Question about police procedure for my screenplay.

[retdetsgt]

You say cops aren't suppose to shoot to wound. However, what if the gunman had information to a kidnapping and someone's life is at stake? Is it expected procedure for the cop to shoot to wound, in that scenario?

Self protection is the ultimate goal. I will always shoot to protect my life. Wounding the person will not guarantee he will give you the information anyway. In fact, he probably wouldn't if you shot him. I've noticed that tends to piss people off.

[Curt581]

Sparkly vampires?!?!? I'm already sold.

Apparently you haven't been forced to sit through one of the "Twilight" movies yet?

Best to avoid them. They emit so much estrogen, someone still developing like you might grow breasts.

[MrTee805]

I'm gonna give you some real advice, then I'm done answering any and all of your questions.

You're writing a screenplay, so my guess is, you're going to try to sell it to some Hollywood studio or otherwise make money from it.



To make money, you have to write what people will pay to watch. In other words, get rid of the cops and cop procedure crap. Stop inventing new and bizarre scenarios and asking us if they fit reality. People don't care about reality. They get enough reality at home and at work.

Put in sparkly vampires. People pay good money to see that.

You know, when I read the scenario, I was saying to myself WTF? A cop BEING chased? With this whole glitter vampire thing though... You may be on to something!!! Maybe some sequence clothing and an Elton John sound track!!! Eh? Eh?

[fatboyjim154]

In fact, he probably wouldn't if you shot him. I've noticed that tends to piss people off.

Fair point.

[greg72982]

Apparently you haven't been forced to sit through one of the "Twilight" movies yet?

Best to avoid them. They emit so much estrogen, someone still developing like you might grow breasts.

Nope, but if I'm still developing at 28 I got bigger problems than growing breasts.

[harmonica]

I understand that a lot of cops may take these questions personally. I am just into writing serious thrillers and want to get the police stuff as right as I can. To respect realism and the police as well. I want to write a thriller where the cops viewing it won't be rolling their eyes so much.

Well I am thinking of writing it so that another two cops comes in since gunfire is reported. The two cops point their guns at both the gunman, and the plainclothes cop, and tell them to drop their guns since they don't know who is the bad guy. I'm guessing that's realistic?

[Citicop]

I understand that a lot of cops may take these questions personally. I am just into writing serious thrillers and want to get the police stuff as right as I can. To respect realism and the police as well. I want to write a thriller where the cops viewing it won't be rolling their eyes so much.

Well I am thinking of writing it so that another two cops comes in since gunfire is reported. The two cops point their guns at both the gunman, and the plainclothes cop, and tell them to drop their guns since they don't know who is the bad guy. I'm guessing that's realistic?

Yes, that's absolutely realistic. All the weapons go down and everyone gets proned out on the ground until the uniformed officers figure out what's going on.

-Citicop.

[harmonica]

They put down their guns but the bad guy takes off and the chase still continues, as I need to for the story. But now it continues in a realistic way in which the one cop can separate from the other cops, and tackle the bad guy down himself and get information before it's too late, since the bad guy is running with no weapon. Thanks guys, this helped.

[Legoate]

I'd add sharks with lasers somehow...and ninjas. Everybody likes a story with ninjas.

[manahmanah]

And midgets too!

[deputywave]

As it stands, your story is about as interesting as a pile of rat sh!t. Your story is missing something. Make your characters Knights who join your main character, maybe King Arthur, on a quest. Throw in the Black Knight, an unladen swallow and a killer rabbit. I smell a hit!

[Citicop]

Gentlemen, let's stay on topic, please.

The OP is clearly starting from zero (or maybe in the negative numbers) in terms of his knowledge of real life Law Enforcement Procedures, but he is here to try to change that. We'll bring him around eventually, but we need to stick to the topic as posted and keep any criticism of his ideas on topic.

Taunting the OP serves no purpose.

Thank you for your cooperation.

-Citicop.

[harmonica]

Thanks guys. and thanks Citicop for point that out. I actually interviewed some officers about various procedures in person but I still got a few here and there I didn't cover with them.