No one was “patting themselves on the back” about a no-shoot/shoot situation. I was relaying facts where there were instances of citizens with firearms that could have ended badly for both sides.
I wonder how many times you’ve come face-to-face with someone with a firearm pointed at you and what your reaction would be?
And yes...in the situations I listed, I probably would have been justified in using deadly force when all 3 people failed to heed commands to drop their weapon.
I appreciate your ability to access that I was in “NO DANGER” in each of these incidents, considering I don’t remember you being there. But it’s a lot easier to sit at a keyboard and second-guess.
The uniform is blue, it’s cloth not magic, and as for being justified, YOU have much more latitude in discretion than I did then and in retirement do now.
In your estimation, what percentage of LEO’s are basically informed, honest, hard working, public servants trying to do their level best to protect the public and avoid using violence if at all possible?
My guesstimate would be somewhere between 85-90% but I’d like to get a bit more experienced opinion.
“YOU have much more latitude in discretion than I did then and in retirement do now.”
In Washington State (in spite of the rash of new anti-gun referendums), the law specifically states that the use of deadly force is more restrictive on police officers. Although there have been recent cases where some DA will try to make a name for themselves in getting a conviction on a self-defense shooting.