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That's bullshit and we should never look to America for anything police, quite the opposite and any force should be the last resort, certainly after stepping backwards, but before they murder someone.
snottyotter-
I agree. Force is the last resort, from the video, reasonable conversation does not look like a viable option. Police officers are not disposable items as a lot of people seem to think, they have lives and families and they like to go home after work - like most people. Most people are not confronted with life threatening situations at work and don’t have to worry if they will get home on a frequent basis.
I shouldn’t have used the USA example but it related to the level of force not the preceding interaction.
TGR
Fair point. They could step back until he has access to someone to stab. That makes complete sense. At what point do you draw a line in the sand before you do something? When he murders someone? The guy in America who murdered school children with a rifle last week was shot dead. Should he have been reasoned with? Whilst the reasoning goes on, the chances of more fatalities is there. And I know I am raising the bar there but at some stage you need to draw a line in the sand. Totally appropriate, lawful, proportionate and subject to scrutiny. Decisions have to be made to protect people and, believe it or not, police officers are people too.