# 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:** 57
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1121 "2015-03-17T18:30:07Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > It doesn’t matter what “rights” the police should have. Does a police officer have _less_ right to defend himself from a threat to his life than a regular person does? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1122 "2015-03-17T18:33:11Z")
It’s the job of the police to accept more danger to themselves than we expect non-police to accept. So yes we should train police to favor not killing people, even if it puts them at higher risk of being killed. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1123 "2015-03-17T18:36:49Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > It’s the job of the police to accept more danger to themselves than we expect non-police to accept. > > So yes we should train police to favor not killing people, even if it puts them at higher risk of being killed. Good luck recruiting the next generation of cops with a message like “You have to let crazy people murder you because shooting people is gross.” ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1124 "2015-03-17T18:37:48Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Hey, pretty young white girl shot dead when she walked into a police station to seek help. Maybe white folks will care now? — [http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/01/26/3615294/kristiana-coignard-shot-cops-longview/](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/01/26/3615294/kristiana-coignard-shot-cops-longview/) [Here is a follow up with video of the incident.](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/01/28/3616806/kristiana-coignard-video/)The police claim she came at them with a butcher knife(not evidence in the video, and why didn’t they find it the two times they subdued her?) and, (I’m not shitting you here) she supposedly had “I have a gun” written on her hand. Thank ghod she didn’t draw a picture of a bomb on her hand-they would have had to evacuate the building! The officer that shot and killed her had only been on the scene around 5 seconds, neither officer attempted CPR, and medical help didn’t arrive for nearly six minutes. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1125 "2015-03-17T18:41:25Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Good luck recruiting the next generation of cops with a message like “You have to let crazy people murder you because shooting people is gross.” Hey, it’s a straw-man party! Let me try: I for one disagree with **Smapti** ’s assertion that innocent black people deserve to be brutalized and shaken down by police. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1126 "2015-03-17T18:43:29Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Good luck recruiting the next generation of cops with a message like “You have to let crazy people murder you because shooting people is gross.” Is that a problem they have over in England when it comes to confrontations between the police and the mentally ill? Since the police aren’t killing them off over there at the same rate we are over here, you must have statistics that show how much more dangerous it is for them, right? ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1127 "2015-03-17T18:48:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Is that a problem they have over in England when it comes to confrontations between the police and the mentally ill? Since the police aren’t killing them off over there at the same rate we are over here, you must have statistics that show how much more dangerous it is for them, right? Gee, I wonder if there are any varying factors between the US and UK that might lead an American cop to be more concerned about being shot on the job? I can’t think of anything. Can you? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1128 "2015-03-17T18:52:48Z")
Good luck getting people to be firefighters when you tell them they might have to walk into a burning building. There are some jobs that should only go to people willing to put themselves at risk in order to help others. If you can’t face that without shooting wildly every time you are spooked, then we are better off without you in that job. Barney Fife had to keep his bullet in his pocket. Wise move on Andy’s part. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1129 "2015-03-17T18:53:17Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I for one disagree with **Smapti** ’s assertion that innocent black people deserve to be brutalized and shaken down by police. I never said _innocent_ people deserve to be brutalized and shaken down. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1130 "2015-03-17T18:53:18Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Gee, I wonder if there are any varying factors between the US and UK that might lead an American cop to be more concerned about being shot on the job? > > I can’t think of anything. Can you? Lack of training in how to handle the mentally ill, coupled with an “Us vs Them” attitude, and years of coverups that lead them to think that they won’t be held accountable? ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1131 "2015-03-17T18:53:51Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Gee, I wonder if there are any varying factors between the US and UK that might lead an American cop to be more concerned about being shot on the job? > > I can’t think of anything. Can you? Great straw-man, **Smapti**! He never said anything about “being shot” – good one! My turn: I disagree that the police should have the right to sexual favors from civilians to reward their bravery. #StrawManParty ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1132 "2015-03-17T18:54:18Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I never said _innocent_ people deserve to be brutalized and shaken down. Your sheet’s showing. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1133 "2015-03-17T18:54:46Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Good luck getting people to be firefighters when you tell them they might have to walk into a burning building. Are they not allowed to use water on the fire until someone burns to death? Because that’s what you’re suggesting. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1134 "2015-03-17T18:55:51Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Your sheet’s showing. All people should be treated equally by the police regardless of race. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1135 "2015-03-17T18:56:39Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > If you can’t face that without shooting wildly every time you are spooked, then we are better off without you in that job. Threatened with a lethal weapon =/= spooked. Anyway, I think the point has been well made that the whiteness, prettiness, gender, or age of the person shot doesn’t change many attitudes. At least here. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1136 "2015-03-17T18:58:34Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Lack of training in how to handle the mentally ill, coupled with an “Us vs Them” attitude, and years of coverups that lead them to think that they won’t be held accountable? Are you sure there isn’t a _second_ reason that might _amend_ a cop’s fear that a suspect is _armed_? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1137 "2015-03-17T19:02:55Z")
Just like how Obama’s election proves that racism doesn’t exist. ---
**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:** [March 17, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1138 "2015-03-17T19:06:48Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Are you sure there isn’t a _second_ reason that might _amend_ a cop’s fear that a suspect is _armed_? I gave _three_ good ones-let’s not wave those off without discussion before looking for a fourth that you find more comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1139 "2015-03-17T19:10:53Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > Threatened with a lethal weapon =/= **spooked**. > > . bolding mine heh. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942/1140 "2015-03-17T19:15:30Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > bolding mine > > heh. ?? I was using the same word the poster I quoted… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=56) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread/700942.md?page=58)