Do you think the Portland Police should learn how to disarm persons without firearms.

[oasis618]

Tasers are ineffective on the homeless in the winter.

That's awesome! I wonder if that quote is in the user's manual that comes with the taser!

Seriously though, how about you aim those supercharged steely prongs right at the forehead instead!

 

[ConditionOrange]

What about OC spray + baton? I understand the rational behind everyone here backing up the cops for shooting an armed assailant. But there are more options than just shooting to kill. I have personally disarmed someone with a knife, it's scary, but not impossible. Was I lucky not to get cut? Yep, but I had martial arts training and I used it. Cops need more training plain and simple.

 

[simpleguy]

I was raised to listen to the nice man with the badge and gun. Even if he is a complete idiot, worry about everything else later. Being armed and presenting oneself in a threatening manner to an officer could be hazardous to your health.

 

[Sawdust]

Seriously though, how about you aim those supercharged steely prongs right at the forehead instead!

You're kidding, right?


"Those supercharged steely prongs" are not shot out of an accurate rifled barrel. The little red aiming dot on Tasers just lets you know that you are "on target" ie: the body. Just watch some videos and you will see. You can "aim" a taser at high-center mass and still end up putting one of "those supercharged steely prongs" in a persons thigh.

Bottom line: DROP THE KNIFE / BAT / SCREWDRIVER / BOTTLE OPENER / WHAT-EVER WHEN THE COPS TELL YOU TOO!
If you don't, you risk getting hurt or killed. If the suspect in mentally unstable, well too bad. On the side of the road with an unstable individual threatening people with a weapon is NOT the time think about a therapy session or a medication change. Sorry if that sounds cold but that is a fact of life.

 

[clearconscience]

LEOs do get training on disarming suspects with guns/weapons. However, the easiest way to gun a gun away from someone is to shoot them in my opinion.

If you don't want to get shot then don't pull a weapon on someone.

I have no sympathy for people who get shot being stupid.

 

[MrNiceGuy]

This entire thread reads like the plot for a bad sitcom...

NINJA POLICE!


Would it be AWESOME to see a cop do a flying jump kick into the bad guy just as a throwing star is knocking the knife out of his hand?.... OF COURSE IT WOULD! But it's just not realistic.

It's very easy to say that the officer should have used the peeing monkey technique, followed by the grip of a thousand prostitutes in order to force the assailant to drop the knife. I even saw Jackie Chan do it in one of the rush hour movies. But I think I remember it somewhere in the neighborhood of ~25 takes to get the shot, and it was STAGED.

When an officer is put in a situation like this he should be looking to protect the public first, himself second, and the criminal last.
The day that we start MAKING officers get into fist fights to disarm assailants is the day that many officers will quit.

This ranks right up there with telling cops to only shoot the bad guys in the pinky toes.

I think shooting a guy with a knife is usually cowardly. They were shooting a mexican with a knife nearly every year in woodburn. Its strange but that stopped after we got a mexican sherrif. Who i voted for by the way for that reason.

I shouldnt have to point out how hypocritical, ignorant, and cowardly this statement is in itself.
Next time I hear of a knife wielding man, i'll make sure they call YOU to come down and disarm him.
After all, the police might have a thing or two to learn from the cowardly armchair quarterback.

 

[marty8587]

Obey now, live to grieve later. As someone who has family in Law enforcement I tend to side with the Police on this one, but it is a tragety none the less. It seems to me that alot of this is a society where peiple don't respect authority, and alot of parents don't exert any. The closing of hospitals where the mentally ill can get help and stay off the streets also adds to the delima.

 

[holdout]

Why should police be expected to handle a situation like this any other way?

I'm not a big fan of police. But why wouldn't they have the same right to not get poked by a knife wielding homeless man? I expect it is my right to live and to defend that right. I wouldn't expect any less out of them.

It's sad this guy died, but you can only push an issue so far before it gets silly, as well as dangerous.

