The Death of LAPD officer Christie Hamilton & the Honor Gaurd Detail

Today as I reflected on my past, while preparing for an LAPD luncheon / ceremony that Im attending tomorrow; I got emotional and pulled out some an old documents and VHS tapes out of my LAPD library.

I was then reminded of my partner Monica [last name snipped,] of the great times and the sad times that we had together as partners. I was her first training officer out of the police academy. Sadly we then received the bad news that her LAPD academy classmate had just been shot and killed.

That was LAPD officer Christie Hamilton. Christie started her LAPD career at the age that most became grandparents. Ironically immediately after Christies hire date, she was killed by a punk kid.

At that time I was a member of the LAPD honor guard (seen in the below video.) Whereas I (we) folded too many U.S. American flags over too many police officers coffins. Then was the precise maneuvering and synchronizing of those Springfield rifles, as we squeezed off our triggers in those emotional 21 gun salutes. We also did some hi-profile dignitary assignments that were not death related (another later blog post.)

Interestingly though, the LAPD has an acramin WHEREAS department policy states shall be considered before, and even while police officers are engaging in an officer involved shooting.

That acramins is B.A.L.K.S., which stands for ~

B- The background behind your target (so theres no collateral damage)
A- Age of the suspect
L- Last resort
K- Knowledge, and
S- Serious of the crime.

In respect to my former colleges I wont reveal the entire comprehensive LAPD shooting policy. However policy states that all those letters shall be considered prior to firing your weapon, and during the shooting.

A police officer is then morally, ethically, civilly and criminally responsible for every bullet that exits the muzzle of their gun. If its one shot from a 12 gauge shotgun, then their responsible for all 9 to12 pellets.

All that said for 20 years I have publicly pleaded that the A be removed, because times have changed. Too many kids are now killing their parents, teachers and cops. Today most cops are killed by teens. Therefore the A in that acramin should no longer be a factor.

In closure the only good news I have to tell you about the tragic death of LAPD officer Christie Hamilton; is what her daughter Kelley Steven said in this video, and thats rest in peace in Christ.

Below is a video from some news clips, as well as from my own LAPD Doc-U-Cam video footage while driving in Christie Hamiltons funeral procession.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• lapd
• officer involved shootings
• american flag