# Police prioritizing their own personal safety over that of the public

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-prioritizing-their-own-personal-safety-over-that-of-the-public/1033900>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [October 16, 2026, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-prioritizing-their-own-personal-safety-over-that-of-the-public/1033900 "2026-10-16T20:24:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 59

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**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:** [October 17, 2026, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-prioritizing-their-own-personal-safety-over-that-of-the-public/1033900/59 "2026-10-17T18:01:04Z")

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> [@robby](#):
>
> I also don’t think police officers should be using deadly force against people until and unless they are actively under attack (as in taking fire). The presence of a gun should not be enough. Not even a person waving around a gun or a knife. And I wish laws were changed correspondingly.

My solution which I posted in a previous thread:

> [@Controversial encounters between law-enforcement and civilians - the omnibus thread #2](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-encounters-between-law-enforcement-and-civilians-the-omnibus-thread-2/912531/4396):
>
> I’ve thought that police working in pairs ought to have one be a “point man”, unarmed but dressed in heavy protective gear, who initiates contact. The other hangs back prepared to shoot if things go seriously wrong.

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