[JSandi]

From a cop’s point of view, it’s my life and if I feel threatened I’m clearing leather.

Here in GA to use deadly force you must one, be in fear of death or in fear of death to another person (3rd party) or be in fear of great bodily harm to yourself or another. It’s fairly simple and straightforward, if you feel threatened and feel that a person is about to deal you death or great bodily harm it’s a deadly force situation, no one has a duty to retreat, end of story.

We are constantly debating the use of deadly force on an unarmed opponent at work and on the forums I frequent.

I’m not a big guy, I stand 6 foot tall and weigh in at 185 pound and have a wiry athletic type build, not muscular at all.

I am not going to fight anyone period, I am not paid to fight and no where in the Georgia code does it say it’s my job to take an @$$ beating just because I’m a cop.

But it does say in the Georgia code where I can use force against an unarmed attacker.

Imagine if I stop a car one night, way out in the boonies miles from any sign of backup and immediately this huge guy gets out of the car squares off on me and announces he’s going to kick my @$$, he’s 6 foot tall and weighs in at around the 250 mark.

Guess what, he’s getting one chance to stop his closure towards me then its’ straight to deadly force.

Now if someone say 5 10 about 180 pounds but clearly in good physical shape does the same, guess what…

Same ending.

Someone leads me to believe they are trained to fight, martial arts, and ultimate fighting types I’m blasting.

I am not paid to fight nor am I trained to fight beyond minimal to moderate resistance we usually encounter when arresting someone who just wants to get away from us and not go to jail.

My options are OC, Baton or Gun, but in Georgia we are not taught preclusion therefore we have no requirement to anticipate an attack an attempt to head it off nor do we have a duty to retreat, we can enter the UOFC at any point we feel is justified to stop the attack or effect the arrest.

If I feel I have time I might go to OC or a baton, if the situation is escalating at a pace where I can think clearly and react clearly if not and the situation goes to hell in a hand basket, the outcome will be entirely different.