Boise police: Man arrested after pointing gun at suspect's car during traffic stop

The guy failed to show his CCW Badge and identify himself as a wanna be cop. Now he is down for the count. Also he didn't have one of those sash thingies to unravel like crossing guards wear. What an idiot, mobilizing without any official CCW identification.
 
For some reason my QOUTE button is non existent, "Whatever caliber the local department issues, I suppose."

LOL I love that too:D!
 
Although this guy is kind of a tool and I would not have taken the action he did, this scenario could raise a legitimate question. As an armed citizen, at what point can we legally jump into a situation to assist the police? I have never really seen any guidance on this. Of course, whether or not jumping into the situation is a GOOD IDEA is a whole different issue:D
 
Sigasaurus Rex said:
As an armed citizen, at what point can we legally jump into a situation to assist the police?
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I'd say that the safe answer is "at no point". My gut feeling is that an armed citizen "assisting" the police is a wild card that has no place in whatever tactical situation is developing. There are plenty of reasons, not the least being that the armed citizen doesn't drill with the police, so the police cannot count on said citizen behaving in any sort of predictable manner.
 
Honestly it's a judgement call. If you have a lone officer scuffling with multiple assailants (or even a single assailant who is getting the upper hand or going for the officers gun) I could conceivably see myself attempting seperate the offenders from the officer so he COULD pull his weapon to try and regain control of the situation.

At no point would I pull a firearm as you are more likely to accidentally shoot an officer or be shot by the officer than actually accomplish anything constructive.

If someone got the officers gun and they separated, and if I felt the assailant was going to shoot the officer I'd probably just take photo's for evidence cause I live in NJ and we aren't allowed to carry :mad: .

If bullets were flying when I got there I'd be hiding behind something solid and calling 911 :D .

The difference between brave and stupid is living and dying. Guess where dying lands you?
 
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I guess that I should clarify what I posted - my assumption was that being an armed citizen and assisting police meant going in with a firearm drawn. I think that's a "don't do it" situation in maybe 999,999 out of a million times, if not more.

I've been in a position to help out an officer a couple of times and each time, I ran up and asked if I could help. The first time, the officer had tackled a guy and said that he had the situation under control. The second time, the officer was on the ground holding his suspect in a bear hug and asked me to get his cuffs off his belt for him.

I figure that in whatever situation they're in, the cops have enough variables to contend with without a citizen adding more.
 
I think a citizen should only jump in when there is a situation where the suspect/perpatrator/felon is fleeing - and then only if the suspect/perpatrator/felon is fleeing toward you, and in those situations I think a citizen should use a shovel.


Ka-Bong !
 
As an armed citizen, at what point can we legally jump into a situation to assist the police?
Click to expand...

I'd say that the safe answer is "at no point". My gut feeling is that an armed citizen "assisting" the police is a wild card that has no place in whatever tactical situation is developing. There are plenty of reasons, not the least being that the armed citizen doesn't drill with the police, so the police cannot count on said citizen behaving in any sort of predictable manner.
Click to expand...

"At no point" seems a bit too restrictive. While I was familiar with a couple of these, I did not realize anyone had compiled a list...
http://www.kc3.com/self_defense/officers_peril.htm

I would add Austin, Texas, 45 years ago yesterday, I believe, to the list.

This one happened just a few days ago...
http://www.news-record.com/content/2011/07/21/article/police_investigating_shooting_at_apartment

I would be willing to suggest you provide help to officers when it is requested, or when they have lost control of a situation and you or others are at risk from the bad guy in some manner.
 
"At no point" seems a bit too restrictive.
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That's probably true. I guess that my best answer, and in the finest tradition of wishy-washiness, would be "it depends".

That list is interesting. It looks to me like the common denominator is that the citizens believed that the officers' lives were in danger, beyond the point of the officers' capability of saving, which would be the deciding factor for me.
 
He's lucky the cop didn't shoot his stupid arse!! Wow, people like him give gun owners a bad rap. He's lucky to be alive today.......:eek:
 
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