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NOLA: Physically detained and disarmed by Whole Foods store cop: Sgt. Wade Boswer

PFC HALE

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
481
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earth
I have a few friends that are with the NOPD. I'm told that the entire department has been informed about this incident and that officers are being trained to keep this from happening again. Why were they not trained properly in the first place?

There is considerable concern within the dept. that any civil action against Officer Boswer or the NOPD will prevail.

i think this is just an excuse to get them off the hook. they say they havent been trained is a scapegoat as they know better than to do this.

so when a civilian assaults a cop can we just say we need retraining and it will be swept under the rug? Hold him and his department to the fire and make them suffer for their ignorance and stupidity.

im tired of agencies getting away with stuff by justifying it as not trained or not updated. it doesnt exonerate them from their actions.
 

georg jetson

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Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
2,416
Location
Slidell, Louisiana
i think this is just an excuse to get them off the hook. they say they havent been trained is a scapegoat as they know better than to do this.

so when a civilian assaults a cop can we just say we need retraining and it will be swept under the rug? Hold him and his department to the fire and make them suffer for their ignorance and stupidity.

im tired of agencies getting away with stuff by justifying it as not trained or not updated. it doesnt exonerate them from their actions.

The officers themselves nor the department, as far as I know, is stating they're not properly trained. I misstated what was told to me.

Perhaps I should have said "The incident was made known to all officers." It was recognized by most that Officer Boswer acted unlawfully.
 
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sraacke

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Jul 20, 2008
Messages
1,214
Location
Saint Gabriel, Louisiana, USA
"Are you a traveling man?"

Geez... I just got it. Was this a mason cop giving a mason OCer a hard time? What's the world coming to...

I caught it right away. My father is Mason so I'm familiar with some of the key phrases and practices.

Frankly I'm disgusted by the Officers actions and get more upset each time I return to the video or this thread. I hope Owen nails this guy to wall. I hope that Whole Foods and the manager are held to the fire also. The Officer was acting as their agent at the time he assaulted a customer. Not any different than if a stockboy had walked up behind him and put him in a choke hold.
Then the manager has the 'nads to stand there on the sidewalk making small talk about the OCers dogs. He's a better man than me 'cause I probably would have gone off on her right there.
I'm hoping that when it's over the NOPD and this dirty cop have been so slapped down that it makes major news. I hope that the OCer wins the case against Whole Foods, is awarded the store as compensation, then, out of spite, closes the store and reopens it as a gun store and range.
I have said before....I work as a Security Officer. I am often called to deal with persons carrying firearms on our property. We do'nt have any Gun Buster signs posted but when someone walks in with a holstered pistol and no visible badge, or if it's an off duty security guard stopping by for something, we handle it. Diplomatically. We don't escalate it like Sgt Bowers. I've done it many times. They aren't going to "Get The Drop" on me. I know they are carrying and I control it. Part of my training is deescalation and verbal judo but mostly it's about talking to people like they are...people. "Sir, I'm Steve with Security. I noticed your gun there and while we don't have any signs up I'm afaraid I have to inform you that we do have a No Weapons policy. I'd appreciate if you could secure your gun in your vehicle while you visit with us today. We have security in our parking lots and I'm sure it will be fine in your car while you are here. Thanks." I have NEVER had any problems with this approach and honsetly, if they are walking in with a visible holstered pistol, they aren't there to cause trouble.
If I can handle these situations without assaulting people then a armed and trained 25 year veteran of the NOPD should be able to do it too.
So screw him and I hope he and Whole Foods gets as much grief as possible.

Steve Raacke
Hospital Security Officer
and I belong to an open carry gun group too. :)
 

PFC HALE

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2012
Messages
481
Location
earth
The officers themselves nor the department, as far as I know, is stating they're not properly trained. I misstated what was told to me.

Perhaps I should have said "The incident was made known to all officers." It was recognized by most that Officer Boswer acted unlawfully.

gotcha, then i guess i can use my statement towards any officer/dept that pulls this claim :(
 

OC for ME

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
12,452
Location
White Oak Plantation
I caught it right away. My father is Mason so I'm familiar with some of the key phrases and practices.

Frankly I'm disgusted by the Officers actions and get more upset each time I return to the video or this thread. I hope Owen nails this guy to wall. I hope that Whole Foods and the manager are held to the fire also. The Officer was acting as their agent at the time he assaulted a customer. Not any different than if a stockboy had walked up behind him and put him in a choke hold.
Then the manager has the 'nads to stand there on the sidewalk making small talk about the OCers dogs. He's a better man than me 'cause I probably would have gone off on her right there.
I'm hoping that when it's over the NOPD and this dirty cop have been so slapped down that it makes major news. I hope that the OCer wins the case against Whole Foods, is awarded the store as compensation, then, out of spite, closes the store and reopens it as a gun store and range.
I have said before....I work as a Security Officer. I am often called to deal with persons carrying firearms on our property. We do'nt have any Gun Buster signs posted but when someone walks in with a holstered pistol and no visible badge, or if it's an off duty security guard stopping by for something, we handle it. Diplomatically. We don't escalate it like Sgt Bowers. I've done it many times. They aren't going to "Get The Drop" on me. I know they are carrying and I control it. Part of my training is deescalation and verbal judo but mostly it's about talking to people like they are...people. "Sir, I'm Steve with Security. I noticed your gun there and while we don't have any signs up I'm afaraid I have to inform you that we do have a No Weapons policy. I'd appreciate if you could secure your gun in your vehicle while you visit with us today. We have security in our parking lots and I'm sure it will be fine in your car while you are here. Thanks." I have NEVER had any problems with this approach and honsetly, if they are walking in with a visible holstered pistol, they aren't there to cause trouble.
If I can handle these situations without assaulting people then a armed and trained 25 year veteran of the NOPD should be able to do it too.
So screw him and I hope he and Whole Foods gets as much grief as possible.

Steve Raacke
Hospital Security Officer
and I belong to an open carry gun group too. :)
Post a sign.
 

Monaco

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2013
Messages
14
Location
New Orleans, Louisiana
I have a few friends that are with the NOPD. I'm told that the entire department has been informed about this incident and that officers are being trained to keep this from happening again. Why were they not trained properly in the first place?

There is considerable concern within the dept. that any civil action against Officer Boswer or the NOPD will prevail.
Even if I don't win the case, the retraining the department in laws they've sworn to hold up, is a win by itself.


On a side note: When the officer made his move, I had both of my hands up high and reaching for merchandise. He knew what he was doing and waited for this precise moment. I think it could have happened to any of you.
 

9026543

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 1, 2009
Messages
509
Location
Southern MO
Looks like some in the NOPD are still just as corrupt and overbearing as they were during the Katrina aftermath. Remember that there were several officers convicted of murder and of other crimes. Remember the video of the female NOPD officers looting shoes after Katrina. I don't think the dept has learned their lesson yet.
 

sraacke

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Messages
1,214
Location
Saint Gabriel, Louisiana, USA
Which is just the opposite from the Baton Rouge officers I have contact with. I work as Hospital Security and one of the BRPD extra duty officers this morning, a Lt who is in charge of an entire precinct, was looking at a cpoy of our new pamphlet which our web designer just finished working on. He asked if I had any more copies because he wants to discuss Open Carry at his roll call tommorrow. He has 15 regular officers and a few trainees so I gave him 20 copies of our trifold pamphlet. Tommorrow morning the officers in his precinct will start their shifts with a copy of our pamphlet in their hands.
The attitude starts from the top. IF the Lts, Capts, and Cheifs can discuss it and inform their officers without making us look like we are breaking any laws by OCing then the officers will follow the law and we will have fewer problems like this.

By the way, if you want to see a PDF of our new pamphlet feel free to go to
http://www.laopencarry.org/images/local-trifold.pdf
 

TechnoWeenie

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Jul 17, 2007
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Even if I don't win the case, the retraining the department in laws they've sworn to hold up, is a win by itself.


On a side note: When the officer made his move, I had both of my hands up high and reaching for merchandise. He knew what he was doing and waited for this precise moment. I think it could have happened to any of you.

Like I said, you need retention training, a better holster, and better situational awareness.

