Police in Watertown shootout lacked ‘weapons discipline,’ report says

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A state report that looked at public agencies’ response to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings and subsequent shootout and manhunt in Watertown said that officers lacked “weapons discipline in Watertown.

The report said that weapons discipline was a problem both in the firefight on Laurel Street where more than 200 shots were fired and later when officers fired on the boat in Watertown where admitted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was hiding.

“Weapons discipline was lacking by the multitude of law enforcement officers in the field during both the firefight with the two suspects near Dexter and Laurel Streets, and the standoff with the second suspect who was hiding in a winterized boat in a residential back yard,” the executive summary said in its report, which cited it as one of three key areas where improvement was needed.

The report said the intial responding officers practiced “appropriate weapons discipline,” but “additional officers arriving on scene near the conclusion of the firefight fired weapons toward the vicinity of the suspects, without necessarily having identified and lined up their target or appropriately aimed their weapons.”

The report also noted that an officer fired on an unmarked MSP black pickup that night containing two officers.

That manhunt was ridiculous as was how it ended. Police locking down the streets imposing a brief form of martial law. It also turns out in this report that many neighboring police officers responded to the scene without being officially sent by their higher ups. This created an unstable situation because officers weren't assigned to groups which causes unorganized communication, hence an officer firing on an unmarked police car. As for the officers who were officially requested, turns out there was no command structure for them either so they too had no idea what their role was and who they should be working with, as well as getting briefed on the situation. Then to end the night, one officer has an itchy trigger finger, fires off some rounds and next thing you know the rest of do because most of them were probably thinking those shots were coming from the suspect, not a fellow officer, creating an insane firefight that was endangering themselves and those around them.

So basically that manhunt was a complete cluster F. This type of situation isn't unheard of though. Remember the Christopher Dorner manhunt?

a reply to: Swills

Blood lust impairs judgement.

Same sort of mentality that turns a crowd into a riot..just take one match to set it off. I would love to hear the report(can't remember the location) on the not too long ago killing of a hostage in a car(they knew was in the car) after a bank robbery chase..they pumped out something like 600 rounds.

a reply to: Swills

You forgot about all the families for efully removed from their homes at gunpoint.

They are looking for a white teenaged boy.

They the cops have automatic weapons squarely point at at young girls old ladies, mothers fathers etc.

Like they were all a threat.

It was insanity.

a reply to: johnwick

And that is the reality if any sh$t goes down..those who say civillians are not a target..just depends on circumstance.

a reply to: johnwick

Well that pretty much gets covered under the martial law statement, but the devil is always in the details so it's funny that doesn't make it in the report. Maybe there will be more reports to come?

originally posted by: InverseLookingGlass
a reply to: Swills

Blood lust impairs judgement.

originally posted by: vonclod
Same sort of mentality that turns a crowd into a riot..just take one match to set it off. I would love to hear the report(can't remember the location) on the not too long ago killing of a hostage in a car(they knew was in the car) after a bank robbery chase..they pumped out something like 600 rounds.

Exactly the problem.

There are too many well armed, untrained police roaming the streets with full immunity to the laws they supposedly enforce.

Tear it down.

Police don't receive adequate training to cope with shooting under stress.

Their firearm qualification tests are an absolute joke so it's no wonder that their hit percentages are atrocious.

Departments will spend millions on the latest military-style gear and armored vehicles but won't train their officers to be efficient with their firearms... it's pathetic. They're turning into airsoft kids... they want to look like special forces but they barely know how to use their gear.

I watched a show the other day that tracked a sheriff's department going after Marijuana growers. The deputies were all decked out in MultiCam tactical gear with M4's and all the latest go-fast gizmos that you see in Iraq. The ranking officer was even sleeveless under his vest like he's playing out a Rambo fantasy. None of them were clearly marked with Sheriff insignia so what's going to happen when a grower defends himself from the guys who look like thieves/cartel members coming to steal his crop? The cops have seen too many movies and they want to play Navy SEAL.

originally posted by: Answer
Police don't receive adequate training

Big part of the problem, right there.

many neighboring police officers responded to the scene without being officially sent by their higher ups.

"When there's a shootin' goin on, we gonna get us some action! Yee-Haw!"

Like moths to a flame, mob mentality. They knew they could do whatever they wanted so came to get their piece of violence. No consequences, no law except their own and all armed...what the hell else could happen?

Jude11

originally posted by: johnwick
a reply to: Swills

You forgot about all the families for efully removed from their homes at gunpoint.

They are looking for a white teenaged boy.

They the cops have automatic weapons squarely point at at young girls old ladies, mothers fathers etc.

Like they were all a threat.

It was insanity.

Yes, it was disgusting.

Thousands upon thousands of police descended on the city, denying the right of free movement to all citizens with the direct threat of possibly being shot on sight.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot that it was a guy smoking a cigarette on his back porch that found him. Not the police who had already cleared that street.

a reply to: Swills

I think when a criminal is cornered, police feel as soon as the person shows any kind of threat, they have a right to empty their revolvers.

When a police officer is killed by a criminal who is cornered, the slightest move will result in a hail of gunfire or beating. What cop is going to defend a cop killer? I wouldn't be surprised before arriving at the scene, there isn't a secret code among police officers in which they will be participating in a firing squad or beat down to avenge their fellow officer's death.

Honestly, I am surprised no civilians or LEO's were shot during this crisis! Talk about chaos!

Being a nurse, I've been in my fair share of high adrenaline, high stress situations. Like code blue, CPR and defibrillator type moments.

In order to keep order, everyone has a role and a position. You know what that is because of training and practice. Otherwise, the room is over crowded (too many residents and docs respond to codes) and things get cray cray.

I know it's not the same, but it sounds like more training and direct, clear delegation. Is in order to prevent any accidents from happening in these types of LEO crises. It certainly couldn't hurt anyway.