Overkill & Overstepping Boundaries: I Have Some Questions...

[michaelm101]

1. I am female.
2. I have been so pissed off that my mouth acted independently from my brain. I just wouldn't blame the police if they showed up prepared for the worst. I would blame myself for my lack of control.

Ok. It's all good, Just Blue. A helicopter, 13 cop cars and 20 guns aimed at my skull is all part of the protocol...That's very expensive. Do you know that YOU are paying for all of this?

 

[quincy]

Ok. It's all good, Just Blue. A helicopter, 13 cop cars and 20 guns aimed at my skull is all part of the protocol...That's very expensive. Do you know that YOU are paying for all of this?

Your brother obviously told quite the tale. I hope he doesn't make it a habit.

 

[Just Blue]

Ok. It's all good, Just Blue. A helicopter, 13 cop cars and 20 guns aimed at my skull is all part of the protocol...That's very expensive. Do you know that YOU are paying for all of this?

I'd rather my tax dollars go to preventive action than watch yet another breaking news segment regarding a shooting.

Michael...You really need to embrace personal responsibility.

 

[michaelm101]

I'd rather my tax dollars go to preventive action than watch yet another breaking news segment regarding a shooting.

Michael...You really need to embrace personal responsibility.

Unfortunately, your tax dollars go to the status quo. You don't decide this. And if so, ideologically, how do you control/change human instinct?

 

[quincy]

... And if so, ideologically, how do you control/change human instinct?

Therapy?

 

[Just Blue]

Unfortunately, your tax dollars go to the status quo. You don't decide this. And if so, ideologically, how do you control/change human instinct?

If ones actions are causing a small army of Law Enforcement to swoop down on one...do as the wise owl suggested and get thee to therapy.

 

[CdwJava]

Thanks, justalayman for your sensible and logical reply. Yes, I complied simply because I'm on the side of the law. Our housemate had a conviction of destruction of property during a heavy downpour; a vehicular accident, and fleeing the scene. It was a rock garden on a traffic island in a well-to-do suburban community.

So, there's a consensus that six armed officers to handle this is efficient use of funds? Whatever happened to guys like Harry Callahan who did it all toting a single wheelgun? ....Oh, I forgot, that's just Hollywood, of course!

If your roommate said he was on PAROLE for a hit-and run accident or destruction of property, he lied to you. Even if he had led the police on a merry chase endangering the lives of many people, the odds of him being sentenced to state prison (thus allowing for him to be released on PAROLE) is nigh on impossible. So, either he lied to you about his offense(s) or you are mistaken about who these officers were and/or why they were there.

As for Harry Callahan, as you have been told, he was a fictional character. In real life, the motto of "One call, one cop" (okay, it's bastardized from "one riot, one cop") is a fallacy that is rarely heeded since even innocuous calls can go sideways. There can be many reasons why 6 officers might have been present, or why they might have had their guns out when he stepped outside. I doubt that ANY of those reasons had been because he crashed his car and walked away.

I suspect that if the snippet of facts you provided are true, they are only a part of a truth that includes prior offenses, felony evasion, reckless driving, perhaps even DUI and bodily injury to others. There's really no way to tell.

 

[Shadowbunny]

Ok. It's all good, Just Blue. A helicopter, 13 cop cars and 20 guns aimed at my skull is all part of the protocol...That's very expensive. Do you know that YOU are paying for all of this?[

Interesting math. 13 police cars + 1 helicopter = 20 guns? How very odd.

 

[CdwJava]

Interesting math. 13 police cars + 1 helicopter = 20 guns? How very odd.

Well, how many cops were in the helicopter? Maybe it was a Hind Mi-24?

 

[xylene]

Some were partner cars...

 

[MidwestTech]

It’s much easier to control the situation when they have an overwhelming force.

And yet, if a civilian defends himself from another civilian using "overwhelming force", then the civilian defending himself is arrested for "excessive force".

 

[not2cleverRed]

And yet, if a civilian defends himself from another civilian using "overwhelming force", then the civilian defending himself is arrested for "excessive force".

Not necessarily, depending on the state.

There are several states that also have "Stand Your Ground" laws.

Additionally, Colorado's "Make My Day" law allows a civilian to use force on an intruder to their home. So if a drug addicted home invader enters your home and tries to create a hostage situation when the police arrive, you can legally shoot him/her.

 

[Shadowbunny]

And yet, if a civilian defends himself from another civilian using "overwhelming force", then the civilian defending himself is arrested for "excessive force".

The "overwhelming force" refers to the number of officers who responded, not someone defending themselves using a gun.

 

[CdwJava]

And yet, if a civilian defends himself from another civilian using "overwhelming force", then the civilian defending himself is arrested for "excessive force".

The standard - even for civilians - tends to be "reasonable" force, in most (if not all) states. What this might look like can vary by state.

 

[commentator]

Quote: "...a gentle and kind person, who assists us in nursing stray and abandoned puppies and kittens, we had no idea why this was happening."

You do realize that this is exactly the sort of thing that some the people who were being used by some of the most terrible criminals would say about them? Even if he had done terrible things in his past, heck, was still doing them at the present time, it would have been to your friend's advantage to present himself to you, the people who were providing his cover as a gentle and loving soul, kind to puppies and kittens.

Also, any person who is on parole is strictly restricted from living with, associating with, etc. people who have in their pasts had common interests, such as other known felons, and they are very particular about whether or not he lives an a place with guns. I almost get the perception you lied to the police about that issue.

Quote: "To keep things simple, I said, "No (I keep my family at the mercy of intruders and bad people)."

You must accept that you may unwittingly have put your family at the mercy of bad people who lied to you and misrepresented themselves anyway. You couldn't just use your powers of discernment to automatically be able to identify whether or not this person is evil at heart or is likely to re-offend. And it is a VERY bad idea to lie to the police. People who are sometimes in dangerous situations involving them do not take kindly to being lied to about and then finding out they've been lied to about weapons.