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Title: Cops Tear Down House to Get Suspect Source: NBC URL Source: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/l ... -dispute-sylmar-119173789.html Published: Apr 5, 2011 Author: staff Post Date: 2011-04-05 07:34:43 by noone222 Keywords: NoneViews: 131 Comments: 5
View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com. Late Monday night, Los Angeles police said the suspect in the shooting of a LAPD officer in Sylmar was found dead on the second floor of his home. A rifle was found near the man's body, police added. It was a long day for officers. Police used a specially built armored robot to rip apart a home in Sylmar to reach a suspected gunman. The building's destruction began late Monday morning when officers used the device, which is based on an oversized caterpillar forklift, to smash a window and deploy tear gas and later "hot gas." In response, the suspect fired shots from the residence, prompting police to return fire, police said. No officers were hit, and it was unclear if the suspect was wounded, said LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman. The structural damage was escalated around noon as police used the crane to rip apart walls in the back of the home. Aerial video showed the majority of the second floor exposed, as well as at least one room on the first floor. The whole idea is to get complete access or visual contact within the interior, so that our officers can see what is going on inside," said a police spokesman. By 3 p.m., the crane had also knocked out multiple windows. By 4:30 p.m., police were still smashing through walls. At 6 p.m., LAPD police officer Karen Rayner said although "we've knocked down a good portion'' of the home the suspect has not been found. By 8 p.m., police said they had found their suspect -- dead inside the home. The LAPD acquired the robotic tool, known as the BatCat, last year. The 39,000-pound machine uses a telescopic handler to smash through walls. In Monday's standoff, police also used the robot's claw to remove furniture from the home. The remote-control vehicle has a top speed of 6 mph and cost almost $1 million. The telehandler is made by Remotec Inc., a Northrup Grumman Corp. subsidiary in Tennessee and Autonomous Solutions Inc. The suspect was holed up in the residence after allegedly shooting LAPD canine handler Steve Jenkins (pictured, below). The 22-year veteran of the force was shot about 2:15 a.m. Monday in the 13600 block of Dronfield Avenue in Sylmar while responding to a domestic dispute report, said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck. The suspect is described as a Hispanic man in his 50s. Police made numerous unsuccessful attempts to make contact with him, Neiman said. "He fired at officers several time during a 45-minute period," Neiman told the Associated Press. "He obviously couldn't care less about the lives of others." Residents in the area were evacuated to a high school, Neiman said. Officer Recovering at Hospital Jenkins is in critical but stable condition and expected to survive, said a trauma surgeon. Jenkins was rushed to Providence Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills, where he underwent surgery. Late Monday morning, trauma surgeon Bradley Roth said Jenkins is stable and sedated. The officer has two breathing tubes in his chest to help drain blood. Jenkins was shot once in the face and once in the left clavicle. Roth said the patient is expected to survive; however, the surgeon could not speculate on any complications that may arise as a result of the injuries. Police officers gathered outside Providence Holy Cross Medical Center to donate blood for Jenkins. Jenkins has a wife and son who are both LAPD officers, Beck said. Copyright City News Service / NBC Los Angeles Poster Comment:Innocent til proven guilty --- right to a trial by a jury of his peers --- found dead ???
View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com. Late Monday night, Los Angeles police said the suspect in the shooting of a LAPD officer in Sylmar was found dead on the second floor of his home. A rifle was found near the man's body, police added.
It was a long day for officers. Police used a specially built armored robot to rip apart a home in Sylmar to reach a suspected gunman.
The building's destruction began late Monday morning when officers used the device, which is based on an oversized caterpillar forklift, to smash a window and deploy tear gas and later "hot gas."
In response, the suspect fired shots from the residence, prompting police to return fire, police said. No officers were hit, and it was unclear if the suspect was wounded, said LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman.
The structural damage was escalated around noon as police used the crane to rip apart walls in the back of the home. Aerial video showed the majority of the second floor exposed, as well as at least one room on the first floor.
The whole idea is to get complete access or visual contact within the interior, so that our officers can see what is going on inside," said a police spokesman.
By 3 p.m., the crane had also knocked out multiple windows. By 4:30 p.m., police were still smashing through walls. At 6 p.m., LAPD police officer Karen Rayner said although "we've knocked down a good portion'' of the home the suspect has not been found. By 8 p.m., police said they had found their suspect -- dead inside the home.
