Originally Posted by AZL
Look...cops do NOT get dressed every day to stomp on civil rights, and "nightstick the colored folk" as some would believe. The vast majority of officers are fine people who really want to serve their community. I know, I did it.
"Officer Safety" is a major concern, if to no one but the officers themselves.
Honestly...would someone rather just let the officer do his job and not "die of stupid"?
If you call for police help in a situation that has already been violent, the officers responding are already EXPECTING TROUBLE. Not in the normal, everyday way an officer is "ready for a potential threat"...but a palpable and reasonable expectation that something is going to happen ON THIS CALL.
Removing and securing wepaons from ALL PARTIES INVOLVED is more than reasonable, it is prudent and smart.
The legal right to do so, is supported by legal precendent and numerous court findings.
In canon of law, a bat, is a knife, is a gun, is a bazooka. It IS a deadly weapon. It's use or employment against an officer or any other person IS a lethal threat that rises to the level of IMMEDIATE AND OTHERWISE UNAVOIDABLE DANGER OF DEATH OR GRAVE BODILY HARM.
An officer "securing that weapon" is therefore prudent, reasonable, and well within his or her right to do so. It limits the ability of ANYONE to use that weapon, and removes one element of danger from a situation that is already emotionally charged and potentially violent. One hand placed on the hilt of that knife could, and very possibly WOULD earn someone a trip to the emergency room...or worse...the morgue.
Within 21 feet...officers are trained in what is called "Tueller Doctrine" or "Tueller Drill" or "The 21 Foot Rule"...which simply put means that, within 21 feet the AVERAGE PERSON can cover that distance and plunge a knife into your chest is less then 1 1/2 seconds. How much faster can it be done from "interview distance"? 1/3 to 1/2 a second? Less? We're certainly not talking about trained knife fighters, or super athletes...we are talking about average people in average shape.
Situationally, regardless of the person involved, especially in a domestic violence call, and this this call WOULD BE TREATED as such, emotions are already running high. The potential for the "victim" to want to get some payback is very real and has been seen time and time again. So to think that securing a weapon, ANY weapon is a violation of anyone's "rights" is off the mark.
When YOU call the police for help, you are saying "I AM IN A SITUATION I CANNOT CONTROL AND I NEED HELP". Officers MUST immediately assert and get CONTROL AND COMPLIANCE to avoid ANYONE getting hurt (or hurt further), and that includes BOTH the victim AND the suspect in a given situation.
Lollipops, Cotton Candy, and Hugs are NOT part of an officer's kit for dealing with "allegedy intelligent adults". I used to keep inexpensive stuffed animals in the trunk of my cruiser to give to kids on some calls...sometimes I think I should have carried Tampax and Midol for some of the over 18 crowd (Adult is not really what they were or how they acted).
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