Thursday, November 08, 2012

Private contractor trained DPS helicopter sniper

Via Craft International
The Texas Observer identified a contractor - Craft International - which trained the Department of Public Safety aerial sniper unit who accidentally gunned down two undocumented immigrants while trying to shoot out the tires of a moving pickup. The company features DPS officers receiving sniper training from helicopters in a promotional video on its home page. The Observer's Melissa del Bosque opined that, "Craft’s video glorifies Texas’ DPS sniper program, and makes it look like the troopers are training for a foray into Fallujah instead of keeping the peace in Texas." Their company motto is "Despite what your momma told you ... violence does solve problems." It had been reported earlier this year that DPS had outsourced significant aspects of its border security operation to private contractors, but I hadn't realized before now that extended to sniper training.

RELATED: See a story from Nov. 2010 from the SA Express News and the Texas Tribune analyzing DPS pursuit policies along the border and beyond. "Statewide, DPS chases resulted in 1,300 wrecks, 780 injuries to troopers, other officers, suspects and bystanders, 28 deaths and an estimated $8.4 million in property damage in the past five years." One police pursuit expert concluded of DPS pursuit tactics: "They're crazy." The Express-News/Tribune analysis found that "troopers use aggressive pursuit tactics - including firing guns and setting up roadblocks - that many other law enforcement agencies prohibit." Even so, DPS' pursuit outcomes aren't all that great. "Statewide, more than 30 percent of all DPS chases ended with the suspect eluding officers on foot. Fewer than a quarter of all suspects - both statewide and in Hidalgo County - stopped and surrendered." Foreshadowing the most recent episode, the Express-News/Trib analysis mentioned that, "Troopers also can shoot out a suspect's tires if other methods, such as deploying spike strips, fail to stop the pursuit. Troopers fired their guns during chases nearly 90 times over the past five years, and 14 of those incidents occurred during pursuits in urban areas."
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11 comments:

  1. Anonymous11/08/2012 09:53:00 AM

    Wasn't there someone on here a while back arguing vehemently that our police are not be militarized?

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  2. Anonymous11/08/2012 02:40:00 PM

    So 2 illegals crossing into this country to suck our resources dry die because they were eluding the police? Got what they deserved. Sniper missed the shot but saved us tremendous amounts of wasted tax dollars in prosecuting these drug runners and also saved us by not having to cloth, feed and house them.

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    1. Anonymous11/18/2012 05:03:00 PM

      Kinda like the space aliens that sucked your tiny brain dry. How do you suck resources dry if you have to hide in this country, get paid in dirt, and can never file a tax return...your retarded ... We are not saving a damn thing ...were actually gonna loose money after their families win their multi million dollar wrongful death lawsuits against us. Plus any sniper that kills two hostages and seriusly wounds a third is a sorry example of a sniper or has Parkinsons. Any person in the back of a speeding pickup is a hostage until it stops. No drugs were found anywhere near or around the highschool age immigrants who

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  3. Anonymous11/08/2012 02:41:00 PM

    clothe, not cloth. For all you english professors on here..

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  4. Anonymous11/08/2012 03:52:00 PM

    It's not their money. Although you could likely say that a large percentage of everything spent on "border security" to date will be paid out to the families of the deceased immigrants. Talk about a payday.
    Gunboats, drones, armed aircraft, recon teams, and now a bomb squad? All this from traffic enforcement. Darth Vader would be proud of this Death Star.

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  5. Anonymous11/08/2012 08:16:00 PM

    Shooting out the tires on a car from a helicopter is not an impossible feat at all. Although not moving as fast as a car tire, but definitely a harder target darting through a corn or sorghum field, they shoot running wild hogs from helicopters all the time. The guy just made a bad shot. It can happen.

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  6. DEWEY11/09/2012 06:42:00 AM

    "Their company motto is "Despite what your momma told you ... violence does solve problems."..."
    Can Craft International please give me just ONE example ?

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  7. Anonymous11/09/2012 07:00:00 AM

    I have visited several countries around the world. Want to guess what would happen to you if you crossed other nations' borders illegally and then tried to escape in a high speed chase?
    Maybe some of the illegal "criminals" will try coming across legally and abide by our laws out of self preservation.
    Make no mistake, the truck was full of criminals. And in that regard I say - live by the sword and die by the sword.

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  8. Anonymous11/09/2012 07:23:00 PM

    That is the last thing taxpayers need, a rogue in a helecopter shooting a rifle at someone!!

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  9. Anonymous11/18/2012 05:29:00 PM

    I agree that Sniper Sucks Donkey Ticks...He needs to go practice with a nerf gun or take a class with some cub scouts before he kills someone else. If I am ever a hostage situation keep that sloppy excuse for a sniper away from me. I would rather take my chances with my captors. Id have a better chance at living. I dont want my innocent blood on anyones hands no matter how bleak the outlook.

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