Too bad the body count is never even on both sides of the badge
Unless you’re talking about a count of zero on both sides then that statement is repulsive. Law enforcement has a tough job (admittedly many officers make it harder on themselves then it needs to be) virtually every call they respond to at least one party does not wish them there. They often deal with the lowest denominator of a society under the watchful eye of an all to quick to judge public fueled by a lethargic media quick to use uncorroborated half truths and “unnamed sources” as their primary source.
We are a society based in law and property rights in order to preserve both a formal division of government must be utilized: law enforcement. Although no person wishes to ever need the assistance of the police, everyone of us has a dictated group available at all hours of the day and night ready to respond to our own emergency weather that be a gun battle on a street corner, a robbery in progress or cat stuck in a tree police officers are the primary responders. If you don’t like the police that’s fine, if you wish them dead that’s crazy; in the event your of the latter group, don’t call them, I am sure they would be ok not responding to you when your home is being broken into or your moped is being ridden away or you find yourself in the middle of any other major crisis. How anyone who would have the balls to call upon a group they have stated they wish more of dead is beyond me.
As for the use of deadly force, police are instructed to meet threats with the level of aggression they are met with: as a police officer you are to use physical force when met with physical force, you are to use non lethal force when met with such and when confronted with deadly force the use of deadly force is allowed. In short, if you point a gun at an officer you should expect to be shot. The intent of this man was to shoot officers they can fairly assume he is familiar with his weapon and could possibly clear a jam in a matter of seconds thus rendering his weapon lethal once again. Society dictates that an officer respond to control this threat, the suspect had illustrated his willingness to utilize deadly force and as such officers responded with an appropriate use of force.
The real bitch of all this is that no one “wins”, the officer will live with the fact he took another mans life, the department will no doubt have to defend him and themselves in civil court and the victim has lost his life, his family has lost a loved one and St. Louis records one more officer involved shooting. It’s sad.
I have always considered myself in the good graces of I.R.E, I hope this does not change that, I choice to respond to a post I found to be out of line and although I am not a friend of
police I do recognize their pivotal role in our society. I look forward to having a spirited discussion regarding this topic over a few beers after a long ride, until then, ride safe.
