need help on a test question.

[brandonmartin]

At what didtance may a police officer fire his weapon when a suspect is walking towards him and not dropping his deadly weapon?

[acreature]

At any distance that the Officer feels that the offender is an Imminent threat.

[brandonmartin]

My oral board officers told me that I allowed the suspect get too close to me, and that I should have shot at 30 feet?

[acreature]

There is no way an Officer is going to pin down an actual distance. Sorry bud.

At what point would you feel that a suspect could kill or injure you with a Shotgun? A Handgun? A Rifle? A knife? A Pipe? on and on and on.....


Know what I mean?

[Lfpdlieu302]

as stated above, there is no exact distance. each situation poses its own distinct circumstances. no offense to your board officers, but anyone who tells you a specific distance, probably wouldnt have time to fire his weapon. he'd be counting feet too much.

[acreature]

as stated above, there is no exact distance. each situation poses its own distinct circumstances. no offense to your board officers, but anyone who tells you a specific distance, probably wouldnt have time to fire his weapon. he'd be counting feet too much.

He would also be a Liabilty to the Dept if distance was used that he suggested. If things didn't go as they should have. And things never go the way they are supposed to.

[Lfpdlieu302]

absolutely correct!

[scott715us]

Can you provide a little bit more detail on the scenario you were provided with? 30 ft? Where the hell did they get that number?

[brandonmartin]

I was given a scenario of an outraged suspect that had a knife and was walking towards me while screaming at me. The oral board officers were asking me what I would do as the suspect approached me; closer and closer. I thought that my demands to the suspect were loud and clear - to drop the weapon and stop. But they told me that he kept on approaching me until I "fired" as he approached within his arm's length (6'). I thought that was a good distance for a knife threat.

[scott715us]

I was given a scenario of an outraged suspect that had a knife and was walking towards me while screaming at me. The oral board officers were asking me what I would do as the suspect approached me; closer and closer. I thought that my demands to the suspect were loud and clear - to drop the weapon and stop. But they told me that he kept on approaching me until I "fired" as he approached within his arm's length (6'). I thought that was a good distance for a knife threat.

Arm's length with a knife IS probably too close before firing. In that circumstance, I probably wouldn't let the assailant get that close. Probably no less than 10-12 ft. Someone with the proper training can kill you with a knife pretty quickly. One demand to "drop the weapon" and he keeps coming, it's not looking good for him. He's about to get two to the chest. ;)

[GoDirectly2Jail]

The dead zone for a knife-weilding assailaint has long been shown to be 21 ft. It's the speed and distance of the assailant vs. the officer's ability to clear his holster and discharge a round. Anything under 21 ft. and the attacker reaches you before you can fire.

[cecilVA]

Seems like a tough question unless you've watched the "Knife Fight" video where it shows the distance a knife wielding assailant can cover in such short time. I'm sure lots of regular joes think a knife is only deadly in close range.

[Switchback]

The correct answer would be the distnce at which you feel threatened.

That being said, there was an FBI study stating that 21' was established as the threshold at which, though dead on their feet, a person weilding an edged weapon could still inflict serious bodily harm or death. I heard earlier this year at a Street Survival seminar, however, that that distance has been moved out to 30'... based on analysis of more recent data.

Contact Caliber Press for references, etc.

[txinvestigator1]

The correct answer would be the distnce at which you feel threatened.

That being said, there was an FBI study stating that 21' was established as the threshold at which, though dead on their feet, a person weilding an edged weapon could still inflict serious bodily harm or death. I heard earlier this year at a Street Survival seminar, however, that that distance has been moved out to 30'... based on analysis of more recent data.

Contact Caliber Press for references, etc.

Thats from a holstered position on the defender, right? I am trying to remember the distance when the defender has drawn down on the knife wielder.

[Joeyd6]

I was going to post what Switchback did...but he did a great job. Rep points! 30' is what the FBI states is close enough for a subject with a edged weapon to reach you and make contact before you could draw, aim and fire a target hitting shot.