Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Two assholes got into an argument and one of them went to jail…. In this case the loser didn’t go to jail, he became the guest of honor at a barbeque, as the main course. Chief, get your checkbook out.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/video-shows-man-engulfed-flames-212929899.html
A ne’er do well in upstate New York decided to take on the cops in their own lobby. He started a confrontation with the cops and ripped off his shirt. For those unfamiliar with the concept, there is a subset of brawlers that tear the own shirts off in preparation for a fight. Next, he grabbed a gallon size container of hand sanitizer and doused himself with it. The cops were caught on the horns of a dilemma.
The cops who outnumbered him three to one could intervene physically. Yeah, I know it would be like wrestling a greased pig. All that hand sanitizer and rolling on the floor with the idiot would entail dry cleaning expenses.
OR
They could break own their trusty Taser. Electronic spark, alcohol-based hand sanitizer what could possibly go wrong? I don’t know who was more surprised the cops or the crook. One thing is sure; the crook won’t do that shit ever again. It is likely that none of the cop participants will be in a position to use a Taser again. It could be a win-win for everybody in up-state New York.
Here is something that the pundits missed. The Catskill Police Department has fifteen officers. That means that the lobby is not manned. After hours, the initial interaction between a person in the lobby and the police is conducted via intercom. Into this unmanned lobby some rocket surgeon decided to place a gallon size container of highly flammable hand sanitizer for the use of visitors. Why not a gallon of gasoline? The effect ended up being the same. Imagine the cop’s surprise when (1) this clown used the sanitizer in an unanticipated manner (by them) and (2) the sanitizer went up like gasoline when a spark was introduced.
This guy could have dumped the gallon of sanitizer around the lobby and set it afire. I have spoken about the culture of an organization. The cops in this scenario, failed in their threat assessment of this guy. Just like the police administration did when it ordered a gallon of hand sanitizer to be placed in an unsupervised lobby.
Proof, once again, that some cops can fuck up a box full of rocks with a rubber mallet. Sorry, but I can’t feel sorrow for any of the participants. They meant well doesn’t cut it. History is replete with good intents gone to hell. Here is an example.
