There is a lot of talk about police and their duties lately. With well-promoted media events like the coverage of Ferguson MO it is called into question: What IS the duty of our police officers? Is it their priority to “serve & protect” or have the pressures of a changing world somehow shifted roles into a grey area?
For context, consider that Supreme Court rulings are consistent:
Police have no legal duty to respond and prevent crime or protect the victim. There have been OVER 10 various supreme and state court cases in which the individual has never won. Notably, the Supreme Court stated this in regards to the responsibility of police for the security of you/your family: “You, and only you, are responsible for your security and the security of your family and loved ones.” The essence of a 1980s era decision stated that the police do NOT have a duty to protect you as an individual, but to protect society as a whole.
Time and time again, officers dispatched to an emergency call are placed in the precarious position of making a judgement: Do i/we intervene and risk bodily injury or worse, (given the perameters of training)…or do i/we let the situation play out a bit and wait for backup?
As the Columbine school massacre demonstrated: protocol was NOT to “go after a bad guy” even if an officer was first on the scene and knew that seconds meant lives lost — the rule was to WAIT for proper backup, mount a plan, and go in prepared. Luckily, responses have adapted to require the first on the scene to engage the threat immediately if one sees an opportunity. But you have to ask: when rushing into danger with limited information and resources as a first responder… What would YOU do?
Incidentally, in some states, if an officer asks a CIVILIAN for assistance, that civilian is legally bound to help. It kind of puts a new spin on the “helpless bystander” mentality. When did we become SO helpless? When did we start believing in “Superheroes in Blue” who can protect the ENTIRE population at one time, while we take ZERO responsibility for our own safety?
I have to wonder: How many citizens are actually PREPARED to make our lives, and our communities safer? I can name very few people who move through their day with one eye open to what is ACTUALLY happening aorund them rather than being buried in their phone or oblivious to their situation. Very few are PAYING ATTENTION.
Further, How many people have a REAL Personal Safety Plan for themselves, or their home? How many know their neighbors, get involved in their communities, and keep a calm but curious eye on things that “just don’t seem right”?
The C.O.B.R.A. system was created as a Police Academy for Civilians. There simply couldn’t BE a more germaine answer to the challenge of “too few cops and too many bad guys”. The time to step up and start making positive changes to the way we live is NOW. Fighting Forward Self Defense is here to help you. Good people helping good people — what could be better??
If YOU are ready to build a Safer Lifestyle, we are ready to get you started in a 1/2 day camp build for all ages and skill levels.
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It could be the most important four hours of your life. Literally. It’s Time to Take the Initiative.
Take care of yourselves, and each other. Fiercely.
Victoria Crowder is a C.O.B.R.A. defense instructor currently developing online learning modules for those who want to build a Safer Lifestyle. She’s also a competitive shooting enthusiast, and a Marksmanship instructor.