The LAPD acquired the robotic tool, known as the BatCat, last year. The 39,000-pound machine uses a telescopic handler to smash through walls. In Monday's standoff, police also used the robot's claw to remove furniture from the home.
The remote-control vehicle has a top speed of 6 mph and cost almost $1 million.
The telehandler is made by Remotec Inc., a Northrup Grumman Corp. subsidiary in Tennessee and Autonomous Solutions Inc.
The suspect was holed up in the residence after allegedly shooting LAPD canine handler Steve Jenkins (pictured, below).
The 22-year veteran of the force was shot about 2:15 a.m. Monday in the 13600 block of Dronfield Avenue in Sylmar while responding to a domestic dispute report, said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.
The suspect is described as a Hispanic man in his 50s. Police made numerous unsuccessful attempts to make contact with him, Neiman said.
"He fired at officers several time during a 45-minute period," Neiman told the Associated Press. "He obviously couldn't care less about the lives of others."
Residents in the area were evacuated to a high school, Neiman said.
Officer Recovering at Hospital
Jenkins is in critical but stable condition and expected to survive, said a trauma surgeon.
Jenkins was rushed to Providence Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills, where he underwent surgery.
Late Monday morning, trauma surgeon Bradley Roth said Jenkins is stable and sedated. The officer has two breathing tubes in his chest to help drain blood. Jenkins was shot once in the face and once in the left clavicle.
Roth said the patient is expected to survive; however, the surgeon could not speculate on any complications that may arise as a result of the injuries.
Police officers gathered outside Providence Holy Cross Medical Center to donate blood for Jenkins.
Jenkins has a wife and son who are both LAPD officers, Beck said.
Copyright City News Service / NBC Los Angeles
Poster Comment:
Innocent til proven guilty --- right to a trial by a jury of his peers --- found dead ???
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
#1. To: noone222 (#0) The suspect is described as a Hispanic man in his 50s. U.S. Constitution - Article IV, Section 4: NO BORDERS + NO LAWS = NO COUNTRY HAPPY2BME-4UM posted on 2011-04-05 9:37:32 ET Reply Trace Private Reply #2. To: noone222 (#0) deleted The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." - Ben Franklin Eric Stratton posted on 2011-04-05 10:33:28 ET Reply Trace Private Reply #3. To: noone222 (#0) (Edited) deleted The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." - Ben Franklin Eric Stratton posted on 2011-04-05 10:35:22 ET Reply Trace Private Reply #4. To: noone222 (#0) deleted The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one. "Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." - Ben Franklin Eric Stratton posted on 2011-04-05 10:36:34 ET Reply Trace Private Reply #5. To: noone222 (#0) Fucking police jackbootery everywhere! vimeo.com/21952231 Thuggery at the start where two women protesters are arrested at the Shell compound in Mayo, Ireland. Not arrested for any actual offence from what I can see, the second girl was just standing up on a tractor recording. The cops shot themselves in the foot - they camera hadn't been switched off. Forward to approx. 13 mins you'll overhear the Garda officers in the squad car (the women in question are in two other cars), making jokes about threatening to rape one of the girls for not giving her name or address. www.irishtimes.com/newspa...2011/0405/breaking12.html Garda comments condemned A senior garda has been appointed to investigate the treatment of two arrested Shell To Sea protestersA senior garda has been appointed to investigate the treatment of two arrested Shell To Sea protesters Related Audio Clip of recording of conversation of gardai (language may offend) Download this clip (MP3 format) Related * Transcript of recording | 05/04/2011 External * Shell To Sea * An Garda Siochana The Irish Times takes no responsibility for the content or availability of other websites LORNA SIGGINS, Western Correspondent and JASON MICHAEL The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and a senior Garda officer are holding separate investigations into the treatment of two women who were arrested during protests over the Corrib gas project late last week. Members of the force were inadvertently recorded on a video camera they had earlier confiscated joking about threatening to deport and rape one of the women who had refused to give her name to officers. The video camera was not fully switched off after it was seized by gardaí and it recorded exchanges between several gardaí in the vehicle in which they were travelling. The two women were arrested on a public road last Thursday about 30 minutes after one of them had been taken down from the roof of a tractor hired for Shell’s preparatory work on the Corrib gas pipeline at Aughoose. Both women were released without charge. They are upset about the exchanges that were recorded and say they were manhandled by several officers during their arrest near the Shell compound for the new Corrib gas pipeline route in north Mayo. The woman who was carrying the video camera says she had her arms forced until she dropped the camera, and sustained bruising. Her colleague says she was treated in an “unnecessarily physical fashion”. Both women said they wished not to be named, and neither wanted to comment on the record on the incident. Supt Pat Diskin of Belmullet Garda station said a senior garda from outside the division had been appointed to “establish the facts