Current LEO's: When did police procedures change for suicides?

[E4 No More]

http://www.wsmv.com/story/29881529/vietnam-veterans-parkway-closed-in-both-directions

 

I've been out of police work since 1993. When did it become SOP to shoot suicidal people in the leg?

[DaveTN]

http://www.wsmv.com/story/29881529/vietnam-veterans-parkway-closed-in-both-directions
 
I've been out of police work since 1993. When did it become SOP to shoot suicidal people in the leg?

What was your SOP in the 90’s for a suicidal person pulling a gun on you? In the 80’s ours was to shoot them if they were putting us or others in immediate danger of death or great bodily harm.

[gjohnsoniv]

Doesn't exactly sound like it was intentional.

[E4 No More]

What was your SOP in the 90’s for a suicidal person pulling a gun on you? In the 80’s ours was to shoot them if they were putting us or others in immediate danger of death or great bodily harm.

Where did you see that he was pointing it at the police?

 

PS: Single shot to the leg sounds a lot like he was shooting to wound, too.

Edited August 26, 2015 by SWJewellTN

[Omega]

To be honest, there is no mention either way; it just says he pulled out the gun.  Difficult to speculate if the officer felt he, or anyone, was in danger or not.  I guess its best to let the TBI sort it out a bit first.

[DaveTN]

Where did you see that he was pointing it at the police?

I didn’t say he did. I would not have generally waited for a suicidal Person to point a gun at me. But every case is different; I wasn’t there.

[Caster]

I don't know why they stop them in the first place. If someone wants to go, who the hell are we to tell them they can't?
Although, I will say, doing it on a public highway like that seems more like a cry for attention. People who genuinely just wanna move on to what's next, need not make a spectacle of it.



This whole country REALLY needs to set aside what it's working on and take a serious look at the mental health issues we have. They're out of control. Edited August 26, 2015 by Caster

[mikegideon]

I don't know why they stop them in the first place. If someone wants to go, who the hell are we to tell them they can't?
Although, I will say, doing it on a public highway like that seems more like a cry for attention. People who genuinely just wanna move on to what's next, need not make a spectacle of it.



This whole country REALLY needs to set aside what it's working on and take a serious look at the mental health issues we have. They're out of control.

 

A crumbled up body in the middle of the highway is a real traffic hazard too. Don't be a pussy. Shoot yourself like a man :)

[Caster]

I didn't wanna post any more than I did, but since you did.

If I were the cop, I would tried to explain to the man that he was being inconsiderate and reckless with other people. If you land on a car, you could hurt some mother trying to get home to her kids or some kid might see you and have difficulty processing it. Not only that, some poor guy has to come clean this :poop: up, so why not take this somewhere more secluded and stop grandstanding your decision. Natchez Trace has some very peaceful and serene bridges with more than ample height. With any luck, the coyotes and possums will find you first and save public workers the trouble.

[mikegideon]

The rules changed when he pulled the gun. I'm guessing the leg shot was a donut getting in the way of a center mass shot :)

[Caster]

Okay, I have the dumb.
I missed the part where he pulled a gun. So, suicide by cop? Mission accomplished.

[E4 No More]

I didn’t say he did. I would not have generally waited for a suicidal Person to point a gun at me. But every case is different; I wasn’t there.

Well, for the record, I was taught to address the individual from cover, if possible, (you know, like your car in this case since it was on the overpass). If he/she pointed the weapon at me or another person then I had a green light to take them out. If not, you tried your best to talk them down, or watch them off their self. "I came, I saw, he jumped" or "I came, I saw, he quit" are better reports to write than "I came, I saw, I shot his ass in the leg and watched him fall to his death so that I can tie myself up with inevitable lawsuits."

[mikegideon]

Okay, I have the dumb.
I missed the part where he pulled a gun. So, suicide by cop? Mission accomplished.

 

Even though the cop damn near missed him

[Caster]

Bullet...gravity ...meh.

[gregintenn]

Didn't I read it was a pellet gun? If so, then yup. Suicide by cop. Thanks for screwing up everyone going into Nashville this morning jacka$$! :down:

[Caster]

If one were gonna do that, why do it in the middle of the highway?

The same result will happen at your local police station and you won't inconvenince the rest of us.

[xjsnake]

I got caught in the traffic and was late to my first week of work (was forgiven due to the circumstances). I have zero opinion on what happened other than it seems like the guy wanted to die one way or another. I feel bad for his family, loosing a family member (even likely mentally disturbed) in that fashion has to be traumatizing. My thoughts and prayers go out to them.

[Ski]

I didn't wanna post any more than I did, but since you did.

If I were the cop, I would tried to explain to the man that he was being inconsiderate and reckless with other people. If you land on a car, you could hurt some mother trying to get home to her kids or some kid might see you and have difficulty processing it. Not only that, some poor guy has to come clean this :poop: up, so why not take this somewhere more secluded and stop grandstanding your decision. Natchez Trace has some very peaceful and serene bridges with more than ample height. With any luck, the coyotes and possums will find you first and save public workers the trouble.

And, in this case you could have also mentioned that he would be causing you to have an awful day, and that you might be scarred for the rest of your life from having to deal with him.