You know Mob, these type of threads I generally stay away from because it's always easy to say after watching a video what should or shouldn't have been done. Unless you're the one actually involved, with everything happening in real time, it's easy to 2nd guess the actions of the officers.
I'd say that if a vehicle is coming at me, I'd try and take cover first if available. If no cover, policy or not, I'm going to try and take the driver out. I don't agree with shooting at the vehicle once it's driving off, the same as one shouldn't at a fleeing suspect unless he's actively shooting at you.
You have to remember that the rounds have to go someplace. Can you live with yourself if one of those rounds hit someone walking on the sidewalk, or entered someone's home and killed someone? You have to be accountable fro every round fired.
I get the adrenaline rush, as I've been there many times. You get tunnel vision and you completely focus in on the suspect and nothing else. There are many interviews I've seen regarding officers and they stated that they thought they fired 3 or 4 rounds when in fact it was 15 to 20.
Again, as far as a weapon, one always assumes their is one until you know for sure there isn't. There are plenty of dead officers who assumed someone wasn't dangerous or that it was just a routine traffic stop. Just because there was no mention of a gun means nothing. I would always assume someone driving a stolen car was armed, always.
There are agencies that are allowed to shoot at a moving vehicle, but I would say most aren't. The problem with it is what if you do kill the driver. Where's the car going? That's one thing most people don't think about when it comes to this job, there are so many decisions that have to be made in an instant. Some people are good under stress, some aren't.
I'd say that if a vehicle is coming at me, I'd try and take cover first if available. If no cover, policy or not, I'm going to try and take the driver out. I don't agree with shooting at the vehicle once it's driving off, the same as one shouldn't at a fleeing suspect unless he's actively shooting at you.
You have to remember that the rounds have to go someplace. Can you live with yourself if one of those rounds hit someone walking on the sidewalk, or entered someone's home and killed someone? You have to be accountable fro every round fired.
I get the adrenaline rush, as I've been there many times. You get tunnel vision and you completely focus in on the suspect and nothing else. There are many interviews I've seen regarding officers and they stated that they thought they fired 3 or 4 rounds when in fact it was 15 to 20.
Again, as far as a weapon, one always assumes their is one until you know for sure there isn't. There are plenty of dead officers who assumed someone wasn't dangerous or that it was just a routine traffic stop. Just because there was no mention of a gun means nothing. I would always assume someone driving a stolen car was armed, always.
There are agencies that are allowed to shoot at a moving vehicle, but I would say most aren't. The problem with it is what if you do kill the driver. Where's the car going? That's one thing most people don't think about when it comes to this job, there are so many decisions that have to be made in an instant. Some people are good under stress, some aren't.
