I would never be cut out to be a cop, because I couldn't ever have the mindset of "shoot first, ask questions later."

 

I agree, based on the officer's report in this case his gun was already drawn on the suspect. I'm not sure why you wouldn't back up and wait to actually see a handle of a gun or knife before killing someone. I thought officers where trained to diffuse these situations. Isn't there an adage about an average citizen's interaction with police is likely to be one of the worst days of their lives.

I'm not part of the discussion because there is only so much arm-chair quarterbacking I can read.

 

One problem is, you don't read or hear about officers ambushed on traffic stops because of weapons hidden on the suspect. That's part of the cop's job. He/she knows the risk of danger when they sign up to be a police officer.

 

It's when the officer does their job (right or wrong) that everyone wants to second guess why the officer did not do something different.

 

We can play the what if game all day long.

 

What if Michael Brown's parents raised him not to rob or steal?

 

What if he had obeyed the officer's LAWFUL order to get out of the street?

 

And so on and so on.

 

You can question the officer's training all day long. But until you are faced with the option of what level of force to use on someone who is obviously resisting arrest, don't suggest a course of action (such as requiring the suspect to show a weapon before the police can act) that will result in many deaths of police officers. Unless of course, you have first-hand experience.

So then we should just all shut up then? Got it...

 

I thought this was a message board. I didn't know you had to graduate from the academy to comment. My bad.

 

Let me rephrase then. Shooting someone would never be my first instinct. Even if I was thinking, "Don't die."

 

It appears he tried fighting with the guy first, even once he thought he felt a gun, if that is true. So shooting was not his first instinct.

 

Regardless, it sucks for all parties. It sucks that a guy died over some pills.

Regardless, it sucks for all parties. It sucks that a guy died over some pills.

 

Agreed.

I'm not part of the discussion because there is only so much arm-chair quarterbacking I can read.

 

One problem is, you don't read or hear about officers ambushed on traffic stops because of weapons hidden on the suspect. That's part of the cop's job. He/she knows the risk of danger when they sign up to be a police officer.

 

It's when the officer does their job (right or wrong) that everyone wants to second guess why the officer did not do something different.

 

We can play the what if game all day long.

 

What if Michael Brown's parents raised him not to rob or steal?

 

What if he had obeyed the officer's LAWFUL order to get out of the street?

 

And so on and so on.

 

You can question the officer's training all day long. But until you are faced with the option of what level of force to use on someone who is obviously resisting arrest, don't suggest a course of action (such as requiring the suspect to show a weapon before the police can act) that will result in many deaths of police officers. Unless of course, you have first-hand experience.

 

Whatever the answer is, which is a combination of all the things listed and some LE reforms, I as a citizen feel that the state needs a bigger burden than the officer felt threatened. I as a regular citizen cannot kill someone because I felt threatened the same should be true for the State.

I'd forgotten about tasers.

 

Don't...

 

,,,never mind.

 

Whatever the answer is, which is a combination of all the things listed and some LE reforms, I as a citizen feel that the state needs a bigger burden than the officer felt threatened. I as a regular citizen cannot kill someone because I felt threatened the same should be true for the State.

 

Regular citizens aren't tasked with arresting drug dealers, violent criminals, murderers, rapists, etc. Regular citizens can defend themselves though if they feel someone is going to kill them.

I would never be cut out to be a cop, because I couldn't ever have the mindset of "shoot first, ask questions later."

 

I can assure you, that is not the mindset.

 

The last thing any officer wants to do is shoot someone. It's not something done on a whim or because you can. It is done when you are in fear of your own life.

A bigger issue may be why so many 20-30 something police officers are so fearful of individuals in the communities that they police. In other words why is the assumption, excluding the Michael Brown case, in so many of these cases that they guy was going to kill me?

45 police officers have been killed by either gunfire or assault this year and 10 more have been ran over and killed by people in cars.

 

I think saying they are "Fearful" is a cheap shot at police officers, shame on you.

What frustrates me is that we have come to point in the US that when a black man is killed by a white cop that we are now assuming two things...(1) the black person is innocent and (2) the cop is racist. In the last 12 month statistics, approximately 120 blacks were killed by white cops. During that same time, approx. 350 whites were killed by white cops...and blacks commit more crimes than whites. It does not seem like white cops are intentionally gunning down black people at all. There are over 300 million people in this country and over 45 million blacks. These death numbers seem very small to me in relation to how many people there are.

 

It is a tragedy when anyone dies but I think people are WAY over reacting - assuming the police are doing wrong when in fact, for the most part they are doing great - not perfect but very good...

 

Remember, there are some really bad people out there and we need the cops to protect us...

Let me rephrase then. Shooting someone would never be my first instinct. Even if I was thinking, "Don't die."

 

Brother, that's my very first instinct if I feel my life is in danger.

Whatever the answer is, which is a combination of all the things listed and some LE reforms, I as a citizen feel that the state needs a bigger burden than the officer felt threatened. I as a regular citizen cannot kill someone because I felt threatened the same should be true for the State.

If you can show there was a threat that you or others were going to be harmed or killed you can.

I tend to agree but not following a police officers orders is not a capital offense, at least until recently.

 

Not following orders and charging an officer are two different situations. Being disagreeable will not get you shot, but acting in an aggressive manner may get you shot.

I tend to agree but not following a police officers orders is not a capital offense, at least until recently.

 

Oh look, he made a funny. :ohbrother: