Breaking: Boise Police Department Responds to “Snipers on Rooftop” Question
By Greg Pruett • December 16, 2020UPDATE: Idaho Dispatch received the following email from the Boise Police Department regarding several follow up questions we had about whether they did have rifles and whether or not the BPD had the same type of operations during the summer Black Lives Matter protests. Here is the response we received:
Hi Greg, BPD was aware of threats that came from multiple sources, some were specific, some were vague. BPD had the same police response to many of the large events and protests over the summer. We specifically said tools in the video because we are not providing that specific information.I hope this answers some of your questions.Thank you.
Idaho Dispatch received the following transcript of a video (view video here) Boise Police Department has put out regarding “snipers on the rooftop”:
We have received questions about BPD officers on nearby rooftops during yesterday’s demonstration at Central District Health. As with many large events of all kinds recently, BPD did have trained personnel on rooftops observing for any potential threats to members of the crowd, as well as any potential flashpoints that may arise from any source.
AdvertisementAt no point did officers on roof tops or anywhere else point any weapons at anyone, or even have those tools visible to the crowd. While we recognize that the vast majority of the crowd at CDH yesterday was peaceful, any large, emotionally charged event, has the potential to attract conflict or lead to conflict. We have an obligation to keep people safe and to have the necessary resources on scene to respond to any situation. The officers on the roof were there to look for any potential threats and to keep the people on the ground safe.
BPD’s response to yesterday’s event matches our response to many other large events. As we have all seen too many times, large events across the country, including one in Olympia, Washington, have turned violent, with citizens being shot by citizens. In addition to potential threats, BPD was aware of actual threats of violence yesterday. As many have pointed out, though some at the event may not have even seen, there were citizens in the crowd who were heavily armed.
Again, while we can hope they are just exercising their second amendment rights, we have to be prepared for any eventuality. We as the police, do not stop people from exercising any of their constitutional rights, including 2nd amendment rights. We are there to ensure peoples’ rights are maintained, including if they choose to bring and carry firearms to a public event like this. It becomes illegal if someone uses that firearm to directly threaten or harm someone, at which point we would certainly take appropriate action to protect all who are there, including the protestors, families, children, board members and officers present.
AdvertisementI hope this explanation will help those of all different viewpoints better understand some of the reasons we at the Boise Police Department take the steps we do to ensure public safety in a variety of ways and situations within our City.
Idaho Dispatch did send a follow-up question about what the “actual” threats of violence were if they were allowed to be disclosed. We will update this article if that information becomes public.
What do you think of the Boise Police Department’s response? Let us know in the comments below!
Tags: Boise, Boise Police Department, Central District Health
37 thoughts on “Breaking: Boise Police Department Responds to “Snipers on Rooftop” Question”
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Total over kill. Embarrassment and manipulating fear. There were kids.
So, did they or didn’t they have long rifles on the roof ?
Sure sounds like they did.
Yes they did.
Time to defund Boise PD and build up the Sheriff Dept..
Great comment Amber
Deputize the police!
I have heard this gathering called “a peaceful prayer protest”. There were armed individuals in the crowd (as usual for Idaho). The police have every right to protect themselves. I find it absolutely laughable that this crowd brandishing weapons and of course waving Trump flags got upset that someone else had a gun, too. This is Idaho. EVERYONE has a gun.
What evidence can you offer of ‘brandishing weapons’? I would love to be let in on that if you can. Any photos, or any other evidence at all? Of course there were people there who were legally armed. It is our constitutional right here in Idaho to be so armed. So is that the reason the mayor’s private forces should be prepared to kill peaceful prayer meetings or protests?
I am glad that the police did their duty. I am also glad that good citizens did, and were allowed to carry out their second amendment rights to peacefully carry firearms. I am also glad that the event was able to be conducted peacefully….
Good job Boise P.D.
That being said did they have “Snipers” on the roof for the BLM/Anitfa demonstrations? The answer would be NO they didn’t. I pro police but only the good ones, “I was just following orders isn’t an excuse” it didn’t work for the Nazi’s and it won’t work for them when the dust falls. They where on the roof for intimidation that is all.
