Let's talk Law Enforcement vs. Knife wielding suspects.

I stand ready to be corrected where I am wrong, but every self defense/unarmed combat course I've been to has said the following:  If you engage with someone even moderately trained with a knife and you are unarmed, you should expect to be cut.  If you engage with a person that is even moderately trained and you're armed and the suspect is within 21 feet, they can cover that distance before you can draw and shoot.  If you engage with a person that is even moderately trained and do not employ deadly force you're a fool.

Why do I bring this up?

Because of the insanity in London (I guess Chicago too but I don't want to wade into those waters).  Unless modern unarmed combat changes and unless a change is made to the force continuum, then to attempt to subdue a person armed with a knife-- with a Taser is not only crazy (in my opinion) but it's also sloppy police work.

Yeah.  It's worked in the past and it worked in London, but it's still poor police work.

Why?

Because it places false expectations on Law Enforcement.  Would you use a spinning kick to knock a knife out of the hands of an attacker?  No?  It's the same foolishness as expecting a Taser to accomplish the job.

What I'm telling you isn't popular but it's the truth.  That's why it takes so much nuance to know if what you're seeing is excessive police force or spot on.  Until Law Enforcement takes the time to educate the public on these issues I expect the confusion...and the unreasonable expectations to remain.