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On the flip side, if there really is a threat, police officers have standard training which makes it clear that they have less than three seconds to react, befo

On the flip side, if there really is a threat, police officers have standard training which makes it clear that they have less than three seconds to react, before they are killed. Bringing their weapon to a ready state, actually increases the time that they have to react, and lets them make more rational decisions.

Someone1234 11y ago
> Bringing their weapon to a ready state, actually increases the time that they have to react, and lets them make more rational decisions. Or one could argue that it reduces the amount of time they spend rationalising the situation, which could result in a "knee jerk" emotional overreaction to any perceived threat. I'd argue we've seen so many completely unwarranted shootings in the last few years due to: cellphones, reaching for ID, hands in pockets, etc, that maybe police should be taught to slow down and consider the threat, not speed up, and start blasting on a whim. The number of police officers dying on the job hasn't decreased with these new higher risk tactics. They're just killing more members of the public. It has stayed roughly around 50/year shot + 2/year from stabbings for the last ten years. Most police officers die due to vehicle crashes/collisions and illness. None of which is resolved by shooting more members of the public.
harlanlewis 11y ago
Whether the officer makes more rational decisions with a gun in a ready state is pretty debatable. People holding guns are reduced to instantaneous decisions with large consequences. A very basic, universal rule of responsible gun use is don't point it at things you aren't comfortable destroying. The important decision is whether to draw at all. How is a suspect's decision making affected when they have a gun trained on them? How does provoking irrational behavior affect the outcome? I certainly hope there's more governing an officer's standard readying of a weapon than the X seconds they have to quickdraw at the OK Corral.
gohrt 11y ago
Maybe they shouldn't rush to insert themselves into a situation where they only have 3 seconds to react.
- ghshephard 11y ago
  Every single traffic stop a police officer makes has them in this situation.
rasz_pl 11y ago
> lets them make more rational decisions. it re-frames decision process from 'what should I do?" to "should I kill him?"

Someone1234 11y ago

> Bringing their weapon to a ready state, actually increases the time that they have to react, and lets them make more rational decisions. Or one could argue that it reduces the amount of time they spend rationalising the situation, which could result in a "knee jerk" emotional overreaction to any perceived threat. I'd argue we've seen so many completely unwarranted shootings in the last few years due to: cellphones, reaching for ID, hands in pockets, etc, that maybe police should be taught to slow down and consider the threat, not speed up, and start blasting on a whim. The number of police officers dying on the job hasn't decreased with these new higher risk tactics. They're just killing more members of the public. It has stayed roughly around 50/year shot + 2/year from stabbings for the last ten years. Most police officers die due to vehicle crashes/collisions and illness. None of which is resolved by shooting more members of the public.

harlanlewis 11y ago

Whether the officer makes more rational decisions with a gun in a ready state is pretty debatable. People holding guns are reduced to instantaneous decisions with large consequences. A very basic, universal rule of responsible gun use is don't point it at things you aren't comfortable destroying. The important decision is whether to draw at all. How is a suspect's decision making affected when they have a gun trained on them? How does provoking irrational behavior affect the outcome? I certainly hope there's more governing an officer's standard readying of a weapon than the X seconds they have to quickdraw at the OK Corral.

gohrt 11y ago

Maybe they shouldn't rush to insert themselves into a situation where they only have 3 seconds to react.

ghshephard 11y ago
Every single traffic stop a police officer makes has them in this situation.

rasz_pl 11y ago

> lets them make more rational decisions. it re-frames decision process from 'what should I do?" to "should I kill him?"