Target identification is not a factor in police training?

[Streck-Fu]

After the multiple shootings on people NOT Dorner during that chase in California and now, in Boston, some police shot at fellow officers after a false report that the suspect stole a police SUV, it seems this establishes a trend of failing to ID targets before pressing the happy button.

LINK (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57581136/boston-marathon-manhunt-looking-back-through-the-fog-of-war/)

Another false report put out over the police radio said that the suspects had stolen a state police SUV.

The police radio dispatcher advised, "Lots of shots being fired, stolen SUV from state police, copy, stolen SUV from state police." The false report led to officers firing on a Massachusetts State Police SUV that was occupied by another police officer and an FBI agent. No one was hurt but the origin of the false report remains a mystery.

I would expect, especially with police vehicles, they would want to be especially certain of the occupants before firing....WTF? I guess the bright side is that they haven't actually hit many of the non-suspect targets and no one died.

[mark46th]

Mis-identifying the target just cost the City of Los Angeles $4.2 Million....

[Surgicalcric]

Idiots.

[monsterhunter]

My guess is it comes down to three things: Lowering a standard so "everybody" can become a police officer, lack of training due to budget cuts (worsened by "everybody" making it into significant positions within departments and even in charge of some training), and idiots (which brings me back to "everybody"). There will always be the ones who fall through the cracks, but I've become more disheartened with what I've been seeing lately.

[The Reaper]

We tried to convince Police Departments that flashlights and training in how to use them to ID targets before opening up on them like Elmer Fudd in duck hunting season would be cheaper than paying off the lawsuits.

We got no takers.

TR