Originally Posted by
Hound
Got it, shoot first ask later. Don't take up defensive positions. Don't take the.5 second to think. Don't wear a vest to greatly increase survivability. Don't understand the cop signed up knowing it was a dangerous job to begin with and part of the job. Don't take into consideration the old man might be OLD and need a cain. Don't take in to consideration it was an expired license plate not an identified felon. If so worried don't wait for backup or even run the plates to see if a dangerous person may be involved. Just shoot the innocent old man grabbing a cain becuase the cop MAY be in danger. [Sarcasm2]
Cops have a dangerous job which is ALL volunteer. If it comes down to them being in danger or an innocent the cop should ALWAYS go first.
It is the basic tenant of the job. If not they are adrenaline junkies that have no business being a cop to begin with. This is the same premise I had when I was in the Navy. I should die (if need be) before those at home. Not be the danger of the job. Does this mean all cops should die, not protect themselves or not take measures to be safer... Of course not. It also does not mean all cops are bad people. Does it mean they have every responsibility to take that extra .5 second before they ever put one down range....... Yes... Yes it does. They are supposed to be trained to have the ability to identify the good from the bad in that .5 seconds, which is not the same as 98% of all college students who are not.
As for armchair QB.... Everyday they also know that they will be judged for their actions, dash cams are a bitch/or savior. This sucked on all sides but the constant "Cops can do no wrong!" and the rest of us are just little people attitude brings on the BS "cop bashing" statements when anybody disagrees with a cops actions. This cop made a bad judgement. That does not mean he is a bad person or any other BS. He just screwed up (and he knew it.... it is obvious he is a good man by how that video ended). That is evident by the fact that he shot an unarmed, 70 year old vet that simply got out of his truck, got his cain and failed to read the cops manual (btw where is there any law that states we have to read about cop procedures? The cop never gave any instructions over his loudspeaker I could see that the man disobeyed, he just got out of his truck to deal with a cop he had no reason to fear)