My sergeant and I interviewed the homeowner, assuring him his actions resulted from fearing for his life against serious bodily injury or death. A responding investigator queried as to whether we had “coached” the victim. But our position was more about the proper assimilation of facts and fears than dishonest motives. No point in the victim being a victim… twice.
The next day the body of a young man was found behind the homeowner’s shed, killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest. It was later determined the deceased was part of the three-man robbing crew that had threatened the homeowner the previous day and had committed over 30 burglaries in the area. There was no need to interview the homeowner again. Self defense yesterday… justifiable homicide today.
Police and armed citizens are natural allies. Both have an interest in a lawful and safe society. They tend to support and reinforce each other. A society that maintains the rule of law has low homicide rates. Societies where the rule of law is weak or missing have high crime and homicide rates. Such societies are dangerous for both police and armed citizens.
There are no such lawless societies where the right to be armed is acknowledged by the government. And even in states that are hostile to gun rights, most street cops are sympathetic to armed citizens. The police have seen the result of disarmed citizens all too often.
The Georgia police officer has the right idea. Celebrate armed citizens as part of society that maintains the rule of law. Societies that do not have this dynamic tend to accumulate more and more power in the government, with less and less residing with the citizens.
Armed citizens usually see police as specialists who work for them to assist in the maintenance of the rule of law. Most police see armed citizens as allies and/or equals. These attitudes prevent police power from becoming dominant, resulting in a police state.
©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included. Gun Watch