Cops are furious over a new bill that would require them to shoot suspects in the arm or leg rather than shooting to kill—even in life-or-death shootouts. The newly introduced "minimum force" bill would edit the justification clause, requiring cops to shoot "with the intent to stop, rather than kill" instead of giving the officer the right to kill if they feel their life is in danger. Michael Paladino, president of the Detectives Endowment Association, called the bill unrealistic, and told the Post, "This legislation would require officers to literally shoot the gun out of someone's hand or shoot to wound them in the leg or arm. I don't know of any criminal who doesn't shoot to kill. They are not bound by any restrictions."
The bill was originally drafted after the shooting of Sean Bell in 2006, but Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch said cops don't need a bill to keep them from harming civilians. Statistics show that because of the difficult circumstances of most shootings, NYPD officers only hit their targets 17% of the time, though they are trained to shoot at the center of their target. Even VP Joe Biden, who was shown the bill last week, suggested calling it the "The John Wayne Bill" because it requires shooting skills only attainable in the movies.
The bill was sponsored by Assembly members Annette Robinson and Darryl Towns, and is currently being held for further consideration, which may mean more language changing before it is put to an Assembly vote.
