Brickbat: It Had Wheels. That's Close Enough

Aurora, Colorado, police officers ordered at gunpoint a mother and her children out of the SUV the woman was driving, made them lie down on the pavement and handcuffed them after mistaking her vehicle for a motorcycle reported stolen in another state. Police Chief Vanessa Wilson blamed the error on a license plate scanner that hit on the vehicle's license plate number. Wilson did not explain why officers did not confirm the description of the vehicle before pulling it over and detaining the family. "We have been training our officers that when they contact a suspected stolen car, they should do what is called a high-risk stop. This involves drawing their weapons and ordering all occupants to exit the car and lie prone on the ground," she said. Wilson said she has apologized to the family and spoken to the division chief about better training for officers on detaining children.