Current Events > Three cops watched as man drowned in Tempe lake

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/e2-80-98i-e2-80-99m-not-jumping-in-after-you-e2-80-99-man-drowns-as-police-watch-at-arizona-town-lake/ar-AAY6Fxh?

34-year-old man who jumped in Tempe Town Lake to evade police drowned as three officers watched but failed to help, an Arizona police transcript shows.

Im not jumping in after you, an officer tells the man in a partial police transcript provided to Arizonas Family and other news outlets, advising him to swim to a nearby pylon.

Please help me, the man begs, according to the transcript. Please please please.

Sean Bickings drowned in the incident on Saturday, May 28, a Tempe city news release reported.
The three police officers involved are on non-disciplinary suspension as an investigation continues, the release said.

Police responded to reports of a fight between Bickings and his wife at 5 a.m. local time, the release said. The couple cooperated and denied any altercation had taken place.

Officers told the couple they were going to search police records for any warrants, and Bickings climbed over a 4-foot railing into the lake, the release said.

Police told him he was not allowed to swim in the lake, but Bickings swam 30 to 40 yards before beginning to struggle, according to the release.

An officer asks him, So whats your plan right now? and Bickings replies, Im going to drown. Im going to drown, the police transcript said.

The officer tells him hes not drowning and suggests he swim to a pylon. Bickings says he cant and pleads for help as the officers discuss calling for a boat.

His wife asks them to save Bickings and officers advise her to encourage him to swim to shore. An officer tells her that if she doesnt calm down, hell put her in his patrol car.

Im just distraught because hes drowning right in front of you and you wont help, she says. The officers continued arguing with her after Bickings went under, the transcript shows.'

One officer told his wife: The officer is going to get the boat right now, according to the transcript.
Bickings did not resurface, Tempe officials said in the release. His body was later recovered from the lake.

Yeah, i'd be pretty unsafe to jump in after a guy they were pursuing for domestic assault and then ran from cops. I wouldnt want to be in a vulnerable position treading water so close to that guy.

So its one thing if you don't know how to swim, cause its better for you to not also drown with the victim.

but if you know how to or can assist in another manner then you should do so.

This is careless, reckless disregard for the life of another human being.

I know it's a hivemind thing, but I'm not going to hate on the cops today. lmao.

That's two things officers are afraid of doing

Like you didn't have to stand there and watch. You could've kicked your ass into high gear and gotten the boat at least. >_>

Tappor posted...

That's two things officers are afraid of doing

I mean to be fair, I wouldn't hop in after him either.

But that's because I'm afraid of water deeper than I am tall and I ain't tall

wackyteen posted...

I mean to be fair, I wouldn't hop in after him either.

But that's because I'm afraid of water deeper than I am tall and I ain't tall

Neither would I but I definitely wouldn't have waited so long to call for help either

Why does CE always expect cops to be life guards? They have about 20 lbs of equipment strapped to them and are not trained to pull someone lashing around frantically out of water. They could drown themselves.

This isn't the first time you guys have posted this type of story as some sort of "Gotcha!" moment.

An officer asks him, So whats your plan right now? and Bickings replies, Im going to drown. Im going to drown, the police transcript said.

Lmao.

This one is fair next.

Serve? Nope.
Protect? Not feelin' it.

-_-

WarfireX posted...

Why does CE always expect cops to be life guards? They have about 20 lbs of equipment strapped to them and are not trained to pull someone lashing around frantically out of water. They could drown themselves.

This isn't the first time you guys have posted this type of story as some sort of "Gotcha!" moment.

It'd been one thing if they had told him "Hey, we can't go in after you"

Standing there basically taunting him is different than being straight with the guy

Too lazy to read the story lol, but drowning victims are very dangerous because they panick and grab on and overwhelm the 'rescuer' and force them down with them. Unless you have proper equipment like a floation device (lifesaver, rescue tube, etc.) or a boat or something, it's crazy dangerous and foolish to go after a drowning victim without that >_> That's what I was taught as a lifeguard

Maricopa County police are trash, but this is a fair next.

NeonOctopus posted...

Drowning victims are very dangerous because they panick and grab on and overwhelm the 'rescuer' and force them down with them. Unless you have proper equipment like a floation device (lifesaver, rescue tube, etc.) or a boat or something, it's crazy dangerous and foolish to go after a drowning victim without that >_> That's what I was taught as a lifeguard

Exactly, at absorbing blows in mid-air will still powering up a good shot which requires incredible body awareness and reactivity these reactions are automatic subconscious movements this contact blunts his vertical leap so we adjust by pulling the ball back and arching it over the defender this is unprecedented neurological wiring in such a giant explosive body in front of the defender some of

BignutzisBack posted...

Exactly, at absorbing blows in mid-air will still powering up a good shot which requires incredible body awareness and reactivity these reactions are automatic subconscious movements this contact blunts his vertical leap so we adjust by pulling the ball back and arching it over the defender this is unprecedented neurological wiring in such a giant explosive body in front of the defender some of

..wut

wackyteen posted...

It'd been one thing if they had told him "Hey, we can't go in after you"

Standing there basically taunting him is different than being straight with the guy

most cemen literally cannot comprehend simple shit like this unfortunately

NeonOctopus posted...

Too lazy to read the story lol, but drowning victims are very dangerous because they panick and grab on and overwhelm the 'rescuer' and force them down with them. Unless you have proper equipment like a floation device (lifesaver, rescue tube, etc.) or a boat or something, it's crazy dangerous and foolish to go after a drowning victim without that >_> That's what I was taught as a lifeguard

This happens from time to time where someone fleeing from the cops winds up drowning.

CE always posts the article, and always acts like the cops have a BCD on their rig or something, and can just hop into the water safely and get the person that was resisting arrest out.

BignutzisBack posted...

Exactly, at absorbing blows in mid-air will still powering up a good shot which requires incredible body awareness and reactivity these reactions are automatic subconscious movements this contact blunts his vertical leap so we adjust by pulling the ball back and arching it over the defender this is unprecedented neurological wiring in such a giant explosive body in front of the defender some of

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZLE1WnqYC0

BignutzisBack posted...

Exactly, at absorbing blows in mid-air will still powering up a good shot which requires incredible body awareness and reactivity these reactions are automatic subconscious movements this contact blunts his vertical leap so we adjust by pulling the ball back and arching it over the defender this is unprecedented neurological wiring in such a giant explosive body in front of the defender some of

I didn't think of this, good point!

Dang, well maybe the police should start carrying rope or a rope ladder or something in their vehicles.

I'm having trouble seeing why the police are in any way at fault for this. Guy jumped in himself to try to escape. Police don't exactly carry around flotation devices. It's dangerous to try to swim in after drowning victims without preparations and the proper equipment...they were arranging for a boat to come.

They did what they were obligated to do. Guy did this to himself.

Gobstoppers12 posted...

I'm having trouble seeing why the police are in any way at fault for this. Guy jumped in himself to try to escape. Police don't exactly carry around flotation devices. It's dangerous to try to swim in after drowning victims without preparations and the proper equipment...they were arranging for a boat to come.

They did what they were obligated to do. Guy did this to himself.

Because CE hates cops and thinks that anti-cop topics are a good conversation starter when they are lonely.

No joke I was literally taught that if I get grabbed by someone in the water during a rescue, to dive down and submerge both of us and then push him away. Then swim away from the victim, resurface, reacquire my floatation device and try again and hope he didn't drown from that maneuver lol >_>

wackyteen posted...

This is careless, reckless disregard for the life of another human being.

Cops in a nutshell.

Why'd he try to escape in the water if he couldn't swim?

Police did the right thing.

From just the quotes, seems like they should be punished for treating the situation like a joke, but I would not expect them to have to go in after the guy in that circumstance.

Can't fault the cops on this one

^
This is a dumb post.

They won't need to. Their job isn't in jeopardy since they acted accordingly.

Also, they were getting him a boat.

Yep, running away from cops is still a death sentence, just this time they didn't shoot.

Even as someone trained as a lifeguard, actually doing it is fucking hard. Let alone when dealing with a criminal who would want to escape. Drowning people are terrified and will claw and cling at you and drown you. The few times I've had to ever actually do it were thankfully only in a swimming pool, but doing it out in the open would be a nightmare beyond nightmare.

But regardless, if you don't feel able to assist you immediately call for help. Not argue with people.

WarfireX posted...

Also, they were getting him a boat.

With very little urgency while they stood there and basically mocked the dude and argued with his wife. Also that's entirely on the word of the cops and frankly Maricopa cops are completely untrustworthy.

I'm not seeing why the cops were at fault here. Their language was a bit callous and unprofessional, but if you think you can rescue a drowning person from the middle of a lake, strapped with several kilos worth of equipment no less, from someone running from the law, presumably with warrants, without any sort of flotation device, more fool you.

Taunting a man as he drowns to death is weird as fuck tbh.

Alright, everyone, here's how it works:

The cops aren't expected to dive in after him. My gut reaction here was even that the cops weren't in the wrong.

The cops SHOULD DEFINITELY be judged for making fun of him while he was fucking drowning.

Xatrion posted...

but if you think you can rescue a drowning person from the middle of a lake,

Lifeguards do it all the time.

Kajagogo posted...

Lifeguards do it all the time.

I can't believe this is a real reply <_<

Kajagogo posted...

Lifeguards do it all the time.

..........You're not very bright, are you?
Lifeguards are 1. trained to rescue people from drowning, 2. equipped with a flotation device, and 3. not carrying a load of equipment to weight them down.

All of which you would've gleaned had you read the entirety of my post, which you clearly did not.

NeonOctopus posted...

I can't believe this is a real reply <_<

You better believe it

Officers told the couple they were going to search police records for any warrants, and Bickings climbed over a 4-foot railing into the lake, the release said.

Police told him he was not allowed to swim in the lake, but Bickings swam 30 to 40 yards before beginning to struggle, according to the release.

I know it's kold, but I'm finding it hard to give a shit. This was a stupid game and he won.