Both the Times Union and the Saratogian report today in headlines that teenagers were arrested at Saratoga High School on weapons charges.
In this case that Saratogian went with a more reasonable headline that explained it was a rather mundane BB gun.
While the TU went with the more sinister.
“Saratoga students arrested on weapons charges”
Both stories explain how 3 teenagers in the “crime ridden” Saratoga burg of Geyser Crest were “seen” loading a weapon by an alert neighbor at 2 in the afternoon. They quickly alerted authorities who promptly set up surveillance at the high school and apprehended the teens without incident. Two were charged with a “violation” and the only girl involved was given a free pass but was suspended from school along with the two males. No word yet about how much the Police officers son is enjoying his new toy.
Now I’m not going to defend these three brain challenged youth. Frankly teenagers and BB guns are a bad combination and I only hope their plans for the weapon did not include shooting small animals or their classmates. I also believe the police response was correct and measured, considering that the gun might have been real.
But why do I find the behavior of this neighbor who called the police so creepy. Maybe I’m missing something or these were neighborhood trouble makers but the idea of someone sitting in the Crest all day watching the neighbors just disturbs me.
Maybe it’s just that people are frightened or that deep down they have a great fear of our youth.
But the truth is the kid was 19 and could legally buy and have a BB gun in his trunk. He only broke the law when he pulled onto School grounds.So before anyone uses this as an excuse to bring back the DARE program or augue for a Police Armored car just sit back breath and remember Junior across the street is not going to slit your throat in the night. Or maybe he is?
10 comments:
When did we become such a Nanny-snitch on your neighbor-state where busy bodies are watching everything YOU do?
Talk about Big Brother - no need we now have Big Neighbor!!!
This is far more scary than a few teens with a BB Gun.
There's such animosity toward the police that even people who aren't afraid, and who hate crime, still feel snitching is something good people don't do. Most times it seems to be the role of Drug dealers
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, the agency that establishes federal court sentencing practices, about one-third of drug trafficking prosecutions involve informers' "substantial assistance." That makes them eligible for reduced sentences under otherwise inflexible federal sentencing guidelines.
Some criminal informers who are allowed to remain free commit more crimes; some return to crime after a shortened prison sentence; some frame others, or tell prosecutors what they want to hear.
Hence a backlash -- "Stop Snitching." The slogan appeared in Baltimore about two years ago as the title of an underground DVD featuring threatening, gun-wielding drug dealers and a brief appearance by NBA star and Baltimore native Carmelo Anthony
I give whoever a lot of credit. Maybe there was a crime problem? Maybe they were little delinquents.Maybe the little bastard were shooting up Squirrels? The person should be applauded.
Do cops snitch on other cops?
The short answer no.
But I do.
The neighbor should mind his own damn biz,I know one of these boys personaly,and a "PUNK" he is not!for all you know they were going shooting cans,NOW,they should not have gone on to school property w/ the BB gun in the trunk,that i agree.And the Saratoga PD and school reacted swiftly and IMO did a great job .However lets look at reality here and not expel the students,please look at this particular situation as it is.speak w/ peers of these TEENS,would they do something irrational.I for one don't believe so,was it a stupid mistake ,absolutely,but once again lets look at the real FACTS here and not jump to irrational conclusions>>suspension for a period of time (yes) expulsion in THIS case ,NOT WARRANTED.And yes i have a child in this school district!!
Anon 12:16 PM - The City Court Judge is fair-minded. On the other hand a rifle looks like a rifle and the neighbor would have been remiss in not alerting the authorities - who did their jobs. The guys screwed up but it doesn’t sound like their “crime” will amount to anything more than a good lesson. As a character witness, Write a signed letter to the Court in their behalf.
Where is this strange place you call Geyser Crest?
12:16 - When I was a kid, we always took rifles to school. My Pa threw them in the back of the truck and we shot some rabbits and squirrels for supper on the way home. What could that crazy nosey neighbor have been thinking? From his window, spying on three high school kids putting a rifle into the trunk of their car in the morning on the way to school, just what was he thinking about? It’s not like they were going to church. We’ve all read about campus shootings and school shootings and mall shootings and post office shootings, and come to think of it even, yes even a church shooting but that sort of thing don’t happen here, not in our town, not in Geyser Crest where many of our kids can still hunt and practice target shooting in the woods right behind the glass dining room sliding doors on our houses. No siree, our kids aren’t like those other punky type kids we read about all the time in the dirty city. It will be interesting to read about their side of this dumb story. Heck, they may have only been planning to pop out your car windows later in the evening and practice on a few mailboxes and road signs. Just good ole fashion stupid teenage fun. Like the other blogger said, probably just a real dumb thing to do and then have the misfortune of being caught by a mind-your-own business neighbor. But then, they are young and have years to make sound judgements like those you wrote about in your scathing response. Come to cogitate a bit, thinking about the safety of others could be your business as well as his.
What is it about a village raising its children? Seems like it helps educate its adults once in a while too.
To the perpetrators of this crime: In 1934, you could buy a single shot Remington bolt action, walnut stock, hi-speed 22 caliber rifle for $5.50. You could kill 100 squirrels and no one would care. Today that won’t pay for the BB’s for most air rifles at Wal-Mart. These guns don’t come with those plastic orange tips to alert people that they are just fun toys. These air rifles can shoot out lights and car windows, make noise against traffic signs and blind a few people if the shots were accurate or by ‘accident’.
Maybe putting a real looking but not so real BB gun in a car trunk is not a good idea.
Be apologetic and realize what a mistake this was and hope that the City Court Judge can see through your years and that you’ll grow beyond these adventures of youth.
To the concerned citizen: bake a cake and get over your outrage - it's Valentine's day.
Good for the citizen who called that in. This isn't hunting season. BB guns have orange tips on them so you know that they aren't a high powered rifle. And teenagers putting a gun in a trunk is nothing to make light of. So better to ere on the side of caution.
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