A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Seattle police can only use force “proportional” to the threat they face, seriously damaging the Seattle Police Department’s ability to use firearms.
The ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the use of force reforms put in place by federal mandates under the Obama administration that required police to use only “objectively reasonable force, proportional to the threat or urgency of the situation,” the Associated Press reports. The unanimous ruling strikes down a lawsuit filed by a group of more than 120 Seattle officers in 2014 who claimed that the strict reforms infringe on an officer’s right to self defense and the Second Amendment.
“The City of Seattle has a significant interest in regulating the use of department-issued firearms by its police officers,” Judge William Hayes wrote, adding that the policy “did not impose a substantial burden on plaintiffs’ right to use a firearm.”
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14 comments:
No more free shots for cops who feel "threatened". Better get used to drawing that taser.
Lets bring this not only to Maryland but all of the states!!!!!
After seeing how cops treat deaf people, this is warranted... I saw an article and video of interviews where a deaf man who could barely walk and used a walking stick, was shot and killed by cops for guess what, not following their commands, but blame it on the stick as the cause for killing him... Because we all know, a stick will kill you from 50 feet away... But according to the ass cheek sucking cops lovers, this deaf man should have followed their orders, even if he can't hear!!!! The residence from the area all yelled at the police telling them, this man cannot hear and that he is deaf... Cops didn't care, didn't de-escalate, and just shot him, becasue they were in fear of their live over a stick, while they stood back 50 feet...
these are the same cops, these ass cheek sucking cop lovers, not only defend but say they should get military gear and training to use on people!!! That cops can do no wrong even though they are human and make mistakes...
Also to add, funny how the cops now argue, the second amendment, and self defense... That is rich...
This is ridiculous the Police can't even protect themselves without fear of prosecution or losing their jobs. We know the criminals have no morals when it comes to a fair fight. They will shoot first and kill a lot more police officers.
Sounds reasonable to me. It is a serious matter for a police officer to take someone's life with their firearm, especially if the suspect (yes SUSPECT) is unarmed. The blanket excuse "fear for their safety" doesn't get it. It doesn't work as a blanket excuse for anyone else to kill unarmed people, and police shouldn't be let off the hook when they do it. I don't usually agree with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, but this decision is a good one. With tasers, mace, nightsticks, and hand to hand combat training, firearms should be the last resort to deal with their "fear for their safety". Too often they shoot first before assessing if the confrontation can be resolved in a less deadly manner. They should have no more right to kill someone than civilians do. Simple disobeying their commands is not a reason to kill someone, and then say they were "afraid." As we have seen, some cops will show a running unarmed suspect in the back, and claim self defense. It is obvious that police need some boundaries when using lethal force on a suspect. If the police want a job that is not threat to their safety, they should be ticket takers at a carnival (SAR) or just choose another profession. Many jobs involve safety issues to the employees, but they don't get to kill somebody when they get scared, and then excuse themselves when they do. If the cops didn't routinely cover up for each other when they use their firearm inappropriately and it results in a person's death, The courts wouldn't even have to deal with the issue.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is WELL known to deny the existence and meaning of the 2nd amendment. If they did not rule this way on this case....it would open the door to everyone being able to exercise their 2nd amendment rights as it was meant to be.
Anonymous said...
This is ridiculous the Police can't even protect themselves without fear of prosecution or losing their jobs. We know the criminals have no morals when it comes to a fair fight. They will shoot first and kill a lot more police officers.
September 21, 2017 at 1:30 PM:
If cops fear for their lives when they kill someone, they should also fear prosecution and loss of their jobs, for doing it. It is called checks and balances to avoid overuse of their weapons and loss of INNOCENT lives that didn't warrant death for coming into contact with a trigger happy cop. Just like the rest of us, if the cop is "innocent," and justified in the use of his weapon to kill someone, then he has nothing to fear from the legal system he is a part of. I've never been a supporter of letting the cops play by a different set of rules where they are not held accountable for killing suspects just because they SAY they feared for their safety. Just like the rest of us, they sure be sure, very sure, before they kill somebody. All lives are important, not just cops.
If the cops don't like it, they can find another job - preferably one that is not tax-payer funded.
Yo, Jake.
Seattle's police force is now fertile recruiting ground for the personnel vacancies in the 'bury cop force.
Realise this Maryland has no self defense law, you defend your self and seriously injure someone you become the criminal. So why should the police be held to a lesser standard than you or I?
Guess if you feel threatened call a judge
There you go again with a judge making law again not enforcing it
Can only hope he needs assist an they look the other way
Agree... they need to follow the same standard as of us who conceal carry.... and this court did that...normally, I do not value this Courts rule, but this time I do agree with them.
@ 1:20 PM
Do not confuse the belief of the rank on file cop with belief of the political leaders of the police agencies.
SBJ
Anonymous Anonymous said...
This is ridiculous the Police can't even protect themselves without fear of prosecution or losing their jobs. We know the criminals have no morals when it comes to a fair fight. They will shoot first and kill a lot more police officers.
September 21, 2017 at 1:30 PM
Are you serious? Or just mentally unbalanced?
Police Kill, er, I mean protect themselves at a staggering rate. Police kill thousands each and every year, and sometimes those killed are even criminals.
And how about those pets they kill because Rover made a cop fear for his life, even if chained up behind a fence.
They already have a use of force standard. But it would seem NO police dept. follows it. Police are allowed to use whatever force is necessary to affect an arrest.
But cops are either too lazy, too scared, too damaged mentally (usually vets who are slipped into police roles straight from the battlefield without getting help for their issues FROM that battlefield), to affect any arrest using manuel effort. Or just like to shoot and kill people, and pets.
Why do you think there are so many lawsuits WON and large payments made because of police not following their departmental policies regarding use of force?
And since none of the monetary awards given to victims of said violations of police procedures, and the law, comes out of any cops pocket, the cops don't care. The taxpayers pay their tab, cops get a paid vacay, the victims family get a lump sum, cops go back to work and do it all over again.
Rarely does a cop get charged, let alone convicted or sent to jail. And you think they will be concerned about protecting themselves NOW?
HA! And lol. They couldn't care less. And they will probably just turn their body cameras off sooner and more frequently. I foresee no major changes on the cops part.
We can only HOPE there will be more prosecutions of these cops. And a way to make them pay a share of cash settlements for their wrongdoings. And maybe some revocations of police certifications and not just the usual changing of jobs in a different city or state.
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