# 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:** 381
**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:** [December 31, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7601 "2015-12-31T01:03:49Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Do police ever harass innocent people? Never. They kill them sometimes but never harass them. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7602 "2015-12-31T02:39:07Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Innocent people don’t run from the police. Bullshit. Have a cite, by any chance, or is this just shit from Smapti-land? Do you have any concept of American history, or how black people have been treated by police through history? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7603 "2015-12-31T03:00:29Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Innocent people don’t run from the police. That explains a lot if you really, honestly think that’s true. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7604 "2015-12-31T03:37:45Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Innocent people don’t run from the police. And here we have an example why **Smapti** is clueless. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7605 "2015-12-31T04:46:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > {…} Innocent people don’t run from the police. {…} Why does that sound so familiar . . . [oh yeah](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S06nIz4scvI), **Door Gunner:** Git some! Git some! Git some, yeah, yeah, yeah! Anyone who runs is a VC. Anyone who stands still is a well-disciplined VC! CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7606 "2015-12-31T07:44:53Z")
[…innocent man doesn’t run from police. Police send dog to chomp on daughter.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/k9-attacks-toddler_56840804e4b06fa68881a474?cps=gravity_2425_-3416374089854694286) ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7607 "2015-12-31T08:30:37Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > […innocent man doesn’t run from police. Police send dog to chomp on daughter.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/k9-attacks-toddler_56840804e4b06fa68881a474?cps=gravity_2425_-3416374089854694286) OK, question time. In the beginning of the video, why are their guns drawn? I mean, it’s a simple theft call. No threat of violence, but multiple cops have the weapons drawn. Then, they realize, and vocalize, that this ain’t the guy. So far, so good. Except…the officers do not holster their weapons. This ain’t Mulder and Scully chasing a killer\monster in a dark basement. It’s a goddamned parking lot in the middle of the day. Seems like a really good way to accidentally shoot a bystander. And then let the dog loose on an infant. ---
**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 31, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7608 "2015-12-31T14:51:00Z")
> [@Banquet\_Bear](#): > > […innocent man doesn’t run from police. Police send dog to chomp on daughter.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/k9-attacks-toddler_56840804e4b06fa68881a474?cps=gravity_2425_-3416374089854694286) Now just imagine what might have happened to him and his daughter if he _had_ run for it, and the idea of innocent people choosing to run from the cops stops making any kind of sense whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7609 "2015-12-31T14:55:40Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Now just imagine what might have happened to him and his daughter if he _had_ run for it, and the idea of innocent people choosing to run from the cops stops making any kind of sense whatsoever. You’re an idiot with no sense of American history. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7610 "2015-12-31T15:12:01Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Now just imagine what might have happened to him and his daughter if he _had_ run for it, and the idea of innocent people choosing to run from the cops stops making any kind of sense whatsoever. Jeez, damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Too bad he didn’t have a gun, he could just shoot the cop in self defense. ---
**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 31, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7611 "2015-12-31T15:17:27Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Jeez, damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Too bad he didn’t have a gun, he could just shoot the cop in self defense. What bizarro world do you people live in where “Run from the cops” or “start shooting at the cops” ever possibly have “get away with no negative repercussions” as their end result? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7612 "2015-12-31T15:20:21Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > What bizarro world do you people live in where “Run from the cops” or “start shooting at the cops” ever possibly have “get away with no negative repercussions” as their end result? What would you recommend for this family to avoid negative repercussions? ---
**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 31, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7613 "2015-12-31T15:23:55Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > What would you recommend for this family to avoid negative repercussions? Cooperate fully, like they _did_ do. That the girl got attacked by the dog is a tragic accident facilitated by a communication breakdown, one that could have been prevented by having more bilingual cops on the force or by not preemptively releasing the K9, but there isn’t anything else the suspect could have done that would have resulted in a better outcome for them. If he’d tried to run, he and his daughter might have wound up _dead_, or in the best case scenario he’d be serving a lengthy prison sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7614 "2015-12-31T15:32:16Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > That the girl got attacked by the dog is a tragic accident… Yes? yes? Go on… > [@](#): > > …by not preemptively releasing the K9… So it was not an accident, but rather willful negligence by the cop. At the very least, he should be sued civilly and personally for reckless endangerment of a child. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7615 "2015-12-31T15:38:33Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Cooperate fully, like they _did_ do. That the girl got attacked by the dog is a tragic accident facilitated by a communication breakdown, one that could have been prevented by having more bilingual cops on the force or by not preemptively releasing the K9, but there isn’t anything else the suspect could have done that would have resulted in a better outcome for them. If he’d tried to run, he and his daughter might have wound up _dead_, or in the best case scenario he’d be serving a lengthy prison sentence. Except that running sometimes works. You admit here that sometimes cops act in a manner dangerous to innocent people, therefore if someone only had this kind of experience with cops such that it was reasonable for them to see cops as dangerous and hostile, then flight becomes a reasonable choice. ---
**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 31, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7616 "2015-12-31T15:43:13Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Except that running sometimes works. _When_ does running work? The cops have his license plate number - that means they know who he is, where he lives, where he works, etc. Even if he somehow temporarily outruns them, they can and _will_ find him, and then he’ll be on the hook for felony evasion. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7617 "2015-12-31T15:46:38Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > _When_ does running work? When the path of flight goes by a doughnut store? ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7618 "2015-12-31T15:46:55Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > What bizarro world do you people live in where “Run from the cops” or “start shooting at the cops” ever possibly have “get away with no negative repercussions” as their end result? I was only half-joking earier when I called it a “replicant.” But this latest demonstation of its inability to recognize sarcasm or to grasp the compassion concept has convinced me that, whatever it is, it’s not human. I don’t think it’s a troll feigning sincerity. It’s too stupid for that. Bot or replicant? You decide. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7619 "2015-12-31T16:07:01Z")
I gotta question… If the guy had been carrying and he had shot that dog in the midst of it attacking his baby, would the other officers been within their rights to shoot him? And I’m confused about the drawn weapons as well, **Typo**. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/7620 "2015-12-31T16:37:30Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I was only half-joking earier when I called it a “replicant.” But this latest demonstation of its inability to recognize sarcasm or to grasp the compassion concept has convinced me that, whatever it is, it’s not human. > > I don’t think it’s a troll feigning sincerity. It’s too stupid for that. Bot or replicant? You decide. Human with a brain that doesn’t process certain things. Whatever trauma **Smapti** has endured has resulted in an inability to rationally process anything related to authority or law enforcement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=380) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=382)