As it happens, the relief member Pierre, hadn't left when my partner Eric arrived back in town. It was an extremely rare occasion that we had an extra member in town, both were staying at Eric's when I took this next call at home.
The caller let me know that a woman, armed with a rifle was pounding on the doors and windows of a house, threatening to shoot the occupants. I called Eric and Pierre, gave them the details and headed over to the scene. I went passed the residence in a circuitous route and then headed back there on foot, planning on waiting for the others to arrive before we would decide what to do. As I peeked around a neighbouring house the woman, holding a rifle, was seated across the street. Her sister was sitting next to her, trying to calm her down. It wasn't working, she was screaming and crying, clutching the rifle.
Life, as they say, is what happens while you're busy making plans, and while I was busy figuring out the best way we would handle the situation once the other members arrived, the woman stood. Then she strode across the street and up the steps of the house, followed by her sister. And then the sister grabbed the gun and began struggling with her for it, but it looked as though the woman with the rifle was getting the upper hand. So I came out from behind the house and closed the distance, my gun drawn.
Now being armed, and being competent with a sidearm is all very fine, but as I aimed it at the woman, telling her to put down the rifle, I realized that there was no way I could use it. If push came to shove, and she pointed the rifle at me I couldn't fire, for the sister was right there, and firing would put her at risk. So I dropped my gun, into my jacket pocket (not the best place to put it for several reasons, but it is what I did nonetheless).
I sprinted to the house and up the steps and rather quickly disarmed her, and then dropped the rifle off the steps and turned my attention to her. I had her arrested and handcuffed just before the other members arrived at the scene. They gave me a hard time for not waiting, as well they should have, but sometime circumstances force your hand.
The next weapons incident again involved a knife, and someone with a history of armed confrontations with the police.
To be continued…
Comments
2 responses
I can think of at least two reasons not to put a loaded sidearm into your jacket pocket. Are there more?
Probably a few more John. One of the biggest reasons is that you might have trouble getting it out again. Back before there were zippers on the side of our storm coats (winter coats) a lot of members used to put their revolvers in their pockets when they felt they would need it, to have easier access. In 1978 when Barry Lidstone and Joseph Brophy were killed at a domestic, investigators thought that at least one of them had his revolver in his pocket and got it caught in the lining trying to get it out, neither of them were able to return fire.
The danger of losing your gun is increased; its a fairly dirty environment to stick a pistol in; you’re trained to go for your gun in your holster, not your pocket and in times of high stress you fall back to your training; the holster is a more secure place to keep your firearm – these are just a few of the reasons.