With all due respect, your original comment, as well as my reply, were not directed at this story in particular. It was in reference to why police are acting the way they are across the country. You surmised that they do these things because of the danger they face. I merely replied that was a danger they needed to face to ensure American citizens their rights.
You seem to note that these people are not citizens due to the fact that they have allegedly committed a crime. That seems very odd to me, unless I missed that these people were illegal aliens. If this is the case, I agree and they have no rights as American citizens.
Next you seem to insinuate I find it admirable to be killed in the line of duty. I do not. I do find it admirable to be able to do your job without the quick use of a gun as an intimidation multiplier. In the days of old, it was not taught to use your weapon as a intimidation multiplier. As a matter of fact it was frowned upon.
You see, what they realized, and what we seem to forget, is that if you use the weapon as intimidation multiplier, and the perp still does not do what you ask, what is your next step? You have painted yourself into a corner. The next and only step, after this ramping of intimidation level, is to shoot the person. This is why this was not taught. The only time your gun was drawn was to fire. You say old west, I say historical training.
I know many who lived this life and worked these beats in the old days, and being a kid, the best part to talk about was the service revolver and situations when they used it. I was very surprised at how little they had used them. Whether it be a joy rider, a drunk driver, or a gang of ruffians, nothing seemed to be worthy of drawing their weapon. As a matter of fact, it seemed to be a source of pride in the things they accomplished without the sidearm use. Of course being young and curious I would always ask why? Tell them, that if it were me, I’d have that gun out 24-7. They very quickly taught me something, something that has stuck with me ever since.
They told me, not only would you be scaring the crap out of every grandma you came in contact with, but more importantly you would be trampling the rights of every American. If you allow the criminals to dictate how you treat the rights of Americans, then we have all lost.
As I got older, and times changed, many times conversations would turn to recent police events. Many (at least while they still were alive) were surprised and dismayed by how quickly weapons were being drawn in altercations, and how it was to the detrement to all those involved. Not only did the citizen have a gun pointed at them, but the officers had essentially wasted all of their intimidation multipliers along the way. Straight from verbal to end of the line, gun drawn. And it is important to remember there is only one step after that, and that is firing the weapon.
Those guys were a different breed, one to be looked up to and respected. Respect that was earned in the fire and crucible of the real world. And they did it without many of the tactics we see in use today. And yes, many were injured and some of them died. But they did so upholding the code (not this thin blue line stuff, which seems to serve as a division between us and them, something the old timers worked very hard to make sure did NOT happen). I would love to see more of those type men in service today.
Hope this helps with my position, and I know it is not a popular one in this day and age. I understand where you are coming from, and I thank you for your service to our country. Have a good day.
“…..they have no rights as American citizens.”
They do, but they also have responsibilities. Please read post number 30 as it’s timeline posted is a perfect answer to the questions.
Refusing to stop for police or evading a police officer is the criminal act of not stopping when told to by a police officer. It is punishable by fine, jail, or both in most states.
If an office comes across a situation with anyone capable of firing a gun, and is hidden and shielded by children, the only terms they can use is weapon intimidation. Trying to talk them gently out of the car can get you, or them, killed. People many times only understand that if they can be harmed more than they want, make decisions. Some gamble, some take the way out with suicide which could easily have harmed the kids. The only thing the police officers had with a fleeing criminal that is refusing to readily work with them, and to protect the public, is intimidation. Otherwise anyone in the area is threatened. And I’ll say it again, once it was determined the woman in the car was not a threat, the need for that intimidation was gone and the weapons were lowered.
You talk about the old police and how they may have handled the threat of a gun, historically, you may not be aware of some of the actions by people and communities. In the old days, it was perfectly legal to cross the street and blow the back of the head out of the guy that threatened you with a gun yesterday. Famous people like Wyatt Earp used their weapons for safety and security by intimidation as they were outnumbered and outgunned. He had shot guns scattered all over town so he could run to one for protection or his duties as a town marshal. And bad a$$ lawmen kept the riff raff in line to protect the town. Bill Hickok was supposedly the best with a side gun and he used it often. But people in his towns behaved themselves because of that intimidation. It even went as far as requiring visitors, upon entering town to disarm, either at a hotel or a lawman’s office. Residents of many famed cattle towns, such as Dodge City, Abilene, and Deadwood, had similar restrictions.
If that police officer was perfectly sure there was no threat from the passengers of the car, one that had committed a crime and fled from arresting officers two ways, do you think he would have pulled it without reason? If he had, he should be brought up before a board and discharged at the minimum. But it isn’t their job to die anymore than kill. Both are a last resort.
Killing someone is not fun unless you are mentally deficient. Been there, done that, hated it. But in many cases it’s all you’ve got other than what could only be considered suicide.
rwood