“No, it’s not. As a free human being, my life is mine to decide what to do with it.”
If I see someone trying to run into a burning building I am going to try to stop them, because I have a human obligation to try to save their life.
“If I decide to risk it to safe my child, that is my decision to make.”
And I have an obligation to try to stop you.
“I don’t need any nanny-state power-tripping control freak deciding for me.”
Ok, so let me ask you something then. You see someone on a bridge and it looks like he’s going to jump. Do you get out and try to save his life, or do you drive away and carry on with your day?
“My son is my responsibility. I am not yours”
Yes, you are my responsibility if I see you trying to run into a burning building and I am in a position to intervene. Again, I have an obligation as a human being to try to save your life.
“I neither want nor need your ‘protection.’ “
Well, tough beans. You’ve got it.
“As a grown adult, you are not responsible for my actions.”
Actually, that is not true here - the police officer is responsible if he lets you run into the building. This is negligence on his part because it is his job to keep the building secure and keep people from running into it and dying.
So, not only does he have a human obligation to save your life, he has a professional obligation to keep you out of the building.
“Once again, it is not your place to ‘allow’ me to risk my life.”
It’s my obligation as the police officer to keep everyone out. This includes you.
I sincerely doubt that C.S. Lewis would countenance letting someone kill themselves. I have an obligation to try to save your life if I see you rushing into a burning building.
And the father saw it as his obligation to try to save his child's life. Where do you get off deciding that your obligation, to a person in general, is greater than that person's obligation to their child?
Well, tough beans. You’ve got it.
You need to remember for whom you work. A little more 'Serve' and a little less 'rule' is in order. For you and 98% of the folks in your job
This is negligence on his part because it is his job to keep the building secure
'The building?' When did I lose my private property rights? It's not your building.
Do you get out and try to save his life, or do you drive away and carry on with your day?
Let me ask you a question. If you incur a certain amount of risk in trying to save his life by going out on the bridge with him, who decides if the risk is warranted? You, or Big Brother? Same thing here. Who decides whether the risk was warranted? The father, not you. As a police officer, you have no extra-citizen power or control. If I couldn't tazer the guy, and I couldn't, neither can you.