Buffalo Rising Online

These two officers were not using seat belts which could well have saved Officer Shields' life. His partner's excuse was absurd - She claimed that they didn't use seat belts because they have to get out of the car fast when responding to emergencies ! How long does it take to unsnap a seat belt ? It seems to me that this law applies to everyone and that even the police are not in a position to obey the laws they feel like obeying.

Here's another article about that particular roadside shrine:

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Whoops, BuffaloRising rejected my hyperlink. Here it is unlinked: http://buffaloreport.com/021115shrines.html

If I remember correctly, these officers were chasing after a perpetrator who after a non-violent convenience store robbery had boarded a CITY BUS. You know, slow moving, set route?

I think it's terrible that this officer died, particularly in the line of duty, but this cannot be one of the department's proudest moments. Didn't another officer get struck and killed the same year when running across Route 33? I value the Police, and honestly don't want to think of them risking their lives regularly. Thank God nobody else was hurt.

And when my small children ask me what those flowers represent, I won't be able to resist making it a poignant seat-belt lesson.

Excellent post Queenseyes - I feel a little bit of sorrow everytime I pass this tree. Sure we should all wear seatbelts, and the Police should lead by example. But, before we cast stones from our glass houses remember these few things: 1. Police receive specialized training in driving at high speeds for their own safety and to prevent injury to bystanders (which they acocmplished here). So it's not just your neighbor getting in a car and driving 50 MPH down Delaware because he's an idiot - it's a professional, with a lot of training, who chose a dnagerous job because he or she wants to protect you, whom they have never met. BTW - not wearing seat belts is fairly common for law enforcement who are often in and out of the car, and for our military servicemen and women. It lets them get out fo the car quickly - in the military it's called a "combat stop" when the passenger gets out before the car totally stops, so they can take off running if needed, to help us civilians. 2. Generally someone with a gun who robs a sotre, is dangerous, so if they got on the metro bus I was on with a gun, I'd be pretty thrilled to see a cop car come flying to meet the slow moving bus to be sure said thug doesn't come after me next on the bus. 3. Until you've spent time with the cops in the tough neighborhoods of Buffalo at night with the occassional less than rational criminal (and nice people do actually outnumber the thugs in these tough neighborhoods), let's at least show some respect for those who lost their life trying to protect the rest of us ingrates who enjoy living in a pretty safe city. And no I'm not a cop, nor related to one, nor a city employee or union member. I'm just someone offended by some of the comments here who thought I at least owed them the courtesy of a brief defense on their behalf. Nice way to ruin an othewise really thoughtful and heartfelt post. Let's try to keep some civility and respect for our fewllo human beings. If our mission is to make Buffalo a better place, at a minimum it's got start with how treat one another.