You let someone walk up behind you and grab your gun. This is a MASSIVE FAIL.... no matter how you try to justify it.

Someone grabbing your gun is a deadly threat, your lack of the appropriate response tells me that you are not trained properly, and clearly not using the proper holster.

If you had situational awareness, it wouldn't have happened.

If you had retention training, it wouldn't have happened.

It is YOUR responsibility to make sure that YOU are prepared. When you're not, THIS is the consequence.

ETA:

It's not your fault some idiot grabbed your gun.

It IS your fault that you didn't take steps to prevent/deal with it.
 
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MNMGoneShooting

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Feb 12, 2012
Messages
144
Location
King George, VA
ETA:

It's not your fault some idiot grabbed your gun.

It IS your fault that you didn't take steps to prevent/deal with it.

Agree completely with this. OP, don't go thinking this commentary is an attack, but instead constructive criticism. I can't say I would have done better in your shoes, but your story has definitely encouraged me to improve training in this area, as well as you should.

Still, with that said, the "what if" factor on if the OP did take a defense measure against this could have put him 6ft under, since he didn't know it was a trained officer.

Scary stuff.
 

TechnoWeenie

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Agree completely with this. OP, don't go thinking this commentary is an attack, but instead constructive criticism. I can't say I would have done better in your shoes, but your story has definitely encouraged me to improve training in this area, as well as you should.

Still, with that said, the "what if" factor on if the OP did take a defense measure against this could have put him 6ft under, since he didn't know it was a trained officer.

Scary stuff.


With an arm around his neck, and a hand on the OPs gun, there couldn't have been a weapon in the assailants hand.

One hand pushing down on the gun, keeping it in the holster, left hand grabbing knife and stabbing attacker.

Create distance, draw, prepare to fire.......

I don't care who you are, or what clothes you're wearing....... If you grab me from behind, and attempt to get my firearm, you will be dealt with in a harsh manner.

So, lets say you stab the guy, get him off your back, turn and draw while creating distance...........

You see a uniform, as the man is pulling a gun from his holster.

Shoot him.

Plain and simple.

He attacked you, attempted to disarm you, and is now trying to kill you.

SHOOT HIM! He won't hesitate to shoot you.

He's probably wearing a ballistic vest, so a center mass shot would not stop the threat. Shoot to stop the threat, on armored individuals, a head shot is suggested.

You can be dead, and the cop labelled a hero for stopping some gun carrying nut, who, no doubt 'has an arsenal, with thousands of rounds of ammunition at his house', or you can survive, and have video tape of you defending yourself against a weapon grab, assault, and attempted murder. IF the police don't 'lose' the tape.


This is why I have recording devices on me, and also why I make those recordings to a secure location (online).
 
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Adam A Farley

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Joined
Jan 24, 2013
Messages
20
Location
Hinckley Utah
Curious

I was curious about the laws here in Utah if this happened to me.

Laws are rather strait forward , the fact he assaulted you to disarm you was and is a "you will be arrested here." He was in the wrong and he would be arrested if you pressed charges.

Under no condition can you be physically disarmed unless you pose a clear direct threat to people.

You could have used physical force to regain control , how ever much necessary. Deadly force can only be used if you feel and can prove your life was in danger. But opens you to a lot of legal headache.

Once you seen he was a cop, you must stop period. There can be no further action taken, you verbally warn him to stop and if he does not. Let the authorities deal with it.

You contact the authority's and let him face the music. He would have most likely lost his job and opened him to a clear civil suit .

If you walked In to a controlled via state or federal law no carry zone with a gun, this can be the outcome yes and your in the wrong and you will loose your rights.

If this is just privet property or public property that was not clearly posted. They are to ask politely to please leave.

If it was posted and you did it any ways , they can call the cops to have you removed but you can not be assaulted . You might loose your gun depending how bad you pissed them off.

That is how this works here in Utah.

O and if your gun is taken from you, the cops are not going to have much respect for you. You carry you are fully expected to hold on to your gun period unless strong extenuating circumstances apply.

Your gun is taken with out a fight from you and used in a crime. You can be held liable .
 
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