Sub,

I can't speak for the profession as a whole and to throw out a blind stat would be inaccurate at best.

A lot depends on where the LEO works, what type of assignment, tenure of the officerand all kinds of other factors that would be subjective. For instance a LEO with 2 years on the job working graveyard shift patrol in a large city, in one of the "rougher" neighborhoods will likely have a better chance of becoming involved in a OIS than say, a day shift burglary detective with 15 years on working for a small sheriff's department in a rural county.

Also, you need to consider the context of the questions... "how many LEO's need to discharge thier weapon on duty?" is misleading... I have fired my handgun, shotgun and rifle on duty in severalinstances where I have put down injured animals or stopped a vicious animal attack. None of these are instances that most would likely consider an "officer involved shooting", even though they are investigated and treated as such around here. (mostly they vicious animal attacks vs. the putting down of injured animals).

In my almost 20 years on the job, with the bulk of it being spent working in a Metro area on patrol working nights and weekends, I have had numerous instances where I have fired my weapons "in the line of duty" or have been a participant in what became an "officer involved shooting". I will not get into specifics, as I don't want to be taken as someone who is "bragging", and frankly, it's no one else's business. I will tell you that in my career, I have been shot at (the specific target of directed gun fire) 4 times andtwo of those incidents ended with the suspect dead.

On the flip side, I have also use my weapon off duty to defend myself. (as soon as I pull the plug on my retirement, I am getting the F*%K out of Phoenix!)

If I had to "guess", I would say that one in five officers, around here (metro Phoenix) will draw and fire thier weapon in their career in a situation that warrants deadly force. In my department, right now, the average is slightly lower than that, about 1 in 8. This takes into account the fact that the vast majority of officers in my department are still young in their career (in the first 5 years) and our overall violent crime statistics are dropping.

I don't know if these helped answer your question or not, but it has been my experience and will likely be different from anyone else you ask.

-Tac

I have worked in several different places, different states, to include the Army.

The first place I worked, my hometown, I worked a predominately black section of town, and yes, I had to draw my weapon many, many times. Rough neighborhood, very rough, like most inner city neighborhoods are. But there were a lot of really good, nice people there too, more good people than dirtbags, but the stuff the scum did certainly outshone the good people.

I workedfora small city here in south Florida on Lake Okeechobee before I joined the Sheriff's Office I work for now. That small city was even rougher than where I started. A real shithole. If you didn't "break leather" at least 7 ot 8 times a day there you weren't doing your job. And they'd know you were weak and kill you if you didn't point that weapon at them.

I have discharged my duty weapon twice in my career. Once when a theft suspect attempted to pull a sawed-off shotgun on me and my partner. Oh, yeah, we we also off duty when that happened.The other time was in the Army while working on a drug suppression team and one of the suspects stabbed me with a knife.

I hope I never, ever have to pull that trigger ever again. Not that I won't, or can't. I just do not want to go through all of the bullshit that goes along with it again. And there is a whole ton of bullshit that you have to endure if you shoot another human being. Mentally, physically, and the worst part of it all, administratively.

And don't forget our "friends" in the media. Yeah, they'll screw you every chance they get. It's what they do. Never, ever, ever, trust a lousy reporter. They're all shitbirds.

I would say, overall, that few police officers have to fire their duty weapons, and I'd dare to say that most of those shootings happen in more heavily populated areas where there is lots more contact with other people as opposed to less people being around in a rural setting. Heck, I've even had to draw my weapon once working at the courthouse about 4 years or so ago, and the situation actually happened outside the courthouse, in a driving rain, on St. Patrick's Day no less, in one of those "training class scenarios" that you get in the academy. Turned out to be nothing, but given the circumstances, if it had been an ambush, it could have been a bad day for somebody.

I have worked in several different places, different states, to include the Army.

The first place I worked, my hometown, I worked a predominately black section of town, and yes, I had to draw my weapon many, many times. Rough neighborhood, very rough, like most inner city neighborhoods are. But there were a lot of really good, nice people there too, more good people than dirtbags, but the stuff the scum did certainly outshone the good people.

