That your stated attitude while on the job (I’m going home safe, no matter what) leaves a lot of room for errors. For instacne, what if the guy in your situation came out of the car with a cell phone in his hand? What if he had a dark colored wrist brace or a cast?
It was dark. I ordered him out of the car with empty hands. I am supposed to risk that he (a murder suspect) disobeyed my order on accident?
If he had a cast or wrist brace on he would have little choice.
If you saw him fiddling around trying to get it off, if it was a brace, would you have shot him?
If it was a cast he wouldn’t have had a choice in whether or not the hand was empty; would you have shot him then?
I have a healthy cynicism/disrespect for authority because I have all too often found myself in the position of two [or more] authorities giving me quite contradictory information/orders. Furthermore, there is a legal problem which I am trying to resolve that EVERYONE [in a public authority-position] I talk to punts on: the State Constitution PROHIBITS any law abridging the right of the Citizen to keep and bear arms for security and defense... yet, for example, there is a state statute prohibiting firearms on university campuses.
Any time I bring these up to a public official I get a BS answer like “well, we don’t allow guns in courtrooms” or “the restriction of firearms on campus do not abridge the right for you to own firearms.” (The latter begs the question: What of students living in on-campus housing?)
So, because of your ASSUMPTION OF A MISAPPLIED/MISALIGNED ACCUSATION, you would have been personally satisfied and justified in shooting the man should he have not OBEYED you? What an ass you make of the law. Suppose he was a diabetic or epileptic? How would you cover your ass?
My eldest son is a police Lt. He has the same attitude. Cop first, no matter what is going down! We don't get along as well, these days! If his "brothers in the UNION" have anything social to do, it is with their ilk and families. If it wasn't for grandkids, I'd tell him to kiss off, as well.
Your attitude is tooooo typical! You may not want to come down my road without a warrant and a smile! I am not naive, and I am well armed/protected/incentivized. I am posted. Castle doctrine applies!
It was dark?