# Controversial encounters between law-enforcement and civilians - the omnibus thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 10, 2014, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942 "2014-10-10T07:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 261
**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:** [July 21, 2015, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5201 "2015-07-21T08:04:00Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > No kidding. There was nowhere for her to go. Besides into the police she was threatening with a deadly weapon, of course. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5202 "2015-07-21T11:25:24Z")
Has this been mentioned, yet? [‘Hogtied’ Memphis man dies after being detained by police in Mississippi.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/07/21/hogtied-memphis-man-dies-after-being-detained-by-police-in-mississippi/) The guy might have been on LSD, but what’s interesting is that the police told the guy with the cell phone video to stop recording. Can’t have that. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2015, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5203 "2015-07-21T12:19:56Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Besides into the police she was threatening with a deadly weapon, of course. How could she hit the police? They were protected by the police cars and the utility pole meant she couldn’t back up. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5204 "2015-07-21T15:08:09Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > How could she hit the police? They were protected by the police cars and the utility pole meant she couldn’t back up. For Smapti, the actual plausibility of a threat isn’t important. He basically has a binary system based upon whether there’s any possibility, no matter how unlikely, that a person could in some way be a risk to an officer. Which basically means Smapti thinks that a policeman is always going to be justified. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5205 "2015-07-21T15:15:23Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > How could she hit the police? They were protected by the police cars and the utility pole meant she couldn’t back up. She could have called Les Schwab to put new tires on her car, then called a tow truck to get the police cars out of her way. Thankfully they filled her face full of holes before she had a chance to pick up the phone. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5206 "2015-07-21T15:47:27Z")
> [@Gary\_Kumquat](#): > > I can understand why polls are banned in the pit, but could we at least consider a show of hands system. Just so when someone like Doorhinge says “waddya mean, us”, the various people in stark disagreement can indicate who they are. > > Think of it as a preemptive strike against “I’ve had loads of private messages supporting me” It’s obvious that you reject the idea of anyone having an opinion that is different from your privately held belief that you speak for everyone/us/we/assholes-like-yourself. I’m entitled to my opinion just as much as you’re entitled to my opinion. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5207 "2015-07-21T15:54:33Z")
Okay **Gary** , my hand is raised. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5208 "2015-07-21T16:12:54Z")
Yo! Mr. Kotter! ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5209 "2015-07-21T16:15:44Z")
I’ll be over here with the “ **Smapti** and **doorhinge** aren’t in the ‘reasonable people’ category, and their posts are my cite” group. Crowded over here… Too much overlap from other threads? ---
**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:** [July 21, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5210 "2015-07-21T16:33:54Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > How could she hit the police? They were protected by the police cars and the utility pole meant she couldn’t back up. And yet, she was continuing to _try_ to do so. She was in physical control of a deadly weapon and attempting to use it, and refusing police orders to stop. Approaching the vehicle would only have put the cops in even greater danger. Sitting and waiting for her to either successfully ram them or give up on her own was not practical or safe. The police acted appropriately and the grand jury supported that decision. It appears we’ve reached the point where the anti-cop crowd is so desperate for something, _anything_ to justify their hatred of law enforcement, that we’ve redefined “controversial encounters” as “_any_ time a cop shoots someone, even if we have to go back five years to a case which has already been resolved”. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5211 "2015-07-21T16:48:49Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > And yet, she was continuing to _try_ to do so. She was in physical control of a deadly weapon and attempting to use it, and refusing police orders to stop. Approaching the vehicle would only have put the cops in even greater danger. Sitting and waiting for her to either successfully ram them or give up on her own was not practical or safe. The police acted appropriately and the grand jury supported that decision. > > It appears we’ve reached the point where the anti-cop crowd is so desperate for something, _anything_ to justify their hatred of law enforcement, that we’ve redefined “controversial encounters” as “_any_ time a cop shoots someone, even if we have to go back five years to a case which has already been resolved”. She was on her rims in a ditch, hemmed in by police cars and a utility pole. She did not pose any danger. The police were just trigger-happy. The grand jury fucked up big time and one of the jurors regrets his role in this travesty. Yes, this is a controversial encounter because someone was shot for no reason. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5212 "2015-07-21T17:00:39Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Yes, this is a controversial encounter because someone was shot for no reason. She was shot because she resisted arrest and had physical control of a deadly weapon. Moral of the story; don’t resist arrest. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5213 "2015-07-21T17:01:37Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > She was shot because she resisted arrest and had physical control of a deadly weapon. Moral of the story; don’t resist arrest. A car that cannot be moved is not a deadly weapon. Moral of the story: don’t fucking shoot for no reason. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5214 "2015-07-21T17:10:08Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Okay **Gary** , my hand is raised. A passing thread lurker/popcorn eater raises a hand. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5215 "2015-07-21T17:11:33Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > A car that cannot be moved is not a deadly weapon. Did you even watch the video? The car _was_ moving at the time the shots were fired, and had already rammed a police vehicle twice. I don’t suppose you would’ve - doing so might expose you to information that it would harm the Cause if you were obligated to acknowledge its existence. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5216 "2015-07-21T17:17:25Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Did you even watch the video? The car _was_ moving at the time the shots were fired, and had already rammed a police vehicle twice. > > I don’t suppose you would’ve - doing so might expose you to information that it would harm the Cause if you were obligated to acknowledge its existence. Seriously? An old lady on a walker could have evaded that car. A moving vehicle at a snail pace is not a threat to anyone. The cop was a murderous dick to fire. ---
**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:** [July 21, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5217 "2015-07-21T17:20:19Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > An old lady on a walker could have evaded that car. A moving vehicle at a snail pace is not a threat to anyone. Well, at least it’s nice to see you admit that you were wrong about “a car that cannot be moved”. How many more times do you believe the driver should have been allowed to ram the police cruisers before she could be considered dangerous? > [@](#): > > The cop was a murderous dick to fire. How many warnings did he give her? How many times did he tell her to stop? How many opportunities did he give her to _not get herself shot_ that she _refused_ in favor of continuing to attempt to ram the cop cars? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5218 "2015-07-21T17:23:50Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Well, at least it’s nice to see you admit that you were wrong about “a car that cannot be moved”. > > How many more times do you believe the driver should have been allowed to ram the police cruisers before she could be considered dangerous? > > How many warnings did he give her? How many times did he tell her to stop? How many opportunities did he give her to _not get herself shot_ that she _refused_ in favor of continuing to attempt to ram the cop cars? Until they reach in through the window and take her car keys away from her, you imbecilic dipshit? ---
**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:** [July 21, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5219 "2015-07-21T17:27:38Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Until they reach in through the window and take her car keys away from her, you imbecilic dipshit? Reach into the _closed_ window of a moving vehicle being operated by someone behaving erratically, who for all the officer knows may or may not be armed and ready to shoot anyone who reaches in their window. It’s a wonder that police academies nationwide aren’t beating down your door to hire you to train new recruits. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/5220 "2015-07-21T17:38:41Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Reach into the _closed_ window of a moving vehicle being operated by someone behaving erratically, who for all the officer knows may or may not be armed and ready to shoot anyone who reaches in their window. > > It’s a wonder that police academies nationwide aren’t beating down your door to hire you to train new recruits. Here’s how it could be done. Walk up to slowly moving car. Break driver window Put car in park Remove key Arrest driver [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=260) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=262)