4 ms·

Why does "underage" alochol purchasing require law enforcement officers to draw a gun?

by hoi 13y ago

tome 13y ago
Because the law enforcement officers have to protect their own lives. This is America, where anyone could be carrying an implement that requires two seconds to kill.
- rogerbraun 13y ago
  Is it really likely that a 20 year old girl with one box of beer will try to shoot 6 police officers?
  - workbench 13y ago
    Is preventing an adult from drinking alcohol really a constructive use of 6 polices officers?
  - nmridul 13y ago
    If she has a gun, she can shoot at least one police officer. And as a police officer, you don't want to be the one getting hit. So human survival instinct says that you will try to protect yourself (even well trained professional could fail at times to control their basic reaction). But I wonder if it is worth the time, money and effort of 6 police officers to prevent kids (even though she is adult) from drinking ? Drunk driving is one thing, but drinking ?
    - rogerbraun 13y ago
      But by that logic, police should just pull a gun on everyone they ever see, because the person could have gun themselves. I agree with you that this is a big waste of resources, though.
    - mayanksinghal 13y ago
      If I recall correctly, most humans freeze, not shoot. The natural reaction is to either flee or freeze. I think policemen are specifically trained to take the gun out of the holster and press the trigger in such situations.
- Deestan 13y ago
  > Because the law enforcement officers have to protect their own lives. Against a teenage girl who may have gasp bought some beer? How about: "Excuse me, miss. We suspect you have illegaly purchased alcohol. May we inspect your car, please?" Scenario 1: "Oh! Ok." Car is inspected. "Oh it's just water. Sorry about the trouble, have a good day!" Scenario 2: Girl tries to escape and drives off. Note personalia and license number. File charges as usual. There is no realistic scenario in which they need to threaten her on her life and assault her car because of a suspected 12-pack of beer.
  - Buzaga 13y ago
    At first I thought this was funny and thought about following up with more sarcasm but then it hit me how much this is sad, USA seems 100% psychotic to me these days... I honestly feel like stopping following US-related news because it's all so depressing goddamn
  - pezh0re 13y ago
    I agree - the chances of a teenage girl packing heat is probably small, but it's those small chances that can get you seriously injured. According to this (admittedly outdated) research paper [1], the high-end estimate of traffic stops resulting in the homicide of the police officer is 1:20.1 Million. This doesn't really sound like a traditional traffic stop - more like a sting (something that I couldn't readily find data for). [1] http://blog.lib.umn.edu/jbs/Criminal%20Procedure%20in%20American%20Society/OfficersAssaulted.pdf http://blog.lib.umn.edu/jbs/Criminal%20Procedure%20in%20Amer... (Warning... PDF)
- DanBC 13y ago
  She had her arms full of a crate of water / "beer". I think that if police are worried about being shot at when they approach under-age people buying alcohol the police might want to change their hyper-aggressive policing style. Guns must be a measure of last resort. When you pull your weapon you must have the intent to kill someone. To have the intent to kill someone you must have reasonable fear that they pose a risk to you. Under 21 year old girl buying "beer" doesn't feel to me like a deadly threat to my life.
  - JoeAltmaier 13y ago
    America has a culture of glorifying police violence. Wasn't true 30 years ago; has been building for decades. Now there isn't a night goes by some cop show doesn't have the good guys beating up the bad guy, threatening to send them to Guantanamo. We're supposed to cheer? Makes me ill. Those cops grew up watching this crap, they know what a 'good' cop is supposed to do.
- piqufoh 13y ago
  I love countries where guns are illegal for exactly this reason.
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
- interpol_p 13y ago
  Why did they have to jump on the front of the car, as the article says? That would completely terrify me if I was walking to my car at 10pm in the evening.
simonh 13y ago
Isn't that what all Americans do when they meet a stranger? I think Heinlein said something about it being good manners, or the polite thing to do, or something. Can't say the quote made much sense when I read it. I'm a Brit though, so maybe it lost something in translation from American. Over here we used to raise our hats, be we don't have those anymore either.
- Someone 13y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_This_Horizon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_This_Horizon: One sub-theme of the book is the carrying and use of firearms. In the novel being armed is part of being a man; otherwise he wears a brassard and is considered weak and inferior. Women are allowed but not expected to be armed. Duels, either deadly or survivable, may easily occur when someone feels that they have been wronged or insulted, a custom that keeps order and politeness. A defining quote from the book which is repeated throughout Heinlein's work is, "An armed society is a polite society," is very popular with those who support the personal right to keep and bear arms.
  - simonh 13y ago
    That's the one! We used to have duels and kill people over points of etiquette here too, but that was a long time ago. We decided hats were a better option all round, nice tall black ones, but then we got rid of the hats as well. It's all been down hill ever since. Maybe we should go back to killing each other. Does it work?
lucian1900 13y ago
Also, why the hell would it be illegal for someone underage to buy, have or drink alcohol? What kind of stupid law is that? It should only ever be illegal to sell or (as someone overage) buy for someone underage.

