[jcoiii]

A tip they taught us (and I learned the hard way) at the academy. Always challenge from a position of cover. I'd draw and conceal the weapon as best as possible and talk to the person holding my brother from behind something.

I'll play this from the other end. I'm the cop, holding a guy at gunpoint for something. In my mind, I have justified the need to have my gun out, which means that I think life (mine) or serious injury (others) is imminent.

The good thing about this thread is that it forces me to think ahead of time. In this slow-time where wits are clear, I think that had this guy wanted to shoot me, I'd be shot. So, in talking to me instead of shooting me, "you" are not necessarily an immediate threat to life. But I'd also think that if I had a guy at gunpoint, I'd be telling everyone that came out that I was a cop. Oh, and here in TN, you are required to carry your Dept issued ID (not just a badge) to ID yourself as a Police officer.