01-05-2009, 10:48 PM
Full disclosure: I am a Police Sergeant in my Day job.
Having come within a hairsbreadth of killing an armed robber, I can tell you it is no picnic, and can keep you up a bit too. My robber had the gun pointed at the ground, and simply released it, that is all that saved his life. Had he taken any other action, I'd have shot him. The sixteen year old robber was armed with a spraypainted airsoft gun, but had I shot, it would have been justified regardless, as the incident has to be judged on what was known to the officer at the moment he fired. I am sure it would have bothered me in spite of knowing I was right. I didn't get into Law Enforcement to shoot people. We weed those morons out.
Contrary to Hollywood, officers rarely fire, and if they do, it involves a ton of paperwork and investigation. I always laugh when a movie has officers in repeated firefights and car chases, as the reality is that each one would require a stop, investigate, reset, etc... Imagine Hollywood getting something wrong.
A bolt action WWII rifle can go right thru a "bullet resistant" vest, and MIGHT stop in the second officer... but could go through clear them both. Vests will generally stop only a PISTOL round. Incidentally, I am told it feels like getting hit full force in the chest with a sledge hammer, usually breaks ribs, may break the skin, and the blunt force trauma can kill in spite of the bullet being stopped. I hope to never confirm any of that!
Bullet resistant vests may stop a slashing knife attack, but any thrust will defeat them. They are not designed to stop a small pointed objuect, but a blunt bulllet.
We do shoot to remove the threat. Any bull about hitting them in the leg or arm to "wound them" is crapola (occassionally a stationary SWAT sniper will get one of these miracle shots off... the benefit of a stationary scoped rifle). One who shoots 100% on the range drops to about 25% in a real shootout. The adrenalin turns your fingers into clubs and auto-training kicks in. That's why we train, and often why we fire more than once.
Its a tragedy the re-enactor got shot.
It is also a tragedy for two cops who now have to go thru the ordeal of a Departmental review, State Investigation, possiblly a federal civil rights case, and civil suits, unable to respond to criticism in the press, terrified of their fate AND their FAMILIES, knowing they did what they had to.
Re-enactors have to know the rules, and must over zealously enforce them on themselves. To me it sounds like they guy was drunk or coked up, but we too have our re-enacting morons my commilitones... and some of us know them.
Having come within a hairsbreadth of killing an armed robber, I can tell you it is no picnic, and can keep you up a bit too. My robber had the gun pointed at the ground, and simply released it, that is all that saved his life. Had he taken any other action, I'd have shot him. The sixteen year old robber was armed with a spraypainted airsoft gun, but had I shot, it would have been justified regardless, as the incident has to be judged on what was known to the officer at the moment he fired. I am sure it would have bothered me in spite of knowing I was right. I didn't get into Law Enforcement to shoot people. We weed those morons out.
Contrary to Hollywood, officers rarely fire, and if they do, it involves a ton of paperwork and investigation. I always laugh when a movie has officers in repeated firefights and car chases, as the reality is that each one would require a stop, investigate, reset, etc... Imagine Hollywood getting something wrong.
A bolt action WWII rifle can go right thru a "bullet resistant" vest, and MIGHT stop in the second officer... but could go through clear them both. Vests will generally stop only a PISTOL round. Incidentally, I am told it feels like getting hit full force in the chest with a sledge hammer, usually breaks ribs, may break the skin, and the blunt force trauma can kill in spite of the bullet being stopped. I hope to never confirm any of that!
Bullet resistant vests may stop a slashing knife attack, but any thrust will defeat them. They are not designed to stop a small pointed objuect, but a blunt bulllet.
We do shoot to remove the threat. Any bull about hitting them in the leg or arm to "wound them" is crapola (occassionally a stationary SWAT sniper will get one of these miracle shots off... the benefit of a stationary scoped rifle). One who shoots 100% on the range drops to about 25% in a real shootout. The adrenalin turns your fingers into clubs and auto-training kicks in. That's why we train, and often why we fire more than once.
Its a tragedy the re-enactor got shot.
It is also a tragedy for two cops who now have to go thru the ordeal of a Departmental review, State Investigation, possiblly a federal civil rights case, and civil suits, unable to respond to criticism in the press, terrified of their fate AND their FAMILIES, knowing they did what they had to.
Re-enactors have to know the rules, and must over zealously enforce them on themselves. To me it sounds like they guy was drunk or coked up, but we too have our re-enacting morons my commilitones... and some of us know them.
