Editor’s Note: This week’s PoliceOne First Person essay is from PoliceOne Member Tom Adrahtas, whose frustration over peoples’ support for Chris Dorner is likely shared by most cops out there. In PoliceOne “First Person” essays, our Members and Columnists candidly share their own unique view of the world. This is a platform from which individual officers can share their own personal insights on issues confronting cops today, as well as opinions, observations, and advice on living life behind the thin blue line. If you want to share your own perspective with other P1 Members, simply send us an e-mail with your story.
By Tom Adrahtas
Police1 Member
Okay, I just can’t take it anymore. Between Twitter and some of the stuff I’ve read on Facebook (none of my actual FB “Friends” are any part of this), way too many “Americans” have chosen to side with this murderous killer.
Yes, I’m talking about Christopher Dorner.
He is a murderer, plain and simple.
He murdered five people, in cold blood. One civilian male, one civilian female, and three law enforcement officers (none of which worked for LAPD). He shot, and murdered all five and left others in critical condition. His murderous rampage is the direct result of other civilians being shot at by police officers.
Did those officers make mistakes that are unjustified? We will find out when the “Response to Deadly Force” shooting boards are conducted within those officer’s jurisdictions.
Never the less, right or wrong on those officers part, Christopher Dorner is DIRECTLY responsible for those shootings.
There is no excuse for Dorner’s actions.
He has conducted himself just like a psychopath who believes he/she has been wrongfully terminated by any corporation in this country. You know who I’m talking about, that psychopath who enters their former work places and started shooting up former coworkers.
Where is all the hero worship for the likes of; Sherrill, Patrick Henry, Barton, Mark Orrin, Leung Ying, Wesbecker, Joseph Thomas, Thornton, Omar Sheriff, and Engeldinger, Andrew John just to name a few? They were all “disgruntled” fired employee’s who decided that they needed to enact their own “justice”.
A lot of “Americans” are also stating that this “hero” is a war vet who should have been given extra chances while on LAPD because of his braveness.
All righty then, let’s examine our “hero’s” military history shall we? Dorner was...
• A former Naval Reserve lieutenant (O-3) who was honorably discharged
• Commissioned in 2002, commanded a security unit at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, and served with a Mobile Inshore Undersea Warfare Unit from June 23, 2004, to February 28, 2006
• Was deployed to Bahrain with Coastal Riverine Group Two from November 3, 2006, to April 23, 2007
• Dorner was honorably discharged from the Navy Reserve on February 1, 2013
Our “hero” spent a total of eleven years in the Naval Reserve. He deployed to Bahrain for five months. He was a SP (Shore Patrol) Sailor during these eleven years. I respect that. He was a leader of a Law Enforcement Detachment (Platoon for Army/Airforce/Marines).
He was NOT an undersea warfare demolitions expert as some news organizations had been reporting. He did his duty in the Naval Reserves, and quit after eleven years. Good job, thanks for your service, and your five month combat tour in Bahrain!
Next our “hero” graduated the LAPD Police Academy in 2006. Dorner joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 2005, completing police academy training in 2006.
Dorner was terminated on September 4, 2008, for filing a false official police report concerning the conduct of fellow police officer, Teresa Evans (now a sergeant), for excessive force, which the police claim is false. Dorner accused Officer Evans of kicking suspect Christopher Gettler in the face while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground.
An internal review board claimed that Dorner had falsified his report despite the corroborating statements of the kicking victim and of Gettler’s father. Dorner cited his termination and sworn testimony that such excessive force did occur, in his online manifesto in early February 2013 as his reason for planning unspecified violence.
No action was taken against Officer Evans, whom Dorner had accused of excessive force and who accused Dorner of misconduct during a patrol. By Dorner’s admission in his manifesto posted on his Facebook page, he demanded a public admission by the LAPD that his firing was in retaliation for reporting excessive force.
STOP!
You know what? Let’s say that our “hero” is 100 percent correct, and he was terminated wrongfully, and without cause. That everything he said in his “Manifesto” is correct, and that the “corrupt” LAPD left him out to hang.
Two simple facts remain. Our “Hero” swore to uphold and defend the Constitution of The United States at least two times in his life.
He raised his right hand and swore to God, or whoever he believes in, that he would protect this great Nation and all its Peoples. I have done this myself also. Once when I joined the US Army, and once when I became a Police Officer.
When our “Hero” and I took this oath, it was NEVER administered conditionally. There wasn’t an expiration date. It was a lifetime oath to God, country, and our fellow citizens. PERIOD!
Our “Hero” broke the faith. He lied to us all. He killed our brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, mothers, and fathers.
All because he was “pissed off” about being treated wrong by a “corrupt system”. He raised his right hand, swore to God to defend us all, then looked our Son/Daughter in the eye and killed them.
He MURDERED five Americans whom he had sworn to protect. He murdered five of our children.
But it’s okay, all you Dorner worshipers, go ahead and sing his praise.
Rest assured that my brothers and sisters in blue will wake up tomorrow, burry our dead, put on our badges and uniforms, and continue to serve this great Nation of ours. We will continue to keep watch in the night.
We will serve until our final watch is over. Whether that final watch comes because of the final fight we lost, or because it is our time to let others take our place. We will be there as you sleep; going places you have nightmares about. Keeping those demons away from you and your families.