and report on the matter”. The women were arrested for public order-related offences, and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission said today it has also begun an investigation into the incident. “GSOC has not received a complaint relating to this matter, but is empowered … to investigate matters where the Commission feels it is in the public interest to do so.” Speaking this afternoon, Kieran FitzGerald from the Ombudsman Commission said: "The reported conduct of the gardaí is of such a nature as to warrant an investigation because it alleges some serious remarks and some serious conduct, which, if proven, would reflect badly on society in general and the Garda Síochána in particular." Mr FitzGerald told RTÉ radio it was important the public was reassured that an independent inquiry would take place, adding there had been several previous complaints relating to policing surrounding the Corrib gas pipeline since the Ombudsman Commission was set up in 2007. An academic at NUI Maynooth, where one of the women is studying, has condemned as “outrageous” the content of some recorded conversation. The camera on which the exchanges were recorded is believed to have been the property of the college. It was some hours after their release that the women discovered their camera, which was returned to them, had not been switched off. It was in the possession of gardaí leaving the scene in a separate car, and during the journey it had recorded exchanges between several gardaí. One garda can be heard on the tape saying that one of the women “sounds like a Yank or Canadian”. Another garda said: “well, whoever, we’ll get immigration f***ing on her.” A more senior garda picked up the conversation, saying “she refused to give her name and address and [was] told she would be arrested”. “And deported,” his colleague continued. “And raped,” the more senior garda said. The conversation continued in jocular fashion, with the more senior garda saying: “Give me your name and address or I’ll rape you.” Amid some laughter, another garda said: “Hold it there, give me your name and address there, I’ll rape you.” “Or I’ll definitely rape you,” the more senior garda responded. The 37-minute recording also features differences of opinion between the gardaí in the car over use of equipment and training to deal with protests. One garda expressed concern about responsibility in court proceedings if a protester was injured during removal, and it transpired that there was insufficient equipment or training. His senior disagreed, and said it was a matter of “common sense”. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre today said the alleged comments made about the protesters were "unacceptable." "Making suggestive comments about rape and sexual assault is not funny whatever the situation or circumstances," said chief executive Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop. "Comments of this nature are totally unacceptable in any context but are much more serious when made by people in authority and who are supposed to be the guardians of our society." The National Women’s Council of Ireland called on the Garda Commissioner to act. “Joking about raping women is never funny,” said chief executive Susan McKay. “Women need to be reassured that if they are raped or sexually assaulted they can report it to gardai who understand that these are deeply traumatic experiences. They must not be left wondering if their distress will be a source of amusement.” The council also called on the Commissioner to reverse cuts to spending on education and training in rape awareness for gardai. “While we are aware that many gardai respond sensitively and carefully to victims of sexual violence, It is blatantly obvious that for some officers at least, such training is urgently required,” said Ms McKay. Sex abuse support group One in Four said it was astonished by the comments. “Gardaí have spent years trying to change the culture relating to sexual violence in the force, and nowadays most victims of sexual crime have a positive experience when reporting to the gardaí," executive director Maeve Lewis said. “However, the terrifying comments made to the arrested women make us question how much that culture has really changed, and will certainly undermine the confidence of victims in reporting crime.” Dr Bríd Connolly, lecturer in NUI Maynooth’s adult and community education department, confirmed that one of the women arrested was a student at the college. “This recording is an affront to women, an affront to freedom to protest, and rape is not a joking matter,” Dr Connolly said. “How can women who have been assaulted have any confidence in the Garda if this is the sort of attitude that prevails? “It undermines the work done with the Garda by rape crisis centres and Women’s Aid, and takes us back 40 to 50 years,” Dr Connolly added. Sinn Féin justice spokesman Jonathan O’Brien said he was disgusted by the comments. “The gardaí have a lot of questions to answer around it,” Mr O’Brien said. “For somebody to put their trust in the gardaí and to have it betrayed in this manner, it’s not on and it’s very disturbing.” Solutions for Ireland. Say NO to the IMF/World bank. Default on our debt. Print our own debt free currency. Nationalise the trillion euros worth of gas and oil off our west coast. Take back our fishing (200 billion worth). Get our farmers growing again. Done deal if our politicians had the backbone. ~ Jim Corr irishthatcherite posted on 2011-04-05 11:19:26 ET Reply Trace Private Reply Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
The suspect is described as a Hispanic man in his 50s.
