# Why don't "convenience" stores have armed guards? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 2, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495 "2003-08-02T03:24:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/21 "2003-08-03T02:08:13Z")
I think Aesiron’s got a good summation of my OP. CaptBushido: I’m no lawyer, but I could guess that once the person’s no longer a threat to you (i.e., leaving you {having his back to you}), you might get into some serious legal trouble if you shot him in the back. I guess if you could prove he was pointing the weapon at you while he was leaving, it would be a different story, though. ---
**Author:** ![CaptBushido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@CaptBushido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptBushido)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/22 "2003-08-03T02:28:01Z")
Hmm, if you look at it that way, Monty, then I suppose it just depends on the sensibilities of whatever particular region you’re in. I can’t imagine a local jury in my area sentencing any shopkeeper who kills a criminal in defense of the store’s property, regardless of whether he (the clerk) were in personal danger. Rural/urban, conservative/liberal split in the matter, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/23 "2003-08-03T03:21:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*I did read it, Simmons. I am also aware that there are people other than the purported enemy around in a battle. In case you weren’t aware of it, the military does kind of frown on people shooting the “good guys.” And yes, there is that whole concept of pulling guard duty and getting trained in the whys & wherefores & whens of deadly force. \*\* You’ve got to be kidding. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/24 "2003-08-03T03:23:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CaptBushido \* > \*\* > > And finally, the proper way for a clerk to use a concealed weapon is to give the crook the money, and then shoot him in the back as soon as he turns for the door and lowers his weapon \*\* A good way to get charged with a homicide of some sort I think. As far as I know, deadly force is only justified to protect a life. ---
**Author:** ![CaptBushido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@CaptBushido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptBushido)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/25 "2003-08-03T03:31:51Z")
It all depends on attitudes; in some areas, if someone uses a gun to commit a crime, they are seen as crossing a “line”, and using deadly force against them is simply considered self defense by law enforcement and juries REGARDLESS of the circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/26 "2003-08-03T03:50:37Z")
No, David, I’m not kidding. Folks in the Army actually do stand guard duty on a regular basis. But getting back to the convenience store thing: I was, essentially, wondering if it would be better for the store owners (and even for the poor sods who are slaving inside the stores) if there were some other type of protection than the current video camera or no video camera. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/27 "2003-08-03T04:38:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monty \* > \*\*I think Aesiron’s got a good summation of my OP. > > CaptBushido: I’m no lawyer, but I could guess that once the person’s no longer a threat to you (i.e., leaving you {having his back to you}), you might get into some serious legal trouble if you shot him in the back. I guess if you could prove he was pointing the weapon at you while he was leaving, it would be a different story, though. \*\* A case in point in a town near here recently. A couple of armed guys broke into a church to rob the place. The minister killed both of them. Unfortunately, the autopsy showed that both had been shot in the back and outside the church. The minister has been charged. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/28 "2003-08-03T12:42:16Z")
Forgive me, I have long had a silly idea on this subject. Let’s tax employers who have employees killed at the office. (Store, whatever.) Say a million bucks to cover police costs and all that. This would change the economics in favor of reduving risk to the minimal-wage guys. Heck, having two teenages on duty in the middle of the night would propably cut down on the murder rate. Anyway, I am sure this is a bad idea. Anyone care to tell me why exactly? ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/29 "2003-08-03T14:47:05Z")
Because then 99% of convenience stores and other places would shut down. And if you set the price at a million dollars, the mob can simply charge you a $900,000 protection fee. ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/30 "2003-08-03T16:05:57Z")
Well, duh! If they did that, the stores wouldn’t be very convenient to rob, now would they? Some people just don’t think these things through before asking a question, grumble, grumble, grumble… ---
**Author:** ![CaptBushido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@CaptBushido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptBushido)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/31 "2003-08-03T17:29:58Z")
Regarding that minister: sure he might have been CHARGED, I bet thats required, but was he CONVICTED? ---
**Author:** ![KellyM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/57b2e6/32.png) [@KellyM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyM)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/32 "2003-08-03T17:49:43Z")
Actually, I found the National Guardsmen reassuring. Had nothing to do with the rifle; rather, I felt that having them there made the baggage screeners less likely to steal my stuff or harass me. Guardsmen report to their unit commanders, not to the TSA or FAA, and if they saw someone doing something they oughtn’t be doing, they could and would report it appropriately without fear of reprisal. Several baggage screeners lost their jobs as a result of Guardsmen reporting their malfeasance. ---
**Author:** ![Hemlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Hemlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hemlock)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495/33 "2003-08-05T03:45:00Z")
Every 7-11, McDonald’s, etc, etc in the Philippines has at least one armed guard - usually a guy (or occasionally a rather masculine woman) with a revolver who opens the door for customers. Even Goldilocks Cake Shops in Manila have a couple - and they just sell cakes (nice ones). IMO, it’s economics - minimum wages there are peanuts c/w the US, the risk of robbery is almost certainly a lot higher, law enforcement/insurance provisions much worse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-convenience-stores-have-armed-guards/192495.md?page=1)