Emotional Aspects of a Police Officer
...ed. As a few other officers arrived, they came up to the suspect and could clearly see from the head wound that this man was dead. There was the rifle laying on the front seat along side the man. Because of this, paramedics were told to wait until the scene was secure to proceed in aiding the suspect. The paramedics also confirmed the man was dead at the scene. The officer was firing his weapon in self defense at this man, who just tried to run him over, as the surrounding neighbors started to come out of their houses. Most of these people said the man did nothing wrong. Others said the officer fired way too many times at the suspect and his vehicle. Neighbors also accounted that not only did the officers not check to see if the man was alive or dead; they would not let the paramedics help the man either. This was the one part where I struggle to understand what were the intentions or thoughts of the officers at that time. I believe that is because I do not have all the facts and basically, was not there to witness for myself. I suppose that if the man was shot in the head then it would be safe to say, from a distance, that someone is dead. However, knowing the basics of emergency medical training, how do you know his heart is still not beating? Did they see him pass? Again, I was not there so I don’t speculate. I take their word for it. Now I am jumping back to the “opinions” of the people in the area and others that knew the man, sheer emotion. You are sitting at home, watching television, when you here a commotion outside followed by gun shots. I don’t know about anyone else, but my first instinct would be to hit the ground! You run outside (or maybe just peak out the door or window), to find a man’s car has hit a pole and he does not appear to be moving. An officer is limping toward the vehicle as other officers arrive. The newly to the scene officers assist their coworker and check the man in the vehicle. Most likely an officer walked up to the vehicle with gun drawn, and made sure that everything was secure and safe. This officer would also have checked the suspects pulse. Why would they not? The guy has a gun on the seat next to him. Wouldn’t you check to see if he was alive or other? I know I would! Family members and friends always say the old cliché, ‘He w...