“I don’t think people should ever lose their life over loss of money or property. We would hate to see a clerk become a victim or get in a shoot-out, so we would encourage people to be good witnesses and contact the police.” That’s the counsel offered to those working in the retail sector offered by West Lafayette Police Chief Jason Dombkowski [via necn.com] But judging from recent events at establishments in the Hoosier state, clerks seem to have other ideas on the matter of personal defense. Four recent armed robberies that featured gunplay — all resulting in room temperature would-be Dillingers — have some local constables all aflutter . . .
Tippecanoe County Sheriff Tracy Brown said employees who arm themselves need to make sure they’re following company policy and are trained in how to use the firearm and when it’s appropriate to do so. Without proper training, he said, it’s hard to know whether force is justified in the short time in which an employee has to make that decision.
Those who fire a gun in self-defense are subject to the same shooting review as police officers, Brown said.
So…a few weeks on desk duty during a perfunctory “investigation,” then back to work with full pay and benefits? Just kidding. Kinda.
But Sukhbir Manihani who owns a gas station in Monticello is fine with armed self defense.
“You are not safe anywhere and anything is possible. No matter what, no matter where you are or how nice of a neighborhood you are in, things happen,” Manihani said.
“Everybody has a right to protect themselves.”
When he’s right, he’s right.