Interview question

[JonathanE]

one question required me to be familiar with the reactionary gap for edged weapons to get it right. I must have done ok because I passed the board, but I think there are better ways to evaluate a candidate.

So what exactly is the correct answer for edged weapons?

I say that because I am sure that someone will say 21 feet or something similar to that. I think training is starting to take a different look at that and say that it is potentially a deadly force situation. I think some officers were getting into the mindset that a person with an edged weapon and less than 21 feet away it was time for deadly force.

So is a person who begins advancing at 26 feet not justified while a person who simply turns at 18 feet justified? Instead of thinking along the lines of feet, think a totality of the circumstances which requires the use of deadly force.

Sorry to get all preachy.

[sgt jon]

Questions like this are designed to see how the applicant thinks on his/her feet.

For the most part their IS no wrong answer as long as the applicant can defend his/her answer and not back down from the ensuing pressure from the board.

They are NOT "BS" questions................the integrity and work ethic part is going to be covered by a Background Investigation. I always wanted to see how the applicant reacted to stress and/or uncomfortable questions.

THAT usually gave me a good idea if the person was trainable as a LEO.

As always, IOWA nails it. Read the above, print it out and re-read it ten thousand times.

[Lady Blue]

Like my colleague from Iowa stated, that question was not asked to determine if you would give the RIGHT answer. It was used to determine the way you process information and how you respond to it. If you can access information quickly, make a logical and defensable decision, and effectively implement into a given situation then you can be taught how to make the CORRECT choice. If you cannot do so under the stress of an interview how much less likely are you to be able to do with lives hanging in the balance.

[Dcd1988]

Thanks everyone very helpful

[Curly Bill]

Shoot the gun out of the daughter's hand. Make sure your bullet hits the weapon only so the suspect's hand doesn't get injured too bad. You do this so the daughter can continue the process of turning her life around, and so she can care for her 3 kids that live with her grandma.

[SmallCityCop]

Shoot her in the T-Box

[Shush]

(deleted comment for crudeness that was much funnier in my head)

[SmallCityCop]

Yes, I realize that the T-Box comment COULD be taken in incorrect context...