 

[clearconscience]

I do agree LEOs should and a lot I know do get further training outside of the dept for martial arts and mixed martial arts.
One problem I have seen in every dept is the lack of physical fitness required after your hired. A lot of depts just give incentives (pay) for continuing to stay fit.
Maybe if they offered (required) Officers to stay fit, and learn continued self defense/ martial arts then they would be more confident and better equipped to deal with people that are posing a threat.

But in saying that I as a citizen want bad guys that threaten anyone with a weapon to be shot dead. Do not pass go, do not collect $100, and do not waste millions of dollars sitting in a cell wasting your life and my tax dollars.

 

[tkdguy]

and approached the Viet Nam vet, and thus, provoked the shooting and the threat level? Or, did they keep a safe distance from the Vet so as not to threaten him and then, figure out a good strategy and issue commands, and then, shot him?

 

[jgeist]

It amazes me how may folks on a firearm forum actually side with the criminals and not the victims of the crime.. Yes, I said victims of the crime.. It is the criminals that got themselves shot and it is their fault and not the fault of those that were forced to pull the trigger... Maybe you would prefer that all guns were banned like in European countries, then it would all be down to clubs and knives (except for the real criminals). Give me a break, I do not care if your are 16 or 60, if you pull a weapon and I mean any weapon then you are a threat to be dealt with and if you even sneeze in my direction I am going to do what ever it takes to protect me and those around me period... I am not going to try to disarm some homeless person or anyone else, it is not my responsibility... I will defend without consideration for their well being and only my own.. I am not found of taking a life, nor am I willing to sacrifice my own for some donkey that put themselves in that position... Leave the cops alone, they have enough to worry about... Like has been said many times in this thread, follow the simple commands of the police and you will live to see another day... If not, it is on you and not them...

 

[steyr 50]

Walker Texas Ranger would have handled it much differently.

 

[jgeist]

Walker Texas Ranger would have handled it much differently.

+1... and there is the answer, send all of the bad guy's to Texas and let Walker kick the crap out of them for being so freak'n stupid...

 

[jgeist]

I think shooting a guy with a knife is usually cowardly. They were shooting a mexican with a knife nearly every year in woodburn. Its strange but that stopped after we got a mexican sherrif. Who i voted for by the way for that reason.

This is the most ridiculous, irresponsible and ignorant response that I have ever seen on this forum... So lets see if I can top it, if they were only shooting 1 Mexican with a knife every year then they obviously have more restraint then I have ever seen. Maybe it all stopped after "you" voted in that Mexican Sheriff because the Mexicans could no longer say "No Habla English" and had to comply or die without some tissue caring lefty whining about how they were miss understood.

 

[Beefcake]

One problem I have seen in every dept is the lack of physical fitness required after your hired. A lot of depts just give incentives (pay) for continuing to stay fit.

The word "every" makes your assertion incorrect. This has been a problem for a while, but it seems to be changing. For instance, St Helens PD requires all of their officers to pass the state's physical agility test every year in order to keep their jobs. They do receive incentive pay for passing, but they don't have the option to fail. The chief there described it to me as "both the carrot and the stick." Hopefully this will become a trend with other agencies.

I'm glad this thread hasn't turned into a complete cop-bashing thread like others on this board have. I'm not in LE, but I studied criminal justice, and I have a lot of respect for most of the officers I met in the process.

 

[Gzus]

Walker Texas Ranger would have handled it much differently.

TR doesn't get paid time off for shooting homeless people

 

[MA Duce]

Walker Texas Ranger would have handled it much differently.

Yeah..THERE's a realistic sentiment. Sadly, the police can't yell "CUT" if things go off script.

 

[eldbillbo]

Do you think the Portland Police should learn how to disarm persons without firearms

no , nut bags should just know when the cops show up, drop your weapon even if its a butter knife otherwise get filled with lead

 

[oasis618]

Walker Texas Ranger would have handled it much differently.

Heck yes he would have.

 

[oasis618]

You're kidding, right?

Yes, I am.

I really don't care what police do to folks who refuse to put down deadly weapons when instructed to do so because it's not going to be me. Chalk it up as naturally selection.