I worked for a small city here in south Florida on Lake Okeechobee before I joined the Sheriff's Office I work for now. That small city was even rougher than where I started. A real shithole. If you didn't "break leather" at least 7 or 8 times a day there you weren't doing your job. And they'd know you were weak and kill you if you didn't point that weapon at them.

I have discharged my duty weapon twice in my career. Once when a theft suspect attempted to pull a sawed-off shotgun on me and my partner. Oh, yeah, we we also off duty when that happened.The other time was in the Army while working on a drug suppression team and one of the suspects stabbed me with a knife.

I hope I never, ever have to pull that trigger ever again. Not that I won't, or can't. I just do not want to go through all of the bullshit that goes along with it again. And there is a whole ton of bullshit that you have to endure if you shoot another human being. Mentally, physically, and the worst part of it all, administratively.

And don't forget our "friends" in the media. Yeah, they'll screw you every chance they get. It's what they do. Never, ever, ever, trust a lousy reporter. They're all shitbirds.

I would say, overall, that few police officers have to fire their duty weapons, and I'd dare to say that most of those shootings happen in more heavily populated areas where there is lots more contact with other people as opposed to less people being around in a rural setting. Heck, I've even had to draw my weapon once working at the courthouse about 4 years or so ago, and the situation actually happened outside the courthouse, in a driving rain, on St. Patrick's Day no less, in one of those "training class scenarios" that you get in the academy. Turned out to be nothing, but given the circumstances, if it had been an ambush, it could have been a bad day for somebody.

Squeeze.​..

Welcome to the site... and the Job. It is an interesting ride...

In my career, I have shot two pit bulls, a 130 lb Rottie, a German Shepard and a mutt. All during instances where they were attacking someone. The first pit bull was he worst, as he was attacking a 78 year old woman who was walking out the check her mail box.

The one that took the "most killing" was the Rottie... first shot was a load of 12 ga double 00 buck from about 4 yards, in the chest. The follow up shot was a second load of 00 buck in the top of his head when he charged me at a distance of about 8 inches from the muzzle...

Needless​ to say, vicious animal or dirtbag... doesn't matter... either way, it gets your blood going.

-Tac

Thanks for the kind words. I'm too busy with work and family to check this site much.

Just the other night I almost shot someone. I went to a domestic disturbance in this ghetto apartment complex and the dispatcher had the apt # confused with the gate code or she had the wrong number all together I'm not sure.

ANYway, I happen to be on the wrong side of the apt. complex and everybody else is where the call slip SAYS. So I see a woman with kids flagging me parked to my right and I stop my patrol car.
After I'm stopped, I see, walking towards me, about 30 feet away a Hispanic Male holding what looks like a Short Barrelled AR-15. I reach for my SIG on my right side by my seatbelt is on. God Damn general orders. I try to put the car in reverse but the transmissions on the old cars are screwed up so it's tough finding "R" and a unit just rolled up behind me anyway so I'm trapped.

I get out of my car FINALLY with my SIG in my left WEAK HAND and just as I start to yell commands he throws it down. When it drops it sounds exactly like an AR-15 hitting the ground except it didn't look EXACTLY right. Turns out it was one of those old car scissor-jacks from a Chevy circa 1990 or so.
Looking back I realize I was about 3 seconds away from pulling the trigger. I probably wouldn't have shot though since it didn't look EXACTLY like a gun but if he would have held it up in a threatening manner. . .
It made me realize that he could have turned my car into swiss cheese if it was the real thing and there's nothing I could have done except bleed out.
I told the guy after I severly cuffed him, "don't ever walk up to officers holding something black and silver and long like that ever again because I almost shot your ass."

He told me that the complex is dangerous so he carries it for protection. What a stupid idiot. Oh yeah, and I would have shot him in front on his wife and 3 children the day before christmas.

Welcome to "the job"! And if you stay on the job as long as some of us have, you'll have plenty of these kinds of incidents to rehash over and over again at "choir practice", or whatever they call after shift get-togethers where you are.

Good luck in your career. And I hope all you ever have to do is point that weapon at somebody, as there are many questions that will be asked of you afterwards, by others, and when you're alone by yourself too should you have to pull that trigger.

Prophet,​

Your question makes perfect sense to me. LGPD answered it pretty well. I have found that I can become the most negative and paranoid jerk around when I am "knee deep in shit" and don't get a break from it for a while.

