I'd heard that a lot of departments are also using Tasers ahead of direct contact / wrestling / hand to hand. The rationale is that it cuts down on officer injury and usually on suspect injury except in cases of underlying medical conditions or recreational pharmaceuticals.

So then a patrol officer should take the shotgun from the rack when approaching a vehicle to write a traffic ticket, Sounds handy. What should he do with said shotgun while haveing to go hands on or while cuffing a subject if thats the ways things should turn?

The roving mob expressed fury at police and frustration over society's racial injustice. Yet the demonstrators were often indiscriminate, frequently targeting the businesses and prized possessions of people of color.

They smashed a hair salon, a pharmacy and several restaurants. Police in riot gear tried to control the crowd, but some people retreated along 14th Street and bashed cars along the way.

The mob smashed the windows at Creative African Braids on 14th Street, and a woman walked out of the shop holding a baby in her arms.

"This is our business," shouted Leemu Topka, the black owner of the salon she started four years ago. "This is our shop. This is what you call a protest?"

Wednesday night's vandalism victims had nothing to do with the shooting death by a BART police officer of Oscar Grant on New Year's Day - but that did little to sway the mob.

"I feel like the night is going great," said Nia Sykes, 24, of San Francisco, one of the demonstrators. "I feel like Oakland should make some noise. This is how we need to fight back. It's for the murder of a black male."

Sykes, who is black, had little sympathy for the owner of Creative African Braids.

"She should be glad she just lost her business and not her life," Sykes said. She added that she did have one worry for the night: "I just hope nobody gets shot or killed."

Um, taser. The pistol is only a tool that allows you to fight your way back to your rifle . . . right? At traffic stop distances what does the taser give up to the pistol? Which is the better "one shot stopper"? Bear in mind that a taser hit on the leg (or other less than center mass target) will put you down right now where a bullet wound is a dice roll. Police officer's don't NEED pistols for close range self defense if they have a taser (yeah, ultimately I am saying carry one or the other but not both). As for cuffing subjects while bearing a longarm. . . . back up officers. Why do we invest tax dollars in these fancy radios if not to allow officers to call for back up when they need it to get the job done? Should a lone officer be attempting to cuff subjects that are resisting? Is that safer for the subjects or the officer than the officer waiting for back up? Lastly, there are some great slings on the market.

taser is non-penetrating, and you need BOTH barbs to make contact.

6. If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun.

I am rather advocating that, LEOs bring long arms to gunfights. There is nothing a pistol does that a carbine doesn't do better except conceal & concealment really isn't an issue for a uniformed officer. If it is a gunfight, use the best tool . . . if it isn't a taser should be adequate.

I'd love to walk around w/my carbine. But don't you think the cops already suffer from a paramilitary mind set enough already?

I'd love to walk around w/my carbine. But don't you think the cops already suffer from a paramilitary mind set enough already?

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How does this differ than from how mpd is present outside the dome at certain events. Last year at a vikings game they had on flak jackets camo and ar 15 m16 variants.

I really would love to be able to do my job without carrying any weapon other than my mind. (Think Columbo - or Andy Taylor even).

Become a Federal Corrections Officer. You can work a unit with 200 + convicted felons and only have what’s between your ears for a weapon.