In Memphis
The police are now carrying AR-15s during traffic stops. I’m all for police carrying rifles but at a traffic stop?
Via Mike, who emails:
But the story is *very* sloppy with its reporting. They call the rifles automatic, semi-automatic and “assault rifles”. Then they use video (uncredited and unexplained) of someone firing a fully automatic rifle! Really bad reporting!
November 18th, 2010 at 10:36 am
Actually, this is in West Memphis, AR (where I live), not Memphis, TN. This is in response to the two officers who were killed by an AK-47 during a traffic stop a few months ago in West Memphis.
Having said that, I think the use of these sorts of weapons at a traffic stop is pretty close to a police state.
November 18th, 2010 at 11:04 am
Fixed it for you.
Bull. A .40 caliber handgun will kill someone just as dead as a 5.56 NATO rifle will. If a cop needs a rifle to hit someone 10 feet away, the problem is not the choice of weapon.
I’m not familiar with the incident that sparked this, but it sounds like either they were caught by surprise and didn’t have the chance to shoot back before they were killed, or they did shoot back but missed. Either way, one of them having a rifle probably would not have made a difference unless he was pointing it at the right person at the right time.
They could get the same ‘protection’ by having the second officer standing there with his pistol drawn. Using a rifle is nothing more than an intimidation tactic, and reinforcing the “us vs. them” mentality.
November 18th, 2010 at 11:05 am
I noticed the live fire shots in the video was full auto & not semi-auto. Bad reporting but seriously it is over the top to be covered by an AR-15 during a traffic stop.
November 18th, 2010 at 11:17 am
I hate to say it, but I’m fine with it. A poorly trained officer would shoot you (or not shoot you) with what ever he (or she) has. Sure it was not a quality report, but give them a chance. If I could carry an AR every where I went, Trust me I’d probably not carry my .45
November 18th, 2010 at 11:18 am
Jake nails it.
November 18th, 2010 at 3:03 pm
I’m continually amazed by the level of intelligence of people that chose to work in the public sector.
If G_d forbid the next West Memphis safety officer to be attacked is hit with a sword, will the Chief then issue swords?
November 18th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
I am trying to figure how the officer will stay out of view from the mirrors on the vehicle… They will not be pointed at your head but will be at ready. That means pointed at your body… It will go down a lot like this. The police car will pull in at a slant with the tail sticking out toward traffic. The officer with the ar-15 will get out walk around to the back of the car and use the car to steady his aim… The aim will be just above the edge of the windshield but in the area between the shoulders… His finger will be on the trigger… Sounds like an intimidation tactic as jake said nothing more. This is a knee jerk reaction to 2 cops who let their guard down and got killed… Part of the video showed the two cops out of the vehicle talking with someone. One reason the video was not shown is that it would reveal the cops actions and mistakes made….
November 19th, 2010 at 1:50 am
“The AK-47 went through their cars, their vests, and it was just no match for a .40 caliber gun.”
This has to be the sloppiest sentence I have ever seen in a news report. The way I read it, the AK searched their car and vests. Then the AK was beaten (killed?) by a .40 caliber gun…..