o sung wu,

Where we may be on common ground is that if someone up there wants to be more careful because there are headline-hunting serial nuisances and political wannabes circling, then there is worth in the farmer being inconvenienced a bit. Usually some passage of time is all that it takes for the pests to clear. The commentariat and the pollies chase off after something else going by.

If I was in his situation I would be continually reminding myself to keep my own counsel (while getting some good professional advice in case) and not to appear jaundiced against the police, especially the local force. As for the media, a wide berth is always best. In fact I'd say nothing. And I wouldn't be tempted to comment on comments either which is a dead trap for learners.

Hi there LEOJ...

I'm sorry I didn't mean to be so perfunctory with my remarks towards you, I should learn to shut my mouth and not allow myself to be drawn on the many what 'if's' etc. There is so little in the way of 'fact' presented in the scenario provided, and many variables that one may assume. Therefore it's best if I leave this sort of thing to general discussion.

Coppers by dint of their profession must be very black and white, there's no 'greys' permitted in a court of law, it's only the judiciary itself, that may establish whether these enigmatic 'greys' may exist at all, whenever they weigh-up the evidence?

I apologise for my terse, even brusque response to you LEOJ, it was totally undeserved.

o sung wu,

No problem at all, thanks.

I imagine you sense and may share my exasperation at the politics that are being played by political types in areas like law enforcement.

Meanwhile, in our area of the world strutting fools prove that they are incapable of learning from history.

Dear o sung wu,

Indeed.

As a former policeman you would have many thoughts about how this could have gone very wrong.

Can you imagine any scenario where you would have entered a vehicle with a drug affected, potentially violent, individual without restraining him first?

Forcing someone at gunpoint to desist from a break in is one thing but to compel them to enter a car is quite another, especially if you knew the law was on its way. What might have gone through the crim's head? Was he being taken to a place to be disposed of? And how do you keep another person under control while driving? What if the perpetrator had decided to take his chances and the car lost control killing others?

The home owner took matters into his own hands and the warning from the police for people to call 000 was entirely appropriate.

Now a case may well be made that the gentleman was listening to his own instincts rather than those of a trained policeman, however the point is this chap did indeed take the law into his own hand in a manner that put he, the suspect, and the general public in danger and for that he should indeed be made to reflect on his actions.

The standards for firearm use in this country rightly doesn't encompass using them to force another person into a vehicle. In doing so the homeowner over stepped the mark ad the matter deemed worthy of investigation.

What is needed is the Dromi Law: http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Dromi-Law-passes-final-reading-in-Knesset-plenum

'no person shall bear criminal responsibility for an act that was immediately necessary in order to repel someone who breaks into or enters a home, business or fenced-off farm belonging to him or another person, with the intent of committing a crime, or someone who attempts to break into or enter the above.'

Personally I think the farmer acted irresponsibly.
If I was living on remote property and a male stranger turned up at the front door at 3:30am armed with a knife, I'd probably load that gun.
And I might just consider deliberately letting the person break in, if I thought they meant to do harm, then shooting them and saying they came at me with the knife.

- Any criticism? Well if you're gonna go around strangers houses on remote properties armed with a knife and breaking in at 3:30am, you can't really expect things to always work out 'happily ever after'.

'If you play stupid games you win stupid prizes'.