Do you have confirmed factual info that BPD did NOT overlook that event and have ‘tools’ with them ? Or is this hypothetical emotion ?
How is it you know the purpose? They had no problem with the protest and the lawful carrying of weapons. If someone decides to act outside the law I do not want a toothless police department watching as people are randomly shot by some instigator.
Then people made up the “sniper” part?? You guys are really siding with the wrong players here. What will come if it when your next order from the mayor is to fire on the crowd?? Will that just be an exercise too?? Many of us in public work jobs have walked away rather than support what they are doing to our state and nation. Maybe you all should consider this.
Next time will the BPD have bigger weapons and helicopters with actual automatic assaults’ rifles and hand grenades, tear gas and other such military grade armaments? the previous protest was so peaceful that the BPD and the mayor felt they needed to escalate to this degree? This is what happens when we get a Portland retread of a police chief.
They had anything they’d need at their fingertips up on that roof. They were using binoculars and of course had weapons. Yeah, maybe they weren’t pointing them…but as the peaceful, law-abiding, praying good citizens of Ada County were there to protest further mandates and restrictions, rooftop snipers were somehow deemed justifiable ? Crazy!
The previous protests had zero violence– the media lied through their fingertips in printing such bogus statements. The ppl attending these events are simply good citizens letting CDH and other officials know that they have GONE TOO FAR and we aren’t going to sit by and let them harm more hard working small businesses. They have all endured so much expense cooperating with all the restrictions as it is. Most of them are barely hanging on.
Tell BPD to save their money and show up when needed…BLM, Antifa events, etc.
Very sad … How many times have God fearing, Liberty loving ppl and families shown up to these Health District meeting to protest? How many times has there been any violence, any burning or vandalism? NONE!!!
Yes here in Idaho we carry guns it’s our right. You don’t like it leave!
The level of police and snipers didn’t match any previous protest at our health district buildings. Plan and simple the “ Boise Mayor and her representatives” don’t agree with ppl that don’t align with their agendas!
For the BP chief to say, they were there for any anticipated problems … BS
track record shows none
How many times have God fearing, liberty loving people and families felt the need show up to these Health District meeting to protest? Why are we all so distrustful of authorities now that Socialists have been inserted into our city council?
It has been reported that mayor Mclean has become incontinent since the people of Boise have caught on to her Marxist agenda. Please drop a box of Depends at her doorstep this Holiday Season to show your concern.
Having snipers on the roof was very intimidating and beneath you. These are law abiding families who have found no other avenue to get their voice heard. These “Health districts” are unelected and therefore don’t care about what the people think. We write and they don’t answer. We call and they don’t call back. They only represent one side during their meetings. Yesterday one person said most of the mail they received was mostly for masks while others said just the opposite, so someone is lying. We have tried everything at our disposal so coming to our public buildings to protest is within our rights. For our police to have such a huge display of force looks like it’s meant to intimidate…not encourage public discourse.
I was wondering about the drones that were present. What was the purpose in that? Drones and snipers together really are overkill.
“…with citizens being shot by citizens.” See that’s just wrong! If there’s any citizen shooting to be done, leave it to us, we have the most experience.
Sincerely,
Cops
Oh, I have to agree with this bit of irony! Like the UPS driver who was hijacked his first day. The cops, with total concern for their safety, surrounded and trapped multiple civilian vehicles on the road around the UPS truck and fired indiscriminately, spray and prey. Until they killed the hostage UPS driver and wounded everyone else. NO ATTEMPT to negotiate! Many more examples! That attitude needs to go back to cali, we don’t want another Jack Yantis or Ruby Ridge here!!! I am much safer, surrounded by armed citizens! We need the old school policing back, when cops were dependent on their community.
The establishment is not very smart(surprise surprise) as showing this display of force will only backfire once anyone watches the raw footage from the people there vs what they see on the tell lie vision. And sniper or no sniper weapon or no weapon the fact that someone was placed on the roof can only be a sign of intimidation on top of the barricades, yellow “crime scene” tape, hundreds of “law enforcement” officers. Wonder if they can even watched themselves all lined up in black, faceless, lacking humanity. Next time we should offer them cookies and hot chocolate to see if they even acknowledge kind human gestures. Disgusting display by the establishment amidst a beautiful display grandparents, kids, dads, moms with babies in strollers singing in the cold snowy weather. This group gives me hope for humanity.
