News loves Police shoot unarmed man stories.

[dgiharris]

This is a really good question with a poor excuse for an answer...money.

The cost for facilities, instructors, materials, and officer's pay is the easy part because its a simple formula. The difficult and potentially more costly issue is liability.

By liability I mean two things. First, that officers and Instructors will be injured as a natural occurence due to the nature of training and have medical costs/workers comp/subsequent OT costs to the agency for making up the man power. But also that increased training means less ability for the agency to claim that the officer acted outside of guidelines, essentially, reducing the oppurtunity for plausible deniability.

Time constraints, money issues, allocation of time to other police issues like legal concepts or equipment training, lack of interest, no perceived need amongst other reasons. None are valid.

All of those issues work on a personal level as well.

Good answer and very thoughtful. To be fair, money is an issue, I can understand that, I did Acquisitions when I was in the government...

....
Wow, 90pct is asking alot.

True, but if you include the total population which includes women and children and elderly 90% isn't as high as it seems. How about be able to take on "the average male" in a 1-on-1 confrontation.

.....There are other factors that make you less effective as a LEO in physical confrontations. Things like equipment weight, vest constrictions, divided awareness, adrenal issues, etc.

I roll jiu jitsu often. I'm ok in no gi. But put on a uniform with a gun on one side and a radio on the other and I'm a turtle. Just cant generate enough torque for reliable sweeps as the belt and equipment are just speedbumps in the way. I also just gave you quite a few grapple and latch points for clinching or wrestling.

Very good points I didn't quite consider. I'm former military and know what it is like to have to run around in full gear. I will agree it does slow you down some and limit mobility, but I do think you can still function in a fight. I will concede though you could drop to as low as 70% effectiveness depending on how much gear you have on.

Thats a bit of a stretch. I can understand why people might think similarly but cops do not have "unlimited authority to commit violence."

I know, it just feels like it. I acknowledge I"m a bit emotional on this subject.

 

[TheChristianSurvivalGuide]

Well, two points to touch on:

Outlining a standard for which a LEO must be able to overtake in a physical confrontation is nearly impossible. There are too many variables. How do we establish "average"? We certainly cannot assume lack of training and anyone with any physical combatives experience knows that any punch can be a "lucky punch" that turns the lights out.

I have only been knocked unconcious twice in my career. Once was a training session where I was put against a smallish female also in my class. I shot for a double leg takedown as I am 5' 7" 180 muscular (in my academy days) and had wrestled quite a bit. She instinctively raised her knee at contact and hit me in the jaw/temple -lights out. The second time I wad escorting a male arestee to my car for domestic violence. Two other officers were on scene and I was simply transport. The man's girlfriend apparently just wanted us to "scare him" and did not want him arrested as it would be VOP. So like any rational person, she chose to run up behind me and hit me in the head with every one of her 300 pounds. Lights out.

The second point - being functional in a fight does not always mean that you are effective. There are just too many variables at play.

Also, why would I want to square off with anyone. My job isn't to fight people.

 

[tulc]

Well, two points to touch on:

Outlining a standard for which a LEO must be able to overtake in a physical confrontation is nearly impossible. There are too many variables. How do we establish "average"? We certainly cannot assume lack of training and anyone with any physical combatives experience knows that any punch can be a "lucky punch" that turns the lights out.

I have only been knocked unconcious twice in my career. Once was a training session where I was put against a smallish female also in my class. I shot for a double leg takedown as I am 5' 7" 180 muscular (in my academy days) and had wrestled quite a bit. She instinctively raised her knee at contact and hit me in the jaw/temple -lights out. The second time I wad escorting a male arestee to my car for domestic violence. Two other officers were on scene and I was simply transport. The man's girlfriend apparently just wanted us to "scare him" and did not want him arrested as it would be VOP. So like any rational person, she chose to run up behind me and hit me in the head with every one of her 300 pounds. Lights out.

The second point - being functional in a fight does not always mean that you are effective. There are just too many variables at play.

Also, why would I want to square off with anyone. My job isn't to fight people. (emph. added)

...then why do they give you guns and a club?
tulc(seems like someone expects a fight at some point)

 

[TheChristianSurvivalGuide]

...then why do they give you guns and a club?
tulc(seems like someone expects a fight at some point)

You are issued tools to assist in subduing persons resisting lawful order and/or endangering safety.

Again, the job is not to engage in physical confrontations for it's own sake.