Active Shooter reported at San Deigo Marathon

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**JohnHwangDD**

BaronIveagh wrote:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44350499

So far, the only actual injuries reported are a police officer shot himself in the foot.

Was he doing backflips?

**Inquisitor Lord Bane**

Mario wrote:
Some districts also have quite expensive "wannabe military" equipment. Maybe some of the money wasted on pseudo tanks and gadgets could be instead used to train them (in general and not just shooting guns). Then instead of playing soldier they would actually be more competent police officers.

It's not "wanabe". Its legit hand-me-downs from the military. and yeah, they aren't trained in the proper use of any of it either.

I believe the linked article was discussed here around the time it happened, so I'm not going to rehash it, but giving our poorly trained and seige-minded police LEGITIMATE military-grade weapons and equipment is a bad thing. It only drives them further away from the communities they are supposed to be a part of.

**Mario**

SOFDC wrote:A policeman`s job, 98% of the time, is not shooting people. I don't really want it to be otherwise. I would much rather all that training time go into "How to not trample the constitution as you do your job" and verbal judo. If he can operate the gun safely and has the presence of mind to TRY aiming rather than cranking rounds off into the apartment building behind the bad guy or whatever, I am relatively content.

...and let's face it, by the time officer friendly actually shows up whatever is going to happen has already happened. How good he shoots won't enter into it until long after I have won the fight or have become a chalk outline and in neither case do I give a damn. Let -ME- worry about shooting well, i'm the one who has to make sure he survives however long it takes the flashy flashies to show up.

I agree, that's why I also mentioned education/training in general. The extra time on the shooting range was in reply to another post that pointed out that civilians can do it so the polices should be able to meet a minimum standard much easier as it's part of their job.

Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:
Mario wrote:
Some districts also have quite expensive "wannabe military" equipment. Maybe some of the money wasted on pseudo tanks and gadgets could be instead used to train them (in general and not just shooting guns). Then instead of playing soldier they would actually be more competent police officers.
It's not "wanabe". Its legit hand-me-downs from the military. and yeah, they aren't trained in the proper use of any of it either.

I believe the linked article was discussed here around the time it happened, so I'm not going to rehash it, but giving our poorly trained and seige-minded police LEGITIMATE military-grade weapons and equipment is a bad thing. It only drives them further away from the communities they are supposed to be a part of.

Yup, I read about how it leads a "military mentality" where police feels like if that equipment there then it's needed so their job must be more dangerous than before too, which in turn leads to "overreactions" from those officers.

**Spetulhu**

Mario wrote:
Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:Its legit hand-me-downs from the military. and yeah, they aren't trained in the proper use of any of it either.

Yup, I read about how it leads a "military mentality" where police feels like if that equipment there then it's needed so their job must be more dangerous than before too, which in turn leads to "overreactions" from those officers.

Well, it's not just a "military mentality" but also the simple wish to USE the stuff if they have it. If you're given a BFG it would be cool to use it, and when there's an opportunity you might pick it over a smaller more sensible option. Soldiers get that feeling too, which is why they usually have very strict Rules Of Engagement. The police have rules, but as (former or serving) soldiers on this very board have said multiple times police ROE is very lax compared to the restrictions placed on a soldier in a warzone.

**Frazzled**

Easy E wrote:
If I was a cop, I would spend more time learning how to de-escalate a person and on general psychology than I would at the range learning how to shoot someone.

That's just me though.

They are not taught de-escalation. They are trained, and the current culture is, to gain control of the situation.*. This typically means escalation, not de-escalation.

Also police are no more gun guys than anyone else, and it's a very small part of what they do.

Frankly a whole lot of non police duties have been dumped on police that should be refocused (mental health, criminalizing Civic issues). That needs to be scaled back.

*Per PoPo I shoot with.

**Steelmage99**

Frazzled wrote:

They are not taught de-escalation. They are trained, and the current culture is, to gain control of the situation.*. This typically means escalation, not de-escalation.

And there you have one of the problems. Thinking that "taking control of the situation" typically means or requires escalation is part of the problem.

**Frazzled**

Not disagree ing.

**Steelmage99**

Frazzled wrote:
Not disagree ing.

OK.

**Easy E**

Frazzled wrote:
Easy E wrote:
If I was a cop, I would spend more time learning how to de-escalate a person and on general psychology than I would at the range learning how to shoot someone.

That's just me though.

They are not taught de-escalation. They are trained, and the current culture is, to gain control of the situation.*. This typically means escalation, not de-escalation.

Also police are no more gun guys than anyone else, and it's a very small part of what they do.

Frankly a whole lot of non police duties have been dumped on police that should be refocused (mental health, criminalizing Civic issues). That needs to be scaled back.

*Per PoPo I shoot with.

Yes, they are trained on "Bulletproof Mind" which is basically always assume you are going to be shot, and act accordingly.