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Meiko

(1,076 posts)
Wed May 30, 2012, 02:02 PM May 2012

Officer's instinct kept him from using deadly force

Finally! A cop with a brain who isn't afraid to use it. Some will say the police officer was careless and stupid and should have just shot the guy, I say he kept his head and did his job.

Hatfield Township police Officer Keith Blank didn’t kill a man last week.
He could have. He likely would have been legally entitled to do so.
But on the evening of May 24 when an emotionally distressed Nicholas Joseph Eustace, 22, of Lansdale, pointed a gun at Blank, the Hatfield Township patrolman kept his cool, according to police.
Eustace had earlier called 911 to say he was going to shoot himself, police and his family, according to court records. He allegedly physically assaulted his sister at their home in Lansdale and was last seen walking toward Hatfield Township. Blank drove to the corner of Logan Drive and Moyer Road believing Eustace might be walking in his direction. And when he spotted Eustace approaching, Blank got out and ordered Eustace to drop the gun, police said.


***MORE AT LINK***

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/crime/officer-s-instinct-kept-him-from-using-deadly-force/article_b4ad9924-a205-5196-9926-bc1a3b5817e1.html
13 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Officer's instinct kept him from using deadly force (Original Post) Meiko May 2012 OP
I'm glad it worked out, but Lurks Often May 2012 #1
Clear example of attempted suicide by cop. gejohnston May 2012 #2
He done good....something in the way this young man acted ileus May 2012 #3
Excellent example of good police work. Starboard Tack May 2012 #4
1000+ SGMRTDARMY May 2012 #5
All cops... Fredjust May 2012 #6
Are you serious? SGMRTDARMY May 2012 #8
Probably... Fredjust May 2012 #9
So you do not own a vehicle, have a pool, or even a five gallon bucket? oneshooter May 2012 #10
He doesn't own a knife, either. BiggJawn May 2012 #12
One thing I wondered, gejohnston May 2012 #7
Instinct, luck, whatever... jeepnstein May 2012 #11
I don't know all the details of this situation Jenoch Jun 2012 #13
 

Lurks Often

(5,455 posts)
1. I'm glad it worked out, but
Wed May 30, 2012, 02:13 PM
May 2012

this has nothing to with brains. Essentially the officer was betting his life that the gun was not real and that if the gun was real, Eustace wouldn't shoot him.

I will grant that the officer may have had additional information not reported in the story that gave him a better understanding of the situation then indicated in the story.

gejohnston

(17,502 posts)
2. Clear example of attempted suicide by cop.
Wed May 30, 2012, 02:19 PM
May 2012

The officer likely knew that Eustace wanted him to fire, but had no intention of harming Blank. It is also possible that Blank could tell it was a toy. Careless? Maybe, but certainly thinking out of the box. Stupid? No. Stupid would be taking the same approach at a meth lab bust.

ileus

(15,396 posts)
3. He done good....something in the way this young man acted
Wed May 30, 2012, 02:32 PM
May 2012

lead him to make the decision not to plug him full of holes...cops by and large are pretty good judges of character, even when the character is acting questionable.

 

Fredjust

(52 posts)
6. All cops...
Wed May 30, 2012, 10:33 PM
May 2012

We would have more cops like Blak if we just took away their guns. They wouldn't all feel so big and bad without their death spewers and TAZERs backing them up.

 

SGMRTDARMY

(599 posts)
8. Are you serious?
Wed May 30, 2012, 10:44 PM
May 2012

You can't be serious, it would be suicide for an LEO to be unarmed.
Death spewers? Frickin serious?
I guess you wouldn't like me very much as I carry a "death spewer" concealed although my firearm has never spewed death.

 

Fredjust

(52 posts)
9. Probably...
Thu May 31, 2012, 07:03 AM
May 2012

I'm sorry you feel the need to own implements of death and destruction. Yes, I feel all firearms should be banned. Period. No exceptions. End of discussion.

oneshooter

(8,614 posts)
10. So you do not own a vehicle, have a pool, or even a five gallon bucket?
Thu May 31, 2012, 08:00 AM
May 2012

All of which are, or have been used as,"implements of death and destruction".

Oneshooter
Armed and Livin in Texas

gejohnston

(17,502 posts)
7. One thing I wondered,
Wed May 30, 2012, 10:43 PM
May 2012

If anyone has done a study about suicide by cop. Things like, were the weapons actually loaded or real, what to look for etc. Perhaps it would help cops tell the difference between someone who needs help vs a real bad guy.
Hopefully, Blank's supervision and SO sees things the same way we do.

jeepnstein

(2,631 posts)
11. Instinct, luck, whatever...
Thu May 31, 2012, 08:12 AM
May 2012

We could just as easily be reading a story about how a Hatfield Township officer lost his life on a call. You'll never catch me second guessing him on it because I've done the same thing and it worked out for me. I don't know that I'd roll those dice again.

 

Jenoch

(7,720 posts)
13. I don't know all the details of this situation
Sat Jun 2, 2012, 12:49 AM
Jun 2012

but the police officer involved is more likely the recipient of good luck rather than the possessor of good instincts. It is also more likely that he receives a verbal reprimand from his superior than a commendation.

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