Path: utzoo!yunexus!ists!mike
From: mike@ists.ists.ca (Mike Clarkson)
Newsgroups: tor.general
Subject: Re: Toronto Police
Message-ID: <358@ists.ists.ca>
Date: 31 Jan 89 06:07:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: ists.358
References: <4800@hcr.UUCP> <3615@geaclib.UUCP>
Distribution: tor
Organization: Institute for Space and Terrestrial Science
Lines: 28

In article <3615@geaclib.UUCP>, dave@lethe.UUCP (David Collier-Brown) writes:
>   A pistol is a point-blank defensive weapon, intended as a means of
> protecting a soldier's life in extreme circumstances.  Police and
> criminals use them as general-purpose weapons, at the cost of not
> being able to hit what they aim at a large part of the time.

When I was in Vancouver some years ago, qn armed robber walked into a bank 
to hold it up.  By chance, ununiformed detective was in the manager's office
on an unrelated matter.  He drew his gun and tried to arrest the robber.

A firefight ensued at point-blank range. 13 shots were fired at less than 10 
feet.  If I recall correctly, the officer was the only one to be hit,
and even then, only grazed by one bullet.

>   What I would actually **expect** is rounds fired at the car would
> ricochet and end up lodged in nearby buildings, policemen and
> passers-bye.

This basic fact of ballistic life makes police much more reticent to fire
than most people are aware.  They only shoot the tires out in Hollywood -
real policeMEN aim for the gas tank!


-- 
Mike Clarkson					mike@ists.UUCP
Institute for Space and Terrestrial Science	mike@ists.ists.ca
York University, North York, Ontario,		uunet!mnetor!yunexus!ists!mike
CANADA M3J 1P3					+1 (416) 736-5611