Why does "underage" alochol purchasing require law enforcement officers to draw a gun?

by hoi 13y ago

Why does "underage" alochol purchasing require law enforcement officers to draw a gun?

tome 13y ago

Because the law enforcement officers have to protect their own lives. This is America, where anyone could be carrying an implement that requires two seconds to kill.

rogerbraun 13y ago
Is it really likely that a 20 year old girl with one box of beer will try to shoot 6 police officers?
- workbench 13y ago
  Is preventing an adult from drinking alcohol really a constructive use of 6 polices officers?
- nmridul 13y ago
  If she has a gun, she can shoot at least one police officer. And as a police officer, you don't want to be the one getting hit. So human survival instinct says that you will try to protect yourself (even well trained professional could fail at times to control their basic reaction). But I wonder if it is worth the time, money and effort of 6 police officers to prevent kids (even though she is adult) from drinking ? Drunk driving is one thing, but drinking ?
  - rogerbraun 13y ago
    But by that logic, police should just pull a gun on everyone they ever see, because the person could have gun themselves. I agree with you that this is a big waste of resources, though.
  - mayanksinghal 13y ago
    If I recall correctly, most humans freeze, not shoot. The natural reaction is to either flee or freeze. I think policemen are specifically trained to take the gun out of the holster and press the trigger in such situations.
Deestan 13y ago
> Because the law enforcement officers have to protect their own lives. Against a teenage girl who may have gasp bought some beer? How about: "Excuse me, miss. We suspect you have illegaly purchased alcohol. May we inspect your car, please?" Scenario 1: "Oh! Ok." Car is inspected. "Oh it's just water. Sorry about the trouble, have a good day!" Scenario 2: Girl tries to escape and drives off. Note personalia and license number. File charges as usual. There is no realistic scenario in which they need to threaten her on her life and assault her car because of a suspected 12-pack of beer.
- Buzaga 13y ago
  At first I thought this was funny and thought about following up with more sarcasm but then it hit me how much this is sad, USA seems 100% psychotic to me these days... I honestly feel like stopping following US-related news because it's all so depressing goddamn
- pezh0re 13y ago
  I agree - the chances of a teenage girl packing heat is probably small, but it's those small chances that can get you seriously injured. According to this (admittedly outdated) research paper [1], the high-end estimate of traffic stops resulting in the homicide of the police officer is 1:20.1 Million. This doesn't really sound like a traditional traffic stop - more like a sting (something that I couldn't readily find data for). [1] http://blog.lib.umn.edu/jbs/Criminal%20Procedure%20in%20American%20Society/OfficersAssaulted.pdf http://blog.lib.umn.edu/jbs/Criminal%20Procedure%20in%20Amer... (Warning... PDF)
DanBC 13y ago
She had her arms full of a crate of water / "beer". I think that if police are worried about being shot at when they approach under-age people buying alcohol the police might want to change their hyper-aggressive policing style. Guns must be a measure of last resort. When you pull your weapon you must have the intent to kill someone. To have the intent to kill someone you must have reasonable fear that they pose a risk to you. Under 21 year old girl buying "beer" doesn't feel to me like a deadly threat to my life.
- JoeAltmaier 13y ago
  America has a culture of glorifying police violence. Wasn't true 30 years ago; has been building for decades. Now there isn't a night goes by some cop show doesn't have the good guys beating up the bad guy, threatening to send them to Guantanamo. We're supposed to cheer? Makes me ill. Those cops grew up watching this crap, they know what a 'good' cop is supposed to do.
piqufoh 13y ago
I love countries where guns are illegal for exactly this reason.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
interpol_p 13y ago
Why did they have to jump on the front of the car, as the article says? That would completely terrify me if I was walking to my car at 10pm in the evening.

simonh 13y ago

Isn't that what all Americans do when they meet a stranger? I think Heinlein said something about it being good manners, or the polite thing to do, or something. Can't say the quote made much sense when I read it. I'm a Brit though, so maybe it lost something in translation from American. Over here we used to raise our hats, be we don't have those anymore either.

Someone 13y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_This_Horizon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_This_Horizon: One sub-theme of the book is the carrying and use of firearms. In the novel being armed is part of being a man; otherwise he wears a brassard and is considered weak and inferior. Women are allowed but not expected to be armed. Duels, either deadly or survivable, may easily occur when someone feels that they have been wronged or insulted, a custom that keeps order and politeness. A defining quote from the book which is repeated throughout Heinlein's work is, "An armed society is a polite society," is very popular with those who support the personal right to keep and bear arms.
- simonh 13y ago
  That's the one! We used to have duels and kill people over points of etiquette here too, but that was a long time ago. We decided hats were a better option all round, nice tall black ones, but then we got rid of the hats as well. It's all been down hill ever since. Maybe we should go back to killing each other. Does it work?

lucian1900 13y ago

Also, why the hell would it be illegal for someone underage to buy, have or drink alcohol? What kind of stupid law is that? It should only ever be illegal to sell or (as someone overage) buy for someone underage.