Posted on 05/08/2008 6:30:26 PM PDT by neverdem
New York City police officers fire their weapons far less often than they did a decade ago, a statistic that has dropped along with the crime rate. But when they do fire, even at an armed suspect, there is often no one returning fire at the officers. Officers hit their targets roughly 34 percent of the time.
When they fire at dogs, roughly 55 percent of shots hit home. Most of their targets are pit bulls, with a smattering of Rottweilers and German shepherds.
Officers’ guns go off unintentionally or by accident for a variety of reasons: wrestling with suspects, cleaning the weapons, leaning on holsters — even once, in 1996, when a gun was put in an oven for safekeeping.
While the drop in police shootings was already clear, the details were among the myriad facts included in 11 years’ worth of annual New York Police Department firearms-discharge reports that were, without fanfare, handed over to the City Council this week and earlier to the New York Civil Liberties Union.
Both groups have been examining the department’s methods of stopping and arresting suspects, sometimes for possession of illegal guns.
The reports cover the years 1996 to 2006, and are used as a training tool and to help officials develop “lesson plans.”
“Patterns and possible hazards are identified” from the statistics, the report adds.
Over all, the numbers show that the department’s use of deadly force has decreased along with the city’s historic drop in crime, and the drop in threats against police officers.
Picked apart closely, the reports provide a remarkable portrait of how the nation’s largest police force, with 36,000 officers, uses its guns. Every shot, from gunfight to accident to suicide, both on and off-duty, is accounted for...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I’m not a fan of concentrations of power, and I’ve known police to do some pretty rotten things. On the other hand, I trust the NYT even less; and NYPD are far and away some of the most professional and skilled at dealing with people. Come on, being a cop in this city? It must take a very special kind indeed.
If you listen to what an officer tells you to do, you will not get shot.
Anybody with a search engine and a few minutes can prove that to be fantasy. I don't need to spend another moment convincing you of it, however.
Libertarian ping! To be added or removed freepmail me or post a message here.
Don't bet your life on it.
Correct. They won't shoot you.
They like to tase you these days.
It's more jollies for them, watching you jerk around and wet yourself.
Best bet is to not move ~ say nothing ~
Don’t bet your life on it.
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You certainly are if you don’t listen.
Listen to what?
The sound of my front door shattering?
The obscenity-laced shouted conflicting orders from the hooded armed thugs coming through my door shooting my pets?
What?
GOP To Poll In The 13th (C.D., NY)
John Gambling, Back at WOR in NYC, Scoffs at Imus
FReepmail me if you want on or off my New York ping list.
I guess either NYPD fixed their firearms safety training programs, or the NY-II trigger module for their Glocks did the trick.
“Year in and year out, pit bulls get shot the most- 72 percent.”
So that might explain the behavior of this one...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2012469/posts
Looks like Manhattan and Queens aren’t too bad. Heck, I even pressed the back arrow because I didn’t believe Queens was that good.
I had to laugh out loud at that.
You’re exactly right
Thanks for the ping!
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