U.S. Constitution - Article IV, Section 4: NO BORDERS + NO LAWS = NO COUNTRY
HAPPY2BME-4UM posted on 2011-04-05 9:37:32 ET Reply Trace Private Reply
deleted
The relationship between morality and liberty is a directly proportional one.
"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters." - Ben Franklin
Eric Stratton posted on 2011-04-05 10:33:28 ET Reply Trace Private Reply
Eric Stratton posted on 2011-04-05 10:35:22 ET Reply Trace Private Reply
Eric Stratton posted on 2011-04-05 10:36:34 ET Reply Trace Private Reply
Fucking police jackbootery everywhere! vimeo.com/21952231 Thuggery at the start where two women protesters are arrested at the Shell compound in Mayo, Ireland. Not arrested for any actual offence from what I can see, the second girl was just standing up on a tractor recording. The cops shot themselves in the foot - they camera hadn't been switched off. Forward to approx. 13 mins you'll overhear the Garda officers in the squad car (the women in question are in two other cars), making jokes about threatening to rape one of the girls for not giving her name or address. www.irishtimes.com/newspa...2011/0405/breaking12.html Garda comments condemned A senior garda has been appointed to investigate the treatment of two arrested Shell To Sea protestersA senior garda has been appointed to investigate the treatment of two arrested Shell To Sea protesters Related Audio Clip of recording of conversation of gardai (language may offend) Download this clip (MP3 format) Related * Transcript of recording | 05/04/2011 External * Shell To Sea * An Garda Siochana The Irish Times takes no responsibility for the content or availability of other websites LORNA SIGGINS, Western Correspondent and JASON MICHAEL The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and a senior Garda officer are holding separate investigations into the treatment of two women who were arrested during protests over the Corrib gas project late last week. Members of the force were inadvertently recorded on a video camera they had earlier confiscated joking about threatening to deport and rape one of the women who had refused to give her name to officers. The video camera was not fully switched off after it was seized by gardaí and it recorded exchanges between several gardaí in the vehicle in which they were travelling. The two women were arrested on a public road last Thursday about 30 minutes after one of them had been taken down from the roof of a tractor hired for Shell’s preparatory work on the Corrib gas pipeline at Aughoose. Both women were released without charge. They are upset about the exchanges that were recorded and say they were manhandled by several officers during their arrest near the Shell compound for the new Corrib gas pipeline route in north Mayo. The woman who was carrying the video camera says she had her arms forced until she dropped the camera, and sustained bruising. Her colleague says she was treated in an “unnecessarily physical fashion”. Both women said they wished not to be named, and neither wanted to comment on the record on the incident. Supt Pat Diskin of Belmullet Garda station said a senior garda from outside the division had been appointed to “establish the facts and report on the matter”. The women were arrested for public order-related offences, and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission said today it has also begun an investigation into the incident. “GSOC has not received a complaint relating to this matter, but is empowered … to investigate matters where the Commission feels it is in the public interest to do so.” Speaking this afternoon, Kieran FitzGerald from the Ombudsman Commission said: "The reported conduct of the gardaí is of such a nature as to warrant an investigation because it alleges some serious remarks and some serious conduct, which, if proven, would reflect badly on society in general and the Garda Síochána in particular." Mr FitzGerald told RTÉ radio it was important the public was reassured that an independent inquiry would take place, adding there had been several previous complaints relating to policing surrounding the Corrib gas pipeline since the Ombudsman Commission was set up in 2007. An academic at NUI Maynooth, where one of the women is studying, has condemned as “outrageous” the content of some recorded conversation. The camera on which the exchanges were recorded is believed to have been the property of the college. It was some hours after their release that the women discovered their camera, which was returned to them, had not been switched off. It was in the possession of gardaí leaving the scene in a separate car, and during the journey it had recorded exchanges between several gardaí. One garda can be heard on the tape saying that one of the women “sounds like a Yank or Canadian”. Another garda said: “well, whoever, we’ll get immigration f***ing on her.” A more senior garda picked up the conversation, saying “she refused to give her name and address and [was] told she would be arrested”. “And deported,” his colleague continued. “And raped,” the more senior garda said. The conversation continued in jocular fashion, with the more senior garda saying: “Give me your name and address or I’ll rape you.” Amid some laughter, another garda said: “Hold it there, give me your name and address there, I’ll rape you.” “Or I’ll definitely rape you,” the more senior garda responded. The 37-minute recording also features