Rich's analogy is apt. If a non-LEO was approached by someone who ignored repeated requests to leave, verbal threats of deadly force would certainly be justified, and the sheriff was, too. I don't think he would have gone from verbal commands right to the quick draw. An obvious brandishing would have occured.
As in Rich's post, if an obvious brandishing of a gun doesn't send someone packing, it's hard decision making time, cop or not.
On a personal basis, I've only had experience with two police officers, and both of them are
very bad. Bad cops, but more importantly, bad people. I'm still disgusted, even years later, that these people slip through the system and continue to have the influence over other people's lives that they do.
But the important thing I've taken from these experiences is that they weren't bad people
because they were cops. They were run-of-the-mill bad people who just
happened to be cops. I count them as a minority in law enforcement.
On a professional basis, I've dealt with cops four times, twice in Boston, once in Chicago, and once in North Carolina, and I was
served by polite professionals every time.
My wife works late nights in retail, and the local sheriff's deputy stops by every night to check up on her. Community Policing, anyone?
And she got excellent
service when some jerk threatened her. The sheriff's department even sent two cars out to our place to check on our house, and we're a pretty good way out of town. I met them in the yard and we talked a bit and they said, "If the guy shows up, just give us a call." I said something like, "Yeah, I've got the dogs out and guns in the house, so I think we'll be OK until you guys can get here." They were non-plussed, and didn't offer me any lectures on letting them 'do their job' or anything self-important like that. They recognized my right and obligation to provide for my own protection.
Although I've never been pulled over, the wife got a ticket for doing 63 in a 45, and when he gave her the ticket, he said,"Just try not to go over 60 on this road...er...I mean, 45..." I'm guessing over 60 is when they actually stop you, and he was just giving her a little hint.
To date, I've had a very mixed bag of LEO interactions, but they've mostly been positive, and the bad experiences had little, if anything, to do with the fact that the people were cops. I give cops as much benefit of the doubt, and subsequent respect, as I give to any
other of my
fellow citizens. And 'benefit of the doubt' means there is
always doubt, but I won't let it turn into blanket indictment of all law enforcement officers, even if I happen to know what criminals a
few of them are.
FWIW
-boing
[This message has been edited by boing (edited June 10, 1999).]