Indiana

To Serve and Protect

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Despite the controversies regarding the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department this past year, the shooting of 29-year old Officer David Moore should remind of us of two things.  First, police work is very dangerous business and officers literally put their lives on the line everyday.

Moore was shot four times during a routine traffic stop on the city’s eastside.  Police have a suspect in custody, 60-year old Thomas Hardy.  If you pull up Hardy’s record he’s been in and out of prison multiple times, with arrests and convictions for 11 offenses.   That makes me wonder what he was doing out on the street and why doesn’t Indiana have a three-strikes and you’re out law?  I know it has a habitual offender statute, but maybe it’s time to tighten that up somewhat.  But that’s another blog post for another day.

A police officer friend of mine once told me that a routine traffic stop is one of the most dangerous situations an officer can ever face.  You never know what you’re going to encounter.   If this situation doesn’t act as a reminder of that adage, I don’t know what will.

For now police have a suspect in custody and an officer lies in the hospital.  Officer Moore is in our thoughts and prayers.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on January 24, 2011 (boomark / email).