AWB question... not what you think.

[RX-178]

Regarding practicing medicine, that's not the kind of logic I'm using.

Yes, one has to have a license to practice medicine as a profession. One has to go through proper training to be certified as an LEO.

Going by the medical practice analogy, what if it were made illegal for a parent to treat their child's cold? Or to make it illegal for them to apply disinfectant and bandaids to cuts and scrapes? All these actions ARE medical in nature, and the parent would likely not have a license to practice medicine.

Maybe a less cut and dry situation. Let's say, someone just ending their service in the military in Iraq, who was a medic, or corpsman. They return to civilian life and decline to re-register an EMT certification. They now cannot make it their profession to be an EMT or paramedic (and rightfully so).

But what if they come across the victim of a mugging who had been shot. They rely on their previous training to treat the victim and succeed in keeping the victim alive until actual EMTs arrive. Should he be charged for acting as an EMT without certification?

What if the victim died despite his efforts? Should he now be held responsible and prosecuted?

 

[TAB]

No they don't, all they need is to be sworn in or elected.

 

[Landric]

No they don't, all they need is to be sworn in or elected.

That depends on the state really. In North Carolina police officers have to have been through training before they can be sworn in, but sheriff's deputies do not. Deputies are just required to complete training and become certified within their first year of employment.

 

[Landric]

Regarding practicing medicine, that's not the kind of logic I'm using.

Yes, one has to have a license to practice medicine as a profession. One has to go through proper training to be certified as an LEO.

Going by the medical practice analogy, what if it were made illegal for a parent to treat their child's cold? Or to make it illegal for them to apply disinfectant and bandaids to cuts and scrapes? All these actions ARE medical in nature, and the parent would likely not have a license to practice medicine.

Maybe a less cut and dry situation. Let's say, someone just ending their service in the military in Iraq, who was a medic, or corpsman. They return to civilian life and decline to re-register an EMT certification. They now cannot make it their profession to be an EMT or paramedic (and rightfully so).

But what if they come across the victim of a mugging who had been shot. They rely on their previous training to treat the victim and succeed in keeping the victim alive until actual EMTs arrive. Should he be charged for acting as an EMT without certification?

What if the victim died despite his efforts? Should he now be held responsible and prosecuted?

I think we are straying from the original point, upon which we agree, civilian LEOs should not be equipped with weapons that other civilians are not allowed to own. I think we also agree that rather than restricting citizens (LEO or otherwise), we should simply not restrict small arms for citizens.

In response to the above, there are a lot of "what ifs", but I think that the difference between practicing medicine and using first aid or military medical training in an emergency is quite similar to a professional making an arrest or an untrained layman detaining someone for an obvious crime.

The fact is that everything a non-sworn, non-LEO citizen needs to accomplish can be accomplished by a citizen detention. Not only is it asking a lot of untrained people to know when arrests are valid, but its also not practical for them to actually execute the mechanics of the arrest.

Can you (or anyone) as a normal citizen effect an arrest? By that, I mean are you equipped to restrain, transport, and book someone you arrest? Do you know the procedure for doing so in your place of residence?

The response I expect is "No, but once I make the arrest I'll call the local LEOs for help". If that is the case, you have just effected a citizen detention (which is perfectly legal in NC under the proper circumstances).

Quite frankly it would be a lot easier for me if citizens just arrested each other for violations rather than calling and involving me, but that really isn't practical or reasonable.

 

[M203Sniper]

Yes; and here is why.

A police officer IS a civilian.

One of the best arguments you and I have as a responsible firearm owner/shooter, hunter (or what ever) is "...the police do it."

---

"Why did you choose to carry such powerful ammunition."
"It's the same type marketed to and carried by Policeman all over the country"

---

"Why do you need a glock which carries 15 rounds of ammunition"
"It's the same type marketed to and carried by Policeman all over the country"

---

"Why do you NEED an assault rifle (EBR) in your home arsenal?"
"It's the same type marketed to and carried by Policeman all over the country"

---

I do not want or trust a society or a government that believes the POLICE should be better armed than a LAW ABIDING AMERICAN.

They, much like us - want the same results -
I would argue that we want the same thing for our policemen as we do ourselves. That they be properly trained and ready to act when confronted by violence so that no innocent lives are lost. We all want to go home at the end of the day, better yet if we NEVER have to employ force to do that, sadly that is not the world in which we live.




ETA; thank you for the insights LANDRIC. Very High Road of you.