# Controversial encounters between law-enforcement and civilians - the omnibus thread #2 **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 23, 2020, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531 "2020-06-23T20:29:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 209
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2024, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4168 "2024-11-24T18:19:06Z")
Reflex sight - [![](https://blogcdn.targetbarn.com/broad-side/media/bestpistolreddots.jpg) ](https://blogcdn.targetbarn.com/broad-side/media/bestpistolreddots.jpg) It means he thinks of himself as a gunslinger. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2024, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4169 "2024-11-24T18:34:21Z")
Specifically, a “reflex” sight is one designed to adjust the cross hairs the gun wielder sees so that even if he’s not perfectly lined up the sight will still show if the gun is on target. It grew out of WW2 aerial sights.[Reflector sight - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflector_sight) Their main point is that they allow accurate aiming under less than optimum conditions, such as if for any reason the gun can’t be aligned perfectly straight between the shooter and the target. I don’t doubt some mall ninjas like the “tacticool” look but they serve a legitimate purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4170 "2024-11-24T18:58:31Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Their main point is that they allow accurate aiming under less than optimum conditions, such as if for any reason the gun can’t be aligned perfectly straight between the shooter and the target. I don’t doubt some mall ninjas like the “tacticool” look but they serve a legitimate purpose. Reflect sights are very useful - on assault rifles, which is where most modern armies use them. Unless you plan on doing target shooting, a regular police handgun is too inaccurate to benefit from one, and nobody is aiming down sights in the short-ranged combat where one would be used anyway. A reflex sight like that is just cumbersome dead weight. There’s a reason no army in the world uses them on pistols. It’s like putting a spoiler on a VW Beetle. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4171 "2024-11-24T19:03:37Z")
Still, in the USA today reflex sights on handguns are not _that_ rare among either LEOs or armed citizens. Triumph of salesmanship, I suppose. Plus, the notoriously deficient marksmanship/tactical shooting training in many US police departments probably creates an incentive to seek whatever supplementary aid you can get. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2024, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4172 "2024-11-24T22:11:45Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Yes. But for the cop who killed him “just an innocent mistake”. Quoting AP: > In a short clip of body camera video released by police, the officer yells for them to drop the knife, then fires one round. Durham and the intruder both fall to the floor, then the officer moves closer and fires five more rounds while standing over them, the video shows. To paraphrase Churchill, _Some innocent, some mistake._ ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4173 "2024-11-24T22:18:07Z")
So the threat was over, and he fired five more rounds? 🤨 ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2024, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4174 "2024-11-24T22:44:28Z")
“Stop twitching! Stop twitching!” ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4175 "2024-11-27T05:40:25Z")
And in Australia: > **[An Australia police officer who shocked a 95-year-old woman with a Taser is...](https://apnews.com/article/kristian-white-police-taser-clare-nowland-australia-c67a6af9dce4d977ad844c43e21ebd47)** > > A police officer in Australia who shocked a 95-year-old nursing home resident with a Taser was found guilty of manslaughter on Wednesday. She had dementia and was using a walker: what else could a police officer do? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2024, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4176 "2024-11-27T10:00:34Z")
Wielded properly those walkers can _hurt!_ ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4177 "2024-11-28T05:28:06Z")
And 95 year old people are known for being quick as greased lightning. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2024, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4178 "2024-11-28T17:18:42Z")
Failed the attitude test I guess… ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4179 "2024-12-05T13:49:43Z")
