For every law enforcement officer who makes headlines for using excessive force, there are countless others who exercise incredible restraint because they believe in performing their duties by the book. Oklahoma state trooper Betsy Randolph falls into the latter category.
In 2010, Randolph stopped Alton Nolen – the man accused of beheading a co-worker and attacking another at a Moore, Okla., food-processing plant – for having what appeared to be a fake vehicle tag. When she learned that Nolen had outstanding warrants, she tried to arrest him, but Nolen attacked her and got away.
Law enforcement officials arrested Nolen 12 hours after the encounter with Randolph.
Of course it was impossible for Randolph to know that Nolen would commit such a horrific act of workplace violence four years after he assaulted her. Still, in the wake of Nolen’s alleged workplace attack, Randolph has told several reporters that she wishes she would’ve killed the man when she had the chance.