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Originally Posted by 147_Grain
I generally agree with you, except for these two points:
Civilians not being asaggressive as LE officers is completely different than having more latitude or flexibility. Agree with you about being given more flexibility, particularly if its a defenseless women and in other circumstances. This is a whole 'nother issue.
Also, a jury of your peers isn't likely to frown upon you if you use ammo the LE Community uses and not the brand your LOCAL PD is issued. Example: Local PD uses Speer Gold Dot and you use Winchester or Federal that many other LE Agencies use.
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I'm not comfortable with the term "aggressive," for either civilians or LE. Every SD situtaion I've investigated/examined, the issue has always been "defensive," even for LE. Unlike the military, LE is not supposed to be "offensive," although SWAT-type operations may appear that way. The goal is to use minimum force to achieve the ends, the force level being determined by the offender, not LE.
I believe LE has more restrictions, primarily through administrative means, on their responses to deadly encounters, and "aggressive" is not a term that an LE supervisor would want to describe the manner in which a deadly force situation was resolved.
Similarly, civilians have "restrictions" in their actions. While it is not only acceptable, but encouraged, for LE to wear a ballistic vest, a civilian wearing one as part of their daily attire (assuming they are not in a occupation where it would be acceptable) could be considered "looking for trouble" or perhaps delusional.
I agree that a civilian does not have to carry what the local LE carries, but using an LE standard, i.e., "I carry what the FBI, state police, etc. carries," is perfectly defensible.