Seattle Bank Teller Loses Job After Thwarting Heist

STORY

A disclaimer before I bitch about this story: I think this guy is an idiot. From the story:

Nicholson, who could not be reached for comment Monday, told The Seattle Times it wasn't the first time he had pursued a thief, citing past experiences with shoplifters at retail jobs in New York and California.

"It's something I almost look forward to," Nicholson said. "It's a thrill and I'm an adrenaline-junkie person. It's the pursuit."

Basically it sounds like he wants to be Batman or he's in the wrong profession entirely. He could have gotten people killed for his "thrill" and deserves to be fired.

HOWEVER, the police quote in the story really pisses me off.

Seattle Police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb:

"It really doesn't matter if you're a bank teller or a citizen walking down the street. Generally speaking, it's best to be a good witness," Whitcomb told FOXNews.com. "And quite honestly, this is also true for people who are off-duty police officers too."

In the event of a crime in progress, Whitcomb urged citizens to get a description of the suspect, especially of his or her clothing.

"It's best to help the people who are on duty, to help them catch the person," he said. "There's just so many bad people out there and there's so many variables."

Just days before the bank incident, Whitcomb said a clerk at a local convenience store in Seattle was killed when he tried to stop an armed robbery in progress.

"Would that have happened if the clerk just let the guy take the cash? I don't know," Whitcomb said.

Because Law Enforcement doesn't ever want to stop something bad from happening, they just care about catching the criminal afterward. It's safer for everyone EXCEPT THE VICTIM. So, if I am walking down the street and see a guy beating an old lady for her purse, I am supposed to make a mental note of what he looks like and let him do whatever he wants to the old lady. Then, after she dies from her injuries, I can point the police to the guy who did it so he can be punished. I'm sure the old lady is very grateful. No, wait, she's dead.

Serve and protect my ass.