Reply #63: Bullshit

[Karmakaze]

What about "Containment"?

Why could the cops have not just backed off, evacuated civillians, and waited the guy out? Why confront him directly at short range?

The answer is simple - most cops are on a power trip and (in the words or Eric Cartman) demand that you respect their authority. Failure to do so, not only pisses them off, but gives them justification to kill you.

Did you know that in New Zealand, police officers don't ordinarily carry sidearms, and yet they confront the same types of incidents as American police. The difference in outcome is rather astounding. The NZ police vary rarely shoot anyone, and even more rarely kill them, yet police officers here are no more likely (and probably less likely) to be killed or wounded in the line of duty as American officers.

Want to know why? Because they recognise that ANY life is worth more than a few hours of inconvenience and are willing to back off and cordon a dangerous person in order to give negotiations a chance. Direct confrontation, with screaming and pointed guns is more likely to cause someone to die than to peacefully end a situtation.

In my opinion police officers carrying sidearms is the worst thing that can be done. It makes them reach for the gun first and the calming voice last. In NZ police officers have weapons loocked in the trunk of their car, this means when confronted by an armed suspect they automatically take a different posture to American police - calming voice, back off, cordon and protect. They HAVE to! In America tha cop can just pull his gun and it is highly likely someone will get shot. In NZ to get the gun the cops HAVE to back off.

From agression to defence. a vastly different stance that has vastly different results.