Illegal to video tape the police in public?

[Bryan]

It's not called "pulling the gun out;" it's called unholstering the gun so precious moments aren't wasted if it's needed.

It is pulling the gun out, and it's a direct deadly threat. A cop who acts like that deserves it if he gets shot.

While it may amaze you that Americans are defending his unholstering his gun, it amazes me that amateurs thinks they know better than a trained cop what he should or shouldn't do in the line of duty, and feel qualified to judge.

You're right. I wasn't trained in jackboot brutality.

Edited August 7, 2010 by Bryan

[Guest American Woman]

It is pulling the gun out, and it's a direct deadly threat. A cop who acts like that deserves it if he gets shot.

Thanks for coming out and showing us what you're made of.

You're right. I wasn't trained in jackboot brutality.

I have the feeling that there's a lot you weren't trained in.

[bush_cheney2004]

American (and Canadian) police officers can face situations like this:

http://blutube.policeone.com/media/2947-Assault-on-female-police-officer/

Edited August 7, 2010 by bush_cheney2004

[Bryan]

Thanks for coming out and showing us what you're made of.

I have the feeling that there's a lot you weren't trained in.

I actually worked for several years with a private emergency response unit. People hired us because we got there faster than the police. We responded to break and enters, drunk and disorderly, vandalism, trespassing, brawls, etc. Pretty much anything where someone would want to call the caps, but actually wanted someone to show up in time to catch the perpetrators.

Pulling a weapon out is a sign of aggression, and a POORLY trained responder. It CAUSES situations to go bad. It starts becoming a self-fulfilling prophesy. People react badly right away, so you feel justified in having the weapon out. You shouldn't even have your hand on the holster unless a bad situation is your intention.

Seriously, if that's the kind of training cops are getting, it's no wonder we are seeing both so many police brutality cases, and so many people shooting at police. A cop with that training is a loose cannon.

[dre]

In general these types of situations are broken into two different classes.

1. Traffic stops.

The cop is pulling a vehicle over to check for civil infractions or issue a fine or ticket for civil infractions. This would include speeding, seatbelt violations, safety equipment not funtioning, no valid insurance etc. In these cases police ALMOST NEVER draw their weapons, but they can if they feel threatened.

2. Felony Traffic Stops.

A felony traffic stop is a situation where the police are looking for a suspect in a felony or directly suspect you of commiting a felony. In this case police should ALWAYS have their weapons drawn.

Its important in both of these situations to follow some basic guidelines that will help you avoid being shot by police. Never make any sudden moves, never get out of your vehicle unless the cop asks you to, and try to talk as little as possible. Never volunteer any information at all. If you have a weapon on you, or in your vehicle dont talk about it. Dont tell the cop its there, and dont offer to produce it. He would rather find it himself after you are already secured.

[bush_cheney2004]

I actually worked for several years with a private emergency response unit. People hired us because we got there faster than the police. We responded to break and enters, drunk and disorderly, vandalism, trespassing, brawls, etc. Pretty much anything where someone would want to call the caps, but actually wanted someone to show up in time to catch the perpetrators.

Yeah...we call those "Rent-A-Cops".

Pulling a weapon out is a sign of aggression, and a POORLY trained responder. It CAUSES situations to go bad. It starts becoming a self-fulfilling prophesy. People react badly right away, so you feel justified in having the weapon out. You shouldn't even have your hand on the holster unless a bad situation is your intention.

..and if you were a real cop....you would be dead by now.

Seriously, if that's the kind of training cops are getting, it's no wonder we are seeing both so many police brutality cases, and so many people shooting at police. A cop with that training is a loose cannon.

Seriously...your "training" is not what counts for the real thing.

[dre]

..and if you were a real cop....you would be dead by now.

This is hyperbole. While there is obviously some very tragic events, being a cop isnt even a statistically dangerous job.

Many police officers will never draw their weapon during the course of duty, and only a TINY percentage will actually fire it even once during their career.

Very very few statistically die during active duty.

According to the FBI (data here), only 41 police officers were murdered in the line of duty in 2008. "Only?!" Certainly every officer death is a tragedy, yet in 2005 (the most-recent data I could find) were nearly 700,000 police officers.

Most crime rates are measured by incidents-per-100,000: "How many murders are there for every 100,000 people in geographic region," the statistician asks. In San Fransisco in 2008, there were 52 murders. (Data set; scroll down.) San Fransisco has a population of almost 800,000.

Assuming for the sake of argument that we have the same - rather than a greater - number of police officers in 2008 that we had in 2005, consider this: 41 police officers out of 700,000 were murdered. In San Francisco, 52 citizens out of 800,000 were murdered.

Simply living in San Francisco is more dangerous than being a police officer.

Seriously...your "training" is not what counts for the real thing.

Actually what hes saying is essentially correct. Police officers are trained to diffuse and de-escalate situations, and introducing a firearm into them will often have the opposite effect. Most cops are trained to draw their weapons only in relatively rare circumstances and not during stops for civil infractions (speeding, no insurance, etc).

Edited August 7, 2010 by dre

[bush_cheney2004]

This is hyperbole. While there is obviously some very tragic events, being a cop isnt even a statistically dangerous job.

Not if you keep your guard up.

Many police officers will never draw their weapon during the course of duty, and only a TINY percentage will actually fire it even once during their career.

..but they sure as hell better be ready to do so.

Very very few statistically die during active duty.

Bullshit. Nearly 20,000 such in the line of duty deaths have been recorded in the USA, from various occupational risks (higher rate of motor vehicle collisions, assaults, suicide, accidents, heart attacks, stress, etc.)

Simply living in San Francisco is more dangerous than being a police officer.

...or Soweto...so what? This is utterly meaningless in the context of this thread.

Actually what hes saying is essentially correct. Police officers are trained to diffuse and de-escalate situations, and introducing a firearm into them will often have the opposite effect. Most cops are trained to draw their weapons only in relatively rare circumstances and not during stops for civil infractions (speeding, no insurance, etc).

More bullshit....police are trained to anticipate and escalate based on the perceived threat assessment, and that includes high risk stops.

Do you really think this statement is "essentially correct"? That a police officer has to wait until a perp displays a weapon? This is beyond stupid....

Pulling the gun out at all is reprehensible if the suspect was not already brandishing a weapon.

Edited August 7, 2010 by bush_cheney2004

[Bryan]

..and if you were a real cop....you would be dead by now.

Except that I was the one who got to the disturbances and crimes in progress before the cops did. I'm the one who had to deal with the real crap. All the real cops had to do was the paperwork.

[Wilber]

Except that I was the one who got to the disturbances and crimes in progress before the cops did. I'm the one who had to deal with the real crap. All the real cops had to do was the paperwork.

Cops these days are really thin on the ground in a lot of places. On a busy shift there is no way they can cover all their territory or calls but to say they don't get into disturbances or crimes in progress is absolute bullshit