Police point gun in window at armed homeowner

[Guest RichieRich]

Interesting story:

Police Confront Broward Judge at Gunpoint | NBC Miami

I'd be curious to hear the take of LEOs out there, but it seems pretty risky to be pointing a gun into a window (assuming of course the judge's story is correct) without knowing who's on the other side. It's not clear if the noise was the window breaking, but if I heard that a burglar was in the neighborhood, heard a window break, and saw a gun pointed at me, a lot of very reasonable people would be defending themselves as if this were a forceful and illegal entry.

Fortunately, no one got hurt.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

It doesn't matter whether there's a uniform on or not. There needs to be a good reason to do it.

A bad address could get anyone killed, and be justified. Mistakes can be tragic.

[Guest Oaklands]

That could have ended bad.

[vontar]

In the heat of the moment, they are trained to get the situation under control and sort it out later. I can image there are so many other ways that whole situation could have ended much worse.

[Guest RichieRich]

The issue for me isn't what happened after she came out (if a LEO asks me to drop, I drop), it's what came before that: a gun through what sounds like a broken window when I'm home minding my own business. They probably wouldn't like how I'd respond.

[vontar]

The issue for me isn't what happened after she came out (if a LEO asks me to drop, I drop), it's what came before that: a gun through what sounds like a broken window when I'm home minding my own business. They probably wouldn't like how I'd respond.

I know exactly what you are saying, in this thread and in another active thread in General Off topic I am being very careful on what I say in keeping with forum rules. This is one of those times I feel if I totally lay it out and don't check myself, the mods may not be happy with me in either thread.

[Grunt67]

From a LEO point of view, this whole incident was a royal screw up form beginning

to end. Fortunately, it came out fairly well. Could have been a disaster.

Very similar incident happened in Lebanon a few years ago, with bad results. Wrong

house, dead innocent occupant.

An apology would have been in order in the OP here, at least. Judge should have

complied as well. Sort it out afterward.

[Guest mds3d]

Just as a reminder for the LEO's on this forum, a uniform does not make you automatically correct or trustworthy. I know most LEO's don't think this way, but some definately do.

I am sure many of us have been in similar, albeit less intense, situations. After locking myself out of my house and having to climb in the window, my nosy neighbor called the cops on me. A few minutes later a couple of LEO's show up at my BACK door (opens onto a carport). No one ever knocks on my back door, so I grabed the revolver and went to the door. After getting a good look at badges, I invited them inside. I got a long lecture on bringing a gun to the door (In my own home). The call was understandable, but I told them that if they didn't want me and my gun to answer the door the next time, they should come to the front door like normal people.

That reminds me, everyone should know what the Badges of your local LEO's look like (in detail). Although its not impossible, it remains the hardest part of a uniform to fake.

[Farman]

Here's the deputy's report........

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/media/acrobat/2011-04/61194478.pdf