Even a cop joins in the looting

[Brightmore]

Mike Perlstein and Brian Thevenot
Staff writers

Law enforcement efforts to contain the emergency left by Katrina slipped into chaos in parts of New Orleans Tuesday with some police officers and firefighters joining looters in picking stores clean.

At the Wal-Mart on Tchoupitoulas Street, an initial effort to hand out provisions to stranded citizens quickly disintegrated into mass looting. Authorities at the scene said bedlam erupted after the giveaway was announced over the radio.

While many people carried out food and essential supplies, others cleared out jewelry racks and carted out computers, TVs and appliances on handtrucks.

Some officers joined in taking whatever they could, including one New Orleans cop who loaded a shopping cart with a compact computer and a 27-inch flat screen television.

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_08.html#075195

[johnnie]

1. Heh

Let's see the outpouring of "love" for the cops now.

[SofaKingLiberal]

5. One bad apple......, at least as far as idiots are concerned

[SteppingRazor]

2. Given that 20 years ago the NOPD was a murder-for-hire ring...

This is actually an improvement :evilgrin:

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. If you can't beat 'em join 'em.

[Mutley]

4. That's nice.

I'm sure that computer was needed for survival. :eyes:

[johnnie]

10. Yeah

Here is another guy getting much needed supplies:

[Mutley]

17. I honestly don't have a problem with the people who

ARE getting much needed supplies, but this man and anyone else stealing shit they don't need is disgusting.

[notadmblnd]

20. I'm not here to say what these people are doing is right or wrong

but is it better for this stuff to sit on the shelves and be lost to the floods? Even if it is beer.. isn't drinking that better than what water they have right now?

Another thing I find myself wondering is.. what about these big ticket items? where are people taking them, the city is filling up with water.. there is no electricty.. it's not like these people can go home and use this stuff. they can't put it on the back of a truck and sell it. 80% of the city have evacuated only the poor are left.. Who's gonna buy it?

[Zhade]

22. Someone in another thread mentioned beer as a water-replacement...

Said it was an efficient way to stretch the water, and if the water all around is toxic, even I'D drink the beer (and I hate the taste of beer)!

[Mutley]

25. See post 24.

Alcohol dehydrates. That man would be better off drinking nothing at all.

[Zhade]

27. I wondered about the hydration thing.

NT!

[Mutley]

24. Alcohol will actually dehydrate that man.

One of the biggest reasons why people get hungover is because they are dehydrated from the alcohol. That's why drinking a glass of water between every alcoholic drink will virtually eliminate hangovers. NOTHING at all is better than drinking that beer.

And my main reason for being angry with the real looters (as opposed to the people looking for real supplies) is that they are attracting and INVITING the cops to shoot them and anyone who just wants some food, or some freaking aspirin or something.

[AmyDeLune]

28. I've been thinking the same thing.

What are they going to do with electronics and jewelry in a flooded city with no electricity, no transportation, and no buyers?

[progressivebydesign]

30. They're ALL stealing shit they don't need...

It's not about food or diapers. It's money, liquor, electronics, and anything not nailed down. Looting is wrong.

[blondeatlast]

32. Looks like beer to me--if it brings a bit of pleasure into an otherwise

crappy fucking day, I don't even begrudge him that much.

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Yeah, maybe he couldn't find any fresh water to drink, ya think?

:shrug:

[johnnie]

26. True

Or maybe he wanted beer. :shrug:

[bicentennial_baby]

6. fucking pigs

and i mean that in both senses... :mad:

[WI_DEM]

7. Well the New Orleons Police Dept doesn't have the greatest

reputation.

[mountainvue]

8. Couldn't have happened to a nicer company.

They've made their millions off the backs of poor people.

[Igel]

16. That's what they get for their evil, pernicious ways.

"...an initial effort to hand out provisions to stranded citizens quickly disintegrated into mass looting."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

19. Yeah...

Whatever you think about Wal-Mart they were kind enough to give stuff away to those in dire need and it descended into chaos with cops leading it....

Don't these people have any fucking self esteem...

[redqueen]

9. Does anyone else agree that this is being played up more this time?

Looting happens in every disaster... even some non-disasters, such as after riots occurring after sports events, for goodness' sake.

Has it ever been made out to be such a large part of the bigger story?

[Brightmore]

When was the last time martial law was declared?

Seems pretty serious.

[Poll_Blind]

11. I lived there for 13 years, that's New Orleans

My brother used to tell me how a policeman stepped on his hand during Mardi Gras (my brother would have been under 10, then) to get him to give up a doubloon thrown from a float. It can be pretty harsh there.

PB

[LunaSea]

12. Its the GOP way......

Graqb it and run!

[KittyWampus]

13. same thing happened 9/11. underground, firemen & emergency workers

stole money, jewelry etc.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. yep

http://www.wnbc.com/news/1793079/detail.html

[benburch]

14. I hope they bust him BIG TIME.

What a horrible example.

[Sgent]

15. NOLA Cops

have an unbelievable reputation for crowd control -- possibly one of the best in the world, and regulary conduct training for most other police depts.

NOLA Cops (and polititions) also have an unbelievable reputation for corruption. This looting by cops surprises no one.

[sniffa]

18. WHAT!!?

:wow:

:rofl:


:wow:

:scared:

[progressivebydesign]

29. I see. Non cops loot and it's okey dokey here... but...

DU is becoming a cartoon of itself. It's so predictable. Earlier folks here were lauding the looters, implying that they somehow deserved the stolen goods because they are poor. A cop does it and now it's not good.

For everyone that felt the need to describe the looting as simple food foraging, I give you this from an AP article:

<<Looting became a problem in both Biloxi and in New Orleans, in some cases in full view of police and National Guardsmen.

On New Orleans' Canal Street, which actually resembled a canal, dozens of looters ripped open the steel gates on clothing and jewelry stores, some packing plastic garbage cans with loot to float down the street. One man, who had about 10 pairs of jeans draped over his left arm, was asked if he was salvaging things from his store.

"No," the man shouted, "that's EVERYBODY'S store!"

Outside the broken shells of Biloxi's casinos, people picked through slot machines to see if they still contained coins. "People are just casually walking in and filling up garbage bags and walking off like they're Santa Claus," said Marty Desei, owner of a Super 8 motel.>>

[distantearlywarning]

31. Don't you see?

That poor cop was just looking for food! That TV in his cart? Oh, well, that was just his due - he doesn't make a large enough salary. He was just justifiably sticking it to the rich people. It's ok for him to steal from random others if he feels oppressed.

You should have realized by now after a day of posts by all these incredibly knowledgeable DUers that EVERY looter is not only stealing important life sustaining supplies, but are completely justified in stealing anything else that isn't a life sustaining supply because they are angry with their position in life. Jeez. Get with the program, man.

:sarcasm: