If someone has a weapon, the cop should only tell 3 times to put it down and each demand separated by X seconds. Then use of deadly force is allowed. Not ask 40 times, like that guy on the big island with the machete. Total waste of time.
I say X seconds separation cause u dont want the 3 demands done within 2 seconds total and then they get lit up. The weapon bearer needs time go drop the weapon.
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Sorry, but I disagree. There should be no set number of times a Cop has to issue an order before they can fire their weapon.
Each case is going to be unique in some way. Sometimes the threat is just distraught and not actually hurting anyone. If they have a weapon like a machete, is it really a threat to several Cops if the distance is maintained and no one else is close? Getting machete man to talk might end the altercation with no injuries on either side. I don't think ordering someone "like 40 times" to disarm is productive. It's not like they didn't hear you already. If you can get them calmed down and find a way to make them see they have alternatives, they will put the machete down once they are no longer willing to die by Cop or whatever else they intended.
Maybe lawyers and police captains writing policies will prefer there be a "legal" number of times you must at a minimum tell someone to drop a weapon. But what happens when the situation doesn't allow time for that? The bad guy could open fire before the Cop even knows he's in danger. At that point, zero would be a valid number of times to voice a command ... and with zero seconds in between!
Nope. Trying to prescribe a set number of commands spaced a set number of seconds apart only means the Cop can shoot after he does that even if it was unnecessary and be cleared.
Besides, ever try to do anything many times in a given interval while under stress? You lose count, don't measure time accurately and so on. In there's a required 10 seconds between commands, are you really sure it's been 10 seconds when the adrenaline kicks in, your heart is racing, and your life is threatened? How many times have we seen where a Cop says he fired 3 times, but the mag in his firearm and the rounds recovered from the body say it was closer to 10?