Police risk their lives every day

I am sick and tired of criminals being pitied in this state and in this country. The article on Tasers that you printed is a perfect example (“Weapon of mass discussion,” Sept. 24).

Are you kidding me? A mid-day burglary is committed, where there are witnesses. The perpetrator leaves his wallet at the scene, leaving no doubt that he committed the crime. The perp is on drugs and alcohol, behaving erratically and endangering his life, the lives of our officers, and the citizens of Federal Way — and his lawyer feels sorry for him?

I, for one, do not feel sorry for this man. This man is admittedly a drug user, a criminal and has shown no regard for life and property of others. This man was running on one of our busiest streets in mid-day endangering the citizens — you and me — of Federal Way. Our brave officers struggled in the middle of a busy intersection, endangering their lives to protect us. Do I feel sorry for the fleeing felon high on drugs? No! He is the cause of his own woes, not the police.

I am glad that our officers risk their lives every day keeping our streets safe. I am thankful that they have non-lethal force available to use at their discretion. I am glad that we do not tie their hands thereby freeing the hands of criminals or would-be criminals.

We pay our public safety officers minimal amounts of money to risk the maximum — their lives. We pay them to use their judgment to keep us safe, to defend us from the parasites of society.

On this day, where this perpetrator was fleeing the scene of his crime and resisting arrest, the Taser was deployed a total of five times. These officers were in fear for their lives, according to the court transcript. According to Washington state law, an officer is justified in using deadly force when there is fear for a life due to imminent danger.

This officer certainly would’ve been justified in using force that would have, at least, caused permanent damage, disability or even death. Instead, they exercised judgment and restraint and mercy and saved Rickey Beaver’s life. Why isn’t he thanking them for saving his life? Where is the shame in what he did by breaking into someone’s home and endangering lives of passerbys, himself and the officers on the scene? He’s feigning responsibility for his crime while attempting to steal money out of Federal Way citizens’ pockets by suing the department and these officers. He deserves no money. He deserves no pity. He was already given the gift of a minimal sentence in the mental hospital and is out free to re-offend, if he so chooses.

For now, he seems content to pick pocket through the legal system. I am sick to death of this kind of absurdity happening right under our noses and we do nothing, accepting it as part of our world. I don’t accept it. I do not want my hard-earned taxes that I pay going to criminals who feel sorry for nothing and no one but themselves. Do you? Times are tough and we cannot afford the Rickey Beavers of the world.

I want to publicly thank the City of Federal Way, the Federal Way Police Department, and Officers Dennis Laird and Heather Castro for their relentless pursuit of justice and excellence in our community. Thank you for doing a thankless job. Most of us have no comprehension of what your jobs entail on a day-to-day basis.

At my job, I never have to worry if I won’t come home to my family. I am reasonably sure that I will not be sued for a ridiculous accusation. I will always be home for Christmas, my child’s birthdays, Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, etc.

Thank God that the Federal Way Police Department never takes days off.

Mary Sun

Federal Way