[semaj]

"Now that is offensive."

It was meant to be. I also find offensive the fact that cops can get away with murder. All cops need to be held to a higher standard, but the inverse is true. I don't dislike all cops, just the bad ones. For instance, I hold the California Highway Patrol in very high esteem, as the majority of their officers are consummate professionals of the highest caliber.

[Lagmeister]

My father was a police officer, way back when. He used to tell me he had no more right to shoot anybody than anybody else did. I guess in those days it was true.

With affirmative action - mostly geared toward women - the 'in fear of' and 'reaching for' along with 'split second decision' became part of a complete legal exemption in shooting someone, anyone... at anytime.

Any police procedure overruled basic law. No longer did decisions to take a life need to be made 'by a reasonable and prudent' person, they simply needed to be part of 'police procedure' and solely in the mind of the officer onsite.