Responding to both of you. Yes I did.And I think working toward more non violent solutions is a good thing,but like the film above ,what if all the backpedalling and Shouted directives from the officers failed to stop this agitated individual?Is it worth risking the life of an officer because some crazy fuck with a knife you see in a horror flick is charging? If the perp listens to orders to begin with then no shooting needs to happen.When the individual decides to charge that was his desciscion and consequences are on him,not the cops.He is a threat,and what happens the next time he does this?
Slippery slope .Where do you draw the line.Certainly you don't feel every situation can be handled without violence? That would be living in a fantasy world.
They did respond with violence rr, it looked like the female officer sprayed him with pepper spray at the beginning of the video and they beat him with their billy clubs to subdue him.
The officers assumed the risk of their profession when they took the job. Coming in contact with knife wielding crazies is part of their job. And they dealt with the situation admirably.
And I'm sure the officers felt much better about what they did that day then if they had shot a killed that man. I'm sure very few people want to go home from work knowing they had killed someone. Whether you think he deserved it or not.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Was that a white cop helping a black kid? According to some that would never happen. This kinda thing happens in spades everyday.Glad to see it getting some pub.
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mickeyrat
up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 35,802
tried to find the link for the blurb i saw on adbook that had a distraught black lady who had just found out her sister had died by phone call while driving. she pulled over. ended up calling 911. The officer who responded sat with her in her car and consoled her until another sister arrived on scene. IIRC it said he was with her about an hour.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
You know what? The police definitely handled the situation well, but placed themselves at great risk doing so. This just as easily could have ended very badly for one of the officers.
It's great this ended as it did, but I would have been okay with them shooting him as he neared the one officer gashing away.
Do people seriously expect great degrees of patience on the part of law enforcement when facing knife wielding maniacs? Instead, why don't we expect people to not