Fletch,

I am not a law enforcement officer, but I have a lot of respect for you guys. In fact, my first MAs instructor was a Sheriff's Deputy. What you said about "repercussions" of taking a life is so terrifyingly true.

When I lived in Redondo Beach, CA one of my neighbors in the apartment above me was a former cop and divorced, but worked as a sales person for installation of security devices in shopping malls and large structures.

We talked one evening and he explained that he had been a cop and had shot and killed a young man once. And for various reasons concerning that death, could not be a cop any more. It was deemed justifiable by the authorities that be and he showed me a photo and the letter that went with it explaining the commision's findings.

The poor guy was seeking absolution from something that "technically" he needed no real forgiveness for...and I have though of that guy a myriad of times and have felt so lucky to not be in that position.

In any case, for all of those that think this stuff is easy....think again.

Regards,

-B

That may be pretty common - I know an ex-cop with a very similar story.

This is all too common. It doesn't make cops better. Just different.

Thanks guys.

I dont know much about being a police officer but I did read over these post and I think that shooting the person in the car could possible be worse then letting them get away, what if you did hit them with your shot. Then what there car moves onto the sidewalk and kills a mother and her baby all becuase you couldn't let him get away? doesn't make much sense to me... but under the right circumstances this could be the right tactic to use.

STEIN AUF

I beleive recently rules on shooting from/at moving vehicles have been tightened in certain states of the USA, making shooting in these cases an illegal course of action.. is this a good thing, or a bad thing???

Great thread.

I don't advocate shooting at moving vehicles as normal option, but I think that there are cases that occur that it is the only feesable option. However if an officer chooses to shoot at a moving vehicle he needs to understand the repercusions. In short it may not be the best option but sometimes its the only option, so I don't think it should be outlawed. Of course I'm from a rural area, I might feel differently if I lived in a major metropolitan area.

I don't really have anything to add to this thread, but just wanted to say that I don't envy you guys one little bit. I've not really read this part of the forum, and been rambling on in other parts of the board about my experiences as a doorman. These are pale in comparison to what you guys have had to and continue to deal with. Just wanted to say that I have complete respect for what do, and thank you for sharing your experiences of real life and death situations!