My Dad was one of those. Worked for the Sheriff back in the 70's.
The major rule when confronted at the scene with an armed person?
DO NOT fire until fired upon.
Amazing how few kids wound up dead back then because of toy guns.
God bless him.
In the good ol’ days, the sheriffs sat and talked with the kids at the local Dairy Queen.
They knew all of us by name.
We liked and respected them and I truly believed we behaved because we knew we’d have to face their disappoint in us if they had to pick us up.
No finer men you could hope to find.
Unless it was a rabid or car struck animal, they never had to fire their weapons.
You felt *safe* around them.