Personally, I’m glad they were up yonder overlooking the event, as they do with EVERY event. BPD explanation was professional and concise.
Many are failing to accept the fact that ‘outsiders’ posing as ‘insiders’ WILL and ARE integrating into our peaceful ‘demonstrations’ with the sole purpose of instigating violence to appear it’s coming from us. With BPD in full view, it no doubt has a bearing on IF and WHEN the instigations take place.
I welcome our LE’s. It’s top leadership I have issues with.
There were about 40 officers guarding the CDH building at the protest, Boise police department and Idaho State patrol. That was a ridiculous show of force for a peaceful protest. I interpreted it as Mayor McLean and Governor Little trying to intimidate and bully the people who oppose their radical, harmful COVID agenda.
Boise Police should feel ashamed! Many children asking questions and confused by how they acted and what they saw! Seriously!!!!! What is wrong with you? You damn well new the crowd, you KNEW it was never violent. The only violence to be seen was the extreme measures to intimidate from BPD. Never was there that strong emotion from the police for the crowd of BLM or Antifa. SMH
But the difference between our protests, trying to force our Officials to listen to us pesky tax payers, and the BLM/ANTIFA protests is,
We are not looking to damage public/private property or destroy our culture or Constitution. BLM/ANTIFA and most of our Officials… are.
You know how easy it would be to put a operative in a crowd like that? Someone who doesn’t have the best interests of the crowd. Someone who they would later use to say the whole crowd was guilty. I can see why they brought guns and I don’t blame them.
Don’t live in fear, that’s how they control you. Bringing guns is not the issue, it’s the unbalanced show of force, preventing taxpayers from being physically present to oppose what is being done to them. And the attempt to paint one protest as unreasonable and potentially violent. While the other’s violence and intimidation is downplayed and excused.
This deployment was a decision of the Chief and the Mayor. Any consternation should be directed at them. Ask yourself, “who benefits from this”? I know for a fact (because I used to be an officer) they do not want to be there any more than you want them there. I suspect there is internal decent among the officers and leadership about these issues. The line officers do not want to create a rift between them and the community. I would guess that the vast majority believe the mask requirements are simply a joke just like we do. They do NOT want to become the mask police and dare to say they are embarrassed to be put in this situation. There are going to be issues that will arise in the future when officers will have to make some very hard decisions.
Yes every big rally that happens in Boise has snipers on the roofs especially at the capital, this happened back at the tea party marches till now if this is the first time you’ve noticed it’s because they were closer due to terrain.
Imagine som radical Marxist bringing his long gun and unloading in the crowd. Also the officers have a right to carry any gun they want to any time anywhere. You’ll know there’s a problem if we the people have to post counter snipers.
Final note the officers are standing behind crime scene tape, that’s probably tacit acknowledgement that they know that criminal violations of open meeting laws etc. Were happening inside.
Hey Boiseans, are you enjoying our new Portland Puppet Police Chief? Princess Lauren handpicked him. I wonder why?
Dictator Little and CDH is using the Boise Corporate Security/police department as their own private army. These private contractors have violated their oath to the Constitution by enforcing unlawful orders just to collect their pay check. They are no different than the sellouts in Natzi Germany who later on became the SS.
I have lived here for some 30 years and ‘overkill” in police responses has been the norm, so this does not surprise me at all.
HowAmericaFell.com
The mayor must be removed by force. Now that we see what is being done with the voting machines we can understand how a marxist revolutionary like this was installed in a place like Boise, and why she went to Portland of all places to find a police chief corrupt and compromised enough. They should both be dragged from their offices.
If we could trust the police force, and there were a legitamate threat, then this type of potential force is a completely different story. However, they work for a deranged communist mayor, have a portlandia import for a chief, and had force present at a peaceful, mostly family style demonstration that harkens back to some very nasty people in the 1930’s ….. I never thought I’d say this, but it almost makes sense to “defund” these police and remove the mayor’s private brown shirts.