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From what I was taught and experienced, it has always been explicitly stated that the escalation to deadly force ( or any tier in the continuum) need not be preceeded by the level below it; i.e. you match or jump one level above the threat. |
Then you've obviously never wasted time in court with a slick bottom feeding defense team who's trying to convince a maleable jury that you've used excessive force because you didn't precisely follow the steps of the "force continuum". This is why terms like these are no longer used by anyone other than the military, which never seems to be able to see the forest through the trees. My oldest son is currently serving in the Navy as a Master at Arms (Navy MP). Their "current" techniques and methods are so out of date as to be laughable to anyone in law enforcement.
As for tools..................................
The ASP is nigh worthless. In my fifteen years in law enforcement I've never seen one used effectively and decisively, and yes, this is by people trained in its use including me. All its use really amounts to is the general public seeing you do a "Rodney King" on someone. I've found it to be so useless that I no longer carry mine on my belt, but instead leave it in the car. This is only because it's part of my riot gear and I don't want to waste time going home to get it out of the sock drawer. I still have my original issue "yard-o-wood" that I keep in the trunk for those occasions where I need something like that, seems to work much better.
:D
Pepper spray is a good tool that is usually effective to one degree or another. Unfortunately it can be just as effective on the officers involved, as my training officer and I found out years ago in the back bedroom of a run down trailer house, but I digress. (I should point out he was the one using the stuff, not me)
I personally have very mixed feelings about the Tazer. I've seen it be very effective and I've seen it fail completely. (yes, this is after it's been properly deployed) It's an interesting tool but I suspect we'll see it wain in popularity just as it did years ago in its first incarnation. Law enforcement is no different than any other facet of society in that we tend to look at the latest gadget as the answer to all our problems. I think we'll see the Tazer eventually fade from grace just like every other gadget we've been saddled with, especially after the negative health affects become better documented. I'm often asked why I don't carry a Tazer. I usually tell people that, in my years in law enforcement, I've yet to meet anyone I couldn't either talk into submission or beat into submission. I've never felt the need to send a few thousand volts of electricity through someones body to accomplish that.
Every tool will fail eventually. It's an interesting thing to watch young officers react when the gadgets they've become so dependent upon fail. They then have to utilize a few personal communication skills to solve the problem or use a little old-fashioned mano-e-mano police work, if it comes to that. All too often they haven't been taught those communication skills by either their parents or their agency, which is often why they've gotten to the point where the gadgets have to be pulled out, and the mano-e-mano part, well, we just won't go there. In my opinion, past a good head on your shoulders and the ability to communicate in an articulate fashion, the only things really needed are a strong arm and a steady trigger finger.
Technology doesn't make a society and gadgets don't make a cop.