Like most folks, you associate with what you know and those around you. Cops seam to take it to the extreme, as we feel like no one else "gets it" or understands what we do, and that gets compounded by a mistrust of those who are not in L.E. and sooner or later they find themselves surrounded by only other cops. Thats when the personality starts to change. You loose perspective of what its like to look at a situation from a perspective of someone who hasn't been cussed, spit at, urinated on, yelled at, complained about, fought with and possibly shot at or had some other form of violence directed, because of their JOB....

I have a pretty good barometer for when my "asshole meter" is getting pegged at "F$%* the world".... I married her.... She's known me all my life and watched me change in my personality as my career has progressed. She has no problem pulling me aside and telling me that "my asshole is showing"....(in my business they call that a "clue") I also try and keep a few safety checks in balance... I have several 'non-cop' friends and I try and decompress by heading to the woods to hunt or fish as often as I am able. I also try and pick up hobbies that take my mind off of work, like riding my Harley or working on holsters or guns. Or like LGPD said, shooting helps too.

-Tac

I have been a cop for over 30 years now.

The evolution of your career depends on you. I've made a ton of mistakes along the way, but when I show up on a scene people, good and bad who know me know that I am going to deal with the problem and be fair and firm in my actions. And yes, when the bad guys see me coming, they know it's time to go somewhere else. They know they lose when I'm the one doing the dealing. Period.

I have people I do not know coming up to me to tell me "stuff". I must have a good reputation, because a lot of the guys that I work with are always asking me "how do you find this stuff out?". I do not know. I just treat people the way I want to be treated. Give some respect, you'll get some respect.

DO NOT isolate yourself from the rest of the world. Have other friends besides other cops. I actually hang out with very few of my police friends anymore. But the few I do associate with are lifelong friends whom I have been to hell and back with on more than one occasion and whom I trust implicitly, with my famliy, and my life. Again............. very few.

When I'm off work, I'm off work. Period. Unless there's a felony being committed in my presence, at which time I am compelled to act by Florida statute, I just pick up the phone, quietly and while trying not to be noticed, and wait for more troops to arrive and let them deal with the problem. I do not want to be having to go into the office on my off time to write a damned report. And yes, I do carry my weapon off duty, and handcuffs too, because there is always going to be that 'one time' when if you don't have them you're going to need them, and if my family is with me, their safety is of more importance to me than anything else in this world. So be prepared.

Whatever​​ happens at work usually needs to stay at work. But not always. There will be times when stuff happens that afterwards, you just have to talk to somebody else about just to keep your sanity in check. But if you're going to talk to somebody, talk to family, your agency chaplain, somebody you trust, and if possible, somebody away from "the job".

Don't get caught up in that age old cop game of drinking and crying in your beer over stuff that is totally not worth rehashing after work. And don't drink too much and make an ass out of yourself in public after work. People are watching you, and what they see can help you or hurt you down the road. Other people talk, sometimes to your superiors, and bad news always travels fast, espcecially when you're the focus of it.

Just be a normal human being. Develop other interests besides police work. Laugh, love, and live life. It's too damned short to not live right, or to make so many mistakes that you will regret years later.

This is me......... now. I wasn't the same person I am now when I started on this job. Time and experiences do that to you.

Well Said Suncat.... I coudn't agree more. As a matter of fact, I have nothing else to add at all. You said it completely.

-Tac

Thanks guys. Just doing my part to help a youngster not make some of the mistakes I've seen made over the years, and to let those who do not walk in my(our) shoes know that not all cops are anti-social, and we don't look at everyone else as the "enemy".

That "us vs them" mentality is self-defeating, counter-productive and absolutely wrong.

Subvert... back to your original question... here is a link to a local news story that has some bearing on your question...

http://www.azcentral.com/community/scottsdale/articles/2010/03/04/20100304scottsdale-officer.html

This officer's special assignment has put him in the position to be involved in 6 shootings in his 10 year career. He is not the officer with the highest count of OIS (Officer Involved Shootings) that I have met. Phoenix PD has a couple of officers who have 7 shootings in their career. Granted, most of those officers have 20 years on the job, so the Scottsdale officer in the article is an anomaly in that aspect.

-Tac