Here is an excerpt of one of my posts from another thread. I would like to have a friendly discussion of OC vs. CC, and I would especially like to hear from the OC advocates on why you believe OC is better/advantageous.
I do think that there are venues for OC, and that it, at times, can be beneficial. I do also think that the practice of CC is generally the wiser path to take. Thoughts?
There is no doubt that all else equal, an OC draw is faster, I think we can all agree on that. Yes, it CAN be a deterrent, however there are many cases in which uniformed officers were not a deterrent to aggressors who could have fled but chose instead to fight. The core of the OC argument is that it is always a deterrent, and that is simply not the case. Whether it be impairment from controlled substances, mental issues, extreme bias towards someone, etc, there is not always a rational explanation for the course of action taken. That being said, as an OC'er, what you have to realize is that you, much like a uniformed police officer, very much pose a threat of being caught to the bad guy, both in an objective approach (I mean that IS why you carry, right?) and in the bad guy's subjective opinion.
While I do applaud the people who take it upon themselves to put themselves in harm's way, through carrying a firearm or otherwise, I think there should be an element of wisdom in it (i.e. sometimes being a good witness is better than getting involved. If you CC, you have an excellent chance of being able to choose which path to take. If you OC, you stand a high chance of having your hand forced, even if it escalates the situation or places other people in imminent danger because of the bad guy's response). You cannot legitimately argue that the targeting of a police officer because of the obvious visible threat he poses to a bad guy (or bad guy's freedom) doesn't apply to someone OC'ing. You also cannot argue that the good guys are usually behind the curve responding to a threat. That being said, no matter how fast you are, if the bad guy has a drop on you because he knows you are a threat before you know he is, then you rarely stand a chance of beating someone from the draw (or even as we well know, even an aggressor within 21 feet can pose an imminent threat and close that distance before the average person can break leather). If you choose to CC, you stand a much better chance of controlling the situation in which you are, the timing in which it happens, and whether or not you even choose to go that route. You also stand a greater chance of yielding an element of surprise and placing yourself in a position of advantage, at which point, even the bad guy will usually (not always) have some thought process of self preservation if he knows his chances of turning the tables are slim. It is much like you as an OC'er being approached from a position of advantage by a bad guy who has spotted you first, and you knowing that you are not only well behind the curve time-wise, but also in a physical position of disadvantage. There's two strikes, can you guess what the third is and do you really want to have to be in that position to try it?
There are some instances in which OC might be a good idea (for instance in states or areas where it is very prevalent and you can count on multiple good guys in an area practicing it), however, most of the time, you are hard pressed to legitimately argue that OC is overall a better choice than CC.
My condolences go out to the families of the officers who were killed. These officers, like many others, were a primary target of violent offenders because of the visible threat they posed to the bad guy's plans. A threat that is not perceived by the bad guy as much different than the law abiding citizen who is carrying openly.
I'm not trying to stir the pot. I am trying to convey the greatest tactical advantage to people who are well-intended and try to go above and beyond in their civic duties. I am trying to keep you safe, and keep bad situations from unnecessarily escalating. Be careful out there, keep your wits about you, and keep your head on a swivel.
I do think that there are venues for OC, and that it, at times, can be beneficial. I do also think that the practice of CC is generally the wiser path to take. Thoughts?