VDM Rule Modifications (LSPD Directed)
Today, I found out something that I believe would prevent safety for the LSPD and cause more casualties in the long run. According to the rules, specifically under the VDM section, there is a part that states: "Hitting someone firing at your friend while you have the opportunity to get away, is not permitted.". Alongside this, another portion of the rule reads this: "Your vehicle should not be used as a weapon to gain an advantage in a gunfight.".
While I do believe these are necessary precautions to take against people who do not want to roleplay, and want to simply end roleplay scenarios, I completely understand.
Now as for the side of the LSPD, this can be a rule that causes casualties to LSPD officers and other civilians. For example, if there is a suspect in a gunfight, shooting at officers or civilians, the use of deadly force would be acceptable. If an officer has a clear opportunity to take out a suspect with their vehicle, it would be permitted in such circumstances.
Think of it this way, in the view of one of the officers. You arrive to a scene where there is one suspect firing upon officers. This suspect has a clear advantage on the officers. With that being said, you have very minimal time to act. It would take to much time to step out of the car, pull your firearm, and start shooting, as all that would take a couple of seconds, which at that point, the other officer is dead. If that officer would have used their vehicle, it would have minimized the amount of time to take out the suspect, alongside that, that final bullet that would kill an officer, is now stopped.
In the long run, I don't see this tactic being used a lot, but it needs to be available. This is not only permitted in multiple other serious roleplay servers, that don't play around. This is also an option for multiple police departments throughout the United States.
This would only be used for firearm situations where other officers, or even you have to make that split second decision.
I'd be happy to answer any questions, and hopefully have this implemented in the near future.
Thank you.
I would like to answer this as both one of the Staff Lead's as well as a Commissioner.
Rules are set in place to guide roleplay out of situations where one side has a clear and utter advantage to win a situation. We aren't about the win mentality we have seen in other communities and it will continue to be as such.
Seeing this be put into effect as a rule where it's a guideline to situations that we steer clear from using vehicles as weapons, but allow a little bit of a grey area to where the fight or flight instinct can take over and you may use your vehicle as a weapon, has been a struggle from the beginning. We've definitely had quite a few situations where liberties were taken and points unfortunately had to be given out, but with it not being so clear as to what we expect and as we cannot explicitly define (10 feet and it's okay) sort of things, it's a case by case basis and will continue to be as such.
We have a very very open minded and diverse staff team that deals with situations such as these daily and takes everything into consideration with advice and delegation from the rest of the team. Nobody acts alone in any decision. I don't see a rule change being put in place for this, as the grey area I stated above needs to exist for discretion of the staff team to help guide and teach roleplay, while punishing negligible and unfair roleplay.