Quote:
Originally Posted by wittynickname
Every single situation is dramatically different. An officer should never approach two separate circumstances with one blanket reaction. They should be trained well enough to use their skills of observation and deduction to determine the level of threat and react accordingly.
Why is this so hard to understand? No one wants to disarm the police entirely. No one wants to disband all police forces. No one wants police to die unnecessarily.
But I also don't want civilians to die unnecessarily. I don't want officers abusing their power. I want a system in place where there is some way to ensure that officers are using their power properly. None of this is radical thinking, I don't understand all the arguments.
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I think that this is where the disconnect lies, though. They generally are following their training (like it or not)but the problem is they start at the top and work backwards as things are proven. Don't know if the suspect has a gun? Assume he does until you know otherwise. Don't know if there's a knife? Assume there could be, until proven otherwise. Don't know if the guy is a black belt in 5 different forms of martial arts? Assume he is until otherwise proven. No gun? Great, step down a response level. No melee weapons? Great, step down another response level. Keep proceeding until the situation is resolved.
But folks seem to be thinking that they should start at the bottom, and work their way up. Assume the person can't do anything or has anything on them until it's proven that they do. Sadly, given how fast most weapons work, this really is 'backwards', unsafe thinking that, if the suspect has a weapon they intend to use, will more likely than not get the officer killed.
So while every situation IS different, it's approached as if the people involved have guns, knives and black belts and are willing to use them until proven otherwise. To do otherwise is unsafe and unwise for all involved.
(This part got cut off, for some reason)
Quote:
A guy walking through Walmart with a bb gun he picked up on the shelf--walk in and observe him, assess that he isn't a threat, move on with your life.
An idiot wanting to be cute and dancing around an officer--roll your eyes, chuckle at him and walk away.
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How do police know he got it off the shelf? Is it loaded? You realize you can actually kill with a bb gun, right? How do you KNOW, for certain, that he's not a threat?
Dancing idiot. roll your eyes, chuckle, turn to walk away...and he pulls out a gun and shoots you in the back or a knife which he attacks you from behind with.
Thing is, most folks don't think like that, they don't HAVE to, but Police do. Or if you don't, you highly risk going home in a box.