21 foot rule valid?

[swdw]

Go here and read the article (starts at part II.):
http://www.forcesciencenews.com/home/current.html

[gakusei]

From what I have read, yes.

[KIT]

It's not that it is invalid - it's that you have to look at it the right way. The same with the concept of the "Force Continuum." Look at it the wrong way and it is worthless.

[Fletch1]

Useful as a point of reference and a reminder of the importance of proximity and danger cue awareness. As a tactical rule I don't think it carries much weight by itself. It also seems to create a paranoia that an officer cannot defend himself inside this distance.

The Tueller (sp?) drill was set up with an armed officer facing a man with a knife who, on signal rushed at him and tried to stab him. The officer's goal was to draw his weapon and manage to get off two center mass shots prior to the attacker reaching him. On your mark, get set, go. A test of reaction time? Maybe. A predictor of what and how you will react and perform in a scenario that involves different cues, levels of awareness, environmental obstacles, etc? I don't think so.

Just like the suggested 4-6 foot reactionary gap taught to police recruits, 21 feet is just a number. It is not a rule that will generally replace common sense.

Just my opinion.

[TonyU]

Everyone here is pretty much on the same page. I agree, in it of itself is not enough.
It can be a strating point, but it hast to be built upon it.
The distance wouldn't make a difference if the officer is not tactically aware or prepared.

[jackhammer]

This is just one of those many instances where I'm glad to be military not an LEO. If I'm rushed with a knife for real I usually have some sort of automatic weapon out already. Heck, I wouldn't even make a good marine. I can't deal with really stupid ROE and to me, anytime you can't kill someone whose trying to kill you... I understand the need for LEO to differentiate between, say, a gun and a wallet. I'm just glad I'm not sent to places where that's a problem. Kudos to you guys. (kudo: I don't even pretend to speak japanese, but doesn't that mean the Way of Bending Over?)