There’s an ongoing problem with [police illegally selling restricted weapons](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/police-selling-restricted-guns-posties/), some of which end up in the hands of (other) criminals. In other words, criminals selling guns to criminals. Some excerpts: > A nationwide review of government audits and court records over the last 20 years uncovered at least 50 cases of police illegally selling their weapons online, through dealers, out of their homes or the back of their cars. > Several career agents shared anecdotes about letting police departments off with warnings after repeatedly finding their service weapons in the hands of private citizens. The agents explained that prosecutors have been generally reluctant to charge these cases, and the bureau stated that “it is our goal to educate, not investigate,” according to a 2017 law enforcement memo obtained by CBS News. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4180 "2024-12-05T13:54:44Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > There’s an ongoing problem with [police illegally sell restricted weapons](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/police-selling-restricted-guns-posties/), some of which end up in the hands of (other) criminals. The town I live near had their police chief arrested in a sting. He served a couple years and is out now. He was caught selling guns he had previously confiscated, as well as ammunition meant for training purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4181 "2024-12-05T14:03:33Z")
Heck, it even happened to the father of a friend of mine, about 20 years ago. A buddy of mine lives in Washington State. His 76 year old father lived in Illinois. His father had around 40 guns, including 16 Winchester rifles, each in mint condition and each in a different caliber. His father was going through a divorce. He wanted to get the guns out of the house until the divorce was settled. So he called the local sheriff’s office and asked if they could store his guns for a while. They said “Sure.” A couple deputies came over and took all the guns. The divorce took two years to become finalized. Afterwards, his father went to the sheriff’s office and asked for his guns to be returned. They said, “Oh, we’re terribly sorry. Your guns were destroyed. That’s our policy. Have a nice day.” He was pretty bummed, and you can imagine. But for whatever reason he didn’t do anything about it. A couple years later my buddy visited his father in Illinois. Over dinner one night my friend said to his father, “Hey Dad, it’s going to be nice weather tomorrow. Let’s grab a few rifles and go plinking.” His dad got a sad look on his face and told him the story. My friend was _irate_. The next day he went to the sheriff’s office and asked them what the hell was going on. They repeated the same line they told his father: “We’re terribly sorry, but his guns were destroyed. That’s our policy. Have a nice day.” He suspected they weren’t destroyed. So he got an attorney. And the attorney sent them a letter. Come to find out, the guns weren’t destroyed at all. They were residing in guns safes in the homes of half a dozen LEOs. He got all his guns back, eventually. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2024, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4182 "2024-12-18T18:22:46Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > It’s like putting a spoiler on a VW Beetle. And yet it happens all too frequently. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4183 "2024-12-19T02:18:04Z")
Especially those quite unwieldy sprint racing car spoilers. On a Beetle. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4184 "2024-12-19T02:37:39Z")
When i bought my 2006 Scion xB one of the options was a spoiler. Given the 4-cylinder car is basically shaped like a toaster, it seemed unnecessary. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4185 "2024-12-19T06:16:02Z")
The Seattle cop who struck and killed a pedestrian in a crosswalk while driving 74 in a 25 zone without his lights or siren on has plead guilty… to _second-degree negligent driving_, and gets to keep his job and license as long as he pays a fine and takes an 8-hour road safety course sometime in the next year. [https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/spd-officer-hit-killed-jaahnavi-kandula-to-pay-fine-attend-driving-school/281-df02a0a6-b462-4271-a75e-9bd0507e9e62](https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/spd-officer-hit-killed-jaahnavi-kandula-to-pay-fine-attend-driving-school/281-df02a0a6-b462-4271-a75e-9bd0507e9e62) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2024, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4186 "2024-12-27T23:56:24Z")
There’s video. These jail guards murdered him. I’d be surprised if any use of force policies allow the officers to stuff a towel into the mouth of a handcuffed inmate before beating him. Even if it could be argued that the inmate was being so violent he was going to hurt himself or someone else…gagging him is going too far, at least in my opinion. > **[Fatal Beating of New York Inmate, Body Cam Video Released by State's Attorney](https://www.tmz.com/2024/12/27/fatal-beating-new-york-inmate-robert-brooks-video-released-state-attorney/#continued)** > > Body cam footage of corrections officers brutally beating a restrained inmate -- who died hours later -- has been released by the New York State Attorney General ... showing officers hitting the bloodied man repeatedly. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2024, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4187 "2024-12-28T00:19:04Z")
I’m starting to wonder if body cams will actually lead to reform or if people will simply abandon the idea of the police being fair and just. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531.md?page=208) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531.md?page=210)