Why does Knife =Weapon????!!!
makdaddy03:
Depending on the type of blade and length it may just be a pocket knife by statute. In Mass. case law in 1994 clearly spelled out that "folding type knives, swiss army knives and kitchen knives are exempt" from the dangerous weapons statutes and consequently not restricted to possess by state law.
If a particular municipality or federal agency further restricts your access into their buildings then you are under their guidelines and not the states. You have a right to entrance provided you meet their restrictions place upon you.
After 9-11 the powers that be decided to play it safe and restrict even pen knives from their buildings/parks etc. They probably went too far to the other side of security measures but I have a feeling their thought process went something like this--If we allow pen knives into the building and anyone gets aggressive and starts taking hostages with same [ as in terrorist act ]we will be held liable and possibly deemed negligent in not taking measures which would have prevented same. Their liability in a civil trial would be incredible.
They are erring on the side of caution. It's prudent on their part but annoying to us but we live in a changed world than when our forefathers grew up an we have to change with the times.
Don Gwinn: The Tueller tests were actually realistic in part the way he had them start as anyone who is contemplating sticking you [ especially sticking a cop ] will not announce the fact or usually give an indication of his intentions before he strikes.
Gang bangers will access it and hide it until they feel they have the upper hand and surprise on their side. The cop will most always in this sceario be reacting to an action on the perps part.
It was meant to demonstrate to police that they can be had easily with a knife from 21 feet when surprised even at that distance. Training officers in the my classes is always interesting when this comes up. With few exceptions the police go about their duties thinking "the idiot brought a knife to my gun fight" and cops have been killed often enough even though the hear the 21 foot rule in the academies, they do not believe it.
I like to show them this--they interview people on the streets at contact distance not 21 feet. If I can get to you before you clear leather at that distance, I can certainly get you at contact distance. We demonstrate this to the officers who think they can beat the perp. After they have been cut numerous times with the trainers and haven't cleared leather yet, the lightbulb goes off and they become less apt to dismiss the "drill".
They learn how to work within those confines by first utilizing defensive knife, unarmed techniques which opens up the distance to the threat, and then pulling the gun out.
Distance is key in defending against a knife and if you have some banger within interview distance who yanks a blade on you, you had better not rely on the gun getting into play before you take several nasty wounds. Better to have the skills to create some distance/time to be able to survive.
It's a real wake up call for most of the officers I see in front of me and too a man they have all ended the class by stating they now realize how dangerous a knife is to them.
Awareness of the potential harm to them brings new thought processes to the forefront and they have a new respect for the knife and it's potential to kill them real quick.
You stated "As I understand it, then, the lesson was not to underestimate any armed opponent by leaving your gun holstered. Draw and have him in the sights as you issue your commands, on the theory that he can run faster than you can draw but not faster than you can pull the trigger."
Your understanding is correct in the above. If you are issuing commands to comply in a potentially dangerous scenario you should at the least have it unsnapped and hand on it's grip.
When I worked at that profession I carried a 38 snub hammerless in my jacket and the hand was on it when I got out of the cruiser when danger might be present. Many people on car stops were covered and never knew it, but had one of the stops resulted in the driver attempting to shoot me at the window he would have become cold quickly. As well I most always covered someone when approaching them the same way on the street. There is no way I could get the gun out in time from the duty rig yet I was instantly able to fire on them from the jacket if necessary. Only one instance where it came into play, when a perp at a domestic threatened to stick me and picked up a kitchen knife. He was quite surprised to find he had to get through some lead to carry out that threat when I produce it from the pocket. My partner almost had a coronary and later started carrying one in his jacket pocket as well. He knew we would have taken some wounds or worse had I not had that 38 in my hand and ready.
Brownie