differences of opinion between the gardaí in the car over use of equipment and training to deal with protests. One garda expressed concern about responsibility in court proceedings if a protester was injured during removal, and it transpired that there was insufficient equipment or training. His senior disagreed, and said it was a matter of “common sense”. The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre today said the alleged comments made about the protesters were "unacceptable." "Making suggestive comments about rape and sexual assault is not funny whatever the situation or circumstances," said chief executive Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop. "Comments of this nature are totally unacceptable in any context but are much more serious when made by people in authority and who are supposed to be the guardians of our society." The National Women’s Council of Ireland called on the Garda Commissioner to act. “Joking about raping women is never funny,” said chief executive Susan McKay. “Women need to be reassured that if they are raped or sexually assaulted they can report it to gardai who understand that these are deeply traumatic experiences. They must not be left wondering if their distress will be a source of amusement.” The council also called on the Commissioner to reverse cuts to spending on education and training in rape awareness for gardai. “While we are aware that many gardai respond sensitively and carefully to victims of sexual violence, It is blatantly obvious that for some officers at least, such training is urgently required,” said Ms McKay. Sex abuse support group One in Four said it was astonished by the comments. “Gardaí have spent years trying to change the culture relating to sexual violence in the force, and nowadays most victims of sexual crime have a positive experience when reporting to the gardaí," executive director Maeve Lewis said. “However, the terrifying comments made to the arrested women make us question how much that culture has really changed, and will certainly undermine the confidence of victims in reporting crime.” Dr Bríd Connolly, lecturer in NUI Maynooth’s adult and community education department, confirmed that one of the women arrested was a student at the college. “This recording is an affront to women, an affront to freedom to protest, and rape is not a joking matter,” Dr Connolly said. “How can women who have been assaulted have any confidence in the Garda if this is the sort of attitude that prevails? “It undermines the work done with the Garda by rape crisis centres and Women’s Aid, and takes us back 40 to 50 years,” Dr Connolly added. Sinn Féin justice spokesman Jonathan O’Brien said he was disgusted by the comments. “The gardaí have a lot of questions to answer around it,” Mr O’Brien said. “For somebody to put their trust in the gardaí and to have it betrayed in this manner, it’s not on and it’s very disturbing.”
vimeo.com/21952231
Thuggery at the start where two women protesters are arrested at the Shell compound in Mayo, Ireland. Not arrested for any actual offence from what I can see, the second girl was just standing up on a tractor recording. The cops shot themselves in the foot - they camera hadn't been switched off. Forward to approx. 13 mins you'll overhear the Garda officers in the squad car (the women in question are in two other cars), making jokes about threatening to rape one of the girls for not giving her name or address.
www.irishtimes.com/newspa...2011/0405/breaking12.html
Garda comments condemned A senior garda has been appointed to investigate the treatment of two arrested Shell To Sea protestersA senior garda has been appointed to investigate the treatment of two arrested Shell To Sea protesters Related Audio Clip of recording of conversation of gardai (language may offend) Download this clip (MP3 format) Related
* Transcript of recording | 05/04/2011
External
* Shell To Sea * An Garda Siochana
The Irish Times takes no responsibility for the content or availability of other websites
LORNA SIGGINS, Western Correspondent and JASON MICHAEL
The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and a senior Garda officer are holding separate investigations into the treatment of two women who were arrested during protests over the Corrib gas project late last week.
Members of the force were inadvertently recorded on a video camera they had earlier confiscated joking about threatening to deport and rape one of the women who had refused to give her name to officers.
The video camera was not fully switched off after it was seized by gardaí and it recorded exchanges between several gardaí in the vehicle in which they were travelling.
The two women were arrested on a public road last Thursday about 30 minutes after one of them had been taken down from the roof of a tractor hired for Shell’s preparatory work on the Corrib gas pipeline at Aughoose. Both women were released without charge.
They are upset about the exchanges that were recorded and say they were manhandled by several officers during their arrest near the Shell compound for the new Corrib gas pipeline route in north Mayo.
The woman who was carrying the video camera says she had her arms forced until she dropped the camera, and sustained bruising. Her colleague says she was treated in an “unnecessarily physical fashion”.
Both women said they wished not to be named, and neither wanted to comment on the record on the incident.
