Officers hit a man with a knife with his patrol car

[Pick187]

http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2008/09/24/police-cruiser-in-iowa-appears-to-intentionally-mow-down-knife-weilding-suspect/

[Pick187]

I think this was the right way to handle it. There is no need to get out of the protection of a patrol vehicle. We often forget that our patrol vehicle is a great weapon. Notice on the first car that the suspect hoped down next to the drivers door. Great action on the officers part to drive off instead of having the suspect open the door.

[justken2u]

I'm hoping that the reporter in this clip got the department's position wrong in her commentary where she said "Police release this dash cam video hoping it will prove their officers' actions were NOT intentional ..."

I contend that if this is the case, the department is in trouble as it "unintentionally" ran over a crazy man. I would contend, as did Pick, that hitting a potentially lethal threat with a vehicle is the right thing to do. This guy needed to be stopped immediately and given his manic actions, getting out of the car would have put the officer in greater jeopardy.

Using a "weapon of opportunity" or a "weapon of necessity" show fast and decisive thinking on the part of the officer.

Nice job!