“Hero” police officer learns important lesson about CCW
Cincinnati’s WDTN.com is reporting that as Butler Co. Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Roberts struggles to recover from gunshot wound he received during a pursuit of two violent robbers armed with a 12 gauge shotgun, circumstances for an off-duty police officer who witnessed the entire event are going much differently.
Camden police chief Mike Croucher is being called a hero after witnessing an armed robbery, following the suspects in his private automobile, and radioing ahead to warn Butler County Sheriff’s deputies this week.
From the story:
- A hero is given a surprise reward. Wednesday, Mike Croucher was acting police chief.
Now, he's Camden's newest full-fledged chief.
He got the promotion on Thursday, just one day after witnessing a robbery at a B.P. in Camden.
Croucher was off duty and was not armed.
Still, he got in his car, notified a dispatcher and followed the suspects down to Butler County.
That's where the suspects allegedly shot a Deputy Brandon Roberts, and stole his cruiser.
Croucher radioed for help.
Without a firearm, this off-duty police officer was rendered as incapable of offering adequate assistance in this emergency as any other defenseless citizen. This is a very hard way to learn the lesson that it is irresponsible to carry a firearm only when expecting trouble.
While explaining the promotion, Mayor Mary Melton told WDTN that "after yesterday, I said to call him acting chief is a slap in the face. We need to change that, and so that's what we did."
Croucher is quoted as saying "it's just a big shock. It's really a surprise. I wasn't expecting this. I've got other things on my mind. Butler County's got one of their deputies lying over there."
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Indeed.
Again, from the story:
- Chief Croucher says his only regret was not having his gun with him at the time.
He says he wasn't used to carrying a weapon when off duty, and going out of town.
But, he says he will in the future.
He just hopes Deputy Roberts continues to recover at Miami Valley Hospital.
Hindsight is always clearer, and we would never presume to predict how this tragedy might have turned out had Croucher been armed. However, we hope that Croucher’s poor choice will serve as a lesson to other off-duty police officers, to the various departments that refuse to allow their officers the ability to carry when off-duty, and of course to Ohio citizens in general.
Since the new concealed carry law went into effect an estimated 50,000 people have applied for and received the licenses because they already understand the principle Chief Croucher just learned - "you never know".
Click on the “Read More…” link below for some other examples of why those most at risk should apply for and carry a concealed handgun just for the simple reason..."you never know when an attack might occur".
If you buy house insurance in case of a fire, car insurance in case of a crash, and life insurance in case of a death, then why not obtain a different kind of life insurance as well? Investing time and money to obtain an Ohio CHL to purchase is the insurance that may one day keep you alive...
An 82-year-old Parma man was hospitalized after being attacked by three dogs outside his home, and the animals' owner could face charges. NewsChannel5's Joe Pagonakis reported that the man was watering the flowers near his house Tuesday when he was suddenly knocked over and mauled.
Many neighbors said they heard shooting late Tuesday or early Wednesday but didn’t know if it was coming from the victims’ house. They said they hear shooting often, but it’s usually associated with people who are involved with drugs or violence. [Victims] Chitman and McDonald, they said, were not. “They would never be associated with someone who would do this,” [relative by marriage Joan]Hughes said. “This is a random act of violence, pure and simple.”
A Toledo woman was beaten severely yesterday in her Flory Gardens apartment on Nebraska Avenue near Byrne Road, police said. Rubie Peterson, 75, of 3425 Nebraska, Apt. 73, was in critical condition last night in Medical College of Ohio Hospitals. At 2:14 p.m., residents and maintenance workers found Ms. Peterson unconscious in her apartment with what appeared to be a severe trauma to her head, police said. An air conditioning unit was found pushed in, leaving a hole in her apartment window, police said.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation notified the sergeant Tuesday that it had a DNA match on evidence from a rape kit taken from the victim. The woman was getting ready to go to work about 5 a.m. Dec. 3 when she heard a knock at the door and thought it was a neighbor's child, Sergeant Kral said. When she answered, an unknown man forced his way inside and sexually assaulted her, the sergeant said. He then took her car, wallet, and cell phone. The car was later recovered, he said.
Mercer Drive family received a rude awakening early Friday morning only to later learn their intruders had broken into the wrong house. Sheriff Tim Bailey said his office responded to a call at 3:09 a.m. to the Mercer Drive residence. “Apparently four individuals went to the area with the intention of robbing a person known to be involved with drugs except they went to the wrong house,” Bailey said, adding two or three of the individuals, one of them armed, forced their way into the residence and left when they realized it was the wrong house.
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