Supt Pat Diskin of Belmullet Garda station said a senior garda from outside the division had been appointed to “establish the facts and report on the matter”.
The women were arrested for public order-related offences, and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission said today it has also begun an investigation into the incident. “GSOC has not received a complaint relating to this matter, but is empowered … to investigate matters where the Commission feels it is in the public interest to do so.”
Speaking this afternoon, Kieran FitzGerald from the Ombudsman Commission said: "The reported conduct of the gardaí is of such a nature as to warrant an investigation because it alleges some serious remarks and some serious conduct, which, if proven, would reflect badly on society in general and the Garda Síochána in particular."
Mr FitzGerald told RTÉ radio it was important the public was reassured that an independent inquiry would take place, adding there had been several previous complaints relating to policing surrounding the Corrib gas pipeline since the Ombudsman Commission was set up in 2007.
An academic at NUI Maynooth, where one of the women is studying, has condemned as “outrageous” the content of some recorded conversation. The camera on which the exchanges were recorded is believed to have been the property of the college.
It was some hours after their release that the women discovered their camera, which was returned to them, had not been switched off. It was in the possession of gardaí leaving the scene in a separate car, and during the journey it had recorded exchanges between several gardaí.
One garda can be heard on the tape saying that one of the women “sounds like a Yank or Canadian”. Another garda said: “well, whoever, we’ll get immigration f***ing on her.”
A more senior garda picked up the conversation, saying “she refused to give her name and address and [was] told she would be arrested”.
“And deported,” his colleague continued.
“And raped,” the more senior garda said.
The conversation continued in jocular fashion, with the more senior garda saying: “Give me your name and address or I’ll rape you.”
Amid some laughter, another garda said: “Hold it there, give me your name and address there, I’ll rape you.”
“Or I’ll definitely rape you,” the more senior garda responded.
The 37-minute recording also features differences of opinion between the gardaí in the car over use of equipment and training to deal with protests. One garda expressed concern about responsibility in court proceedings if a protester was injured during removal, and it transpired that there was insufficient equipment or training. His senior disagreed, and said it was a matter of “common sense”.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre today said the alleged comments made about the protesters were "unacceptable."
"Making suggestive comments about rape and sexual assault is not funny whatever the situation or circumstances," said chief executive Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop. "Comments of this nature are totally unacceptable in any context but are much more serious when made by people in authority and who are supposed to be the guardians of our society."
The National Women’s Council of Ireland called on the Garda Commissioner to act.
“Joking about raping women is never funny,” said chief executive Susan McKay. “Women need to be reassured that if they are raped or sexually assaulted they can report it to gardai who understand that these are deeply traumatic experiences. They must not be left wondering if their distress will be a source of amusement.”
The council also called on the Commissioner to reverse cuts to spending on education and training in rape awareness for gardai. “While we are aware that many gardai respond sensitively and carefully to victims of sexual violence, It is blatantly obvious that for some officers at least, such training is urgently required,” said Ms McKay.
Sex abuse support group One in Four said it was astonished by the comments.
“Gardaí have spent years trying to change the culture relating to sexual violence in the force, and nowadays most victims of sexual crime have a positive experience when reporting to the gardaí," executive director Maeve Lewis said. “However, the terrifying comments made to the arrested women make us question how much that culture has really changed, and will certainly undermine the confidence of victims in reporting crime.”
Dr Bríd Connolly, lecturer in NUI Maynooth’s adult and community education department, confirmed that one of the women arrested was a student at the college. “This recording is an affront to women, an affront to freedom to protest, and rape is not a joking matter,” Dr Connolly said. “How can women who have been assaulted have any confidence in the Garda if this is the sort of attitude that prevails?
“It undermines the work done with the Garda by rape crisis centres and Women’s Aid, and takes us back 40 to 50 years,” Dr Connolly added.
Sinn Féin justice spokesman Jonathan O’Brien said he was disgusted by the comments. “The gardaí have a lot of questions to answer around it,” Mr O’Brien said. “For somebody to put their trust in the gardaí and to have it betrayed in this manner, it’s not on and it’s very disturbing.”
Solutions for Ireland. Say NO to the IMF/World bank. Default on our debt. Print our own debt free currency. Nationalise the trillion euros worth of gas and oil off our west coast. Take back our fishing (200 billion worth). Get our farmers growing again. Done deal if our politicians had the backbone. ~ Jim Corr
irishthatcherite posted on 2011-04-05 11:19:26 ET Reply Trace Private Reply