TV Land did a special on TV Cop shows. And, they stated some statistic that cops only fire their guns in action something like 5%, (or something small like that) in their entire careers! For a cop on the beat, I find this hard to believe! Is this true? And, if so, it is because they’d have a lot of explaining to do if they killed someone, if not self-defense? What’s the scoop?
IANALEO, but from what I’ve read, whenever an LEO discharges his sidearm while in the performance of their duties, there is a significant amount of paperwork required. If they wound or kill someone, most departments have a policy to immediately place that LEO on leave, with a lengthy investigation to follow to determine if it was a justifiable shooting. The movie fiction of the LEO capping a bad guy and just going home to have a beer is, of course, fiction. (a la Dirty Harry)