances. But I don't blame the LPD one iota for how they reacted to the situation. There are a number of unanswered questions about why this fellow acted the way he did: Why did he run from police? Why was he dressed in this manner? Only he knew and we will never know. All I do know is that I am glad not to be faced with the split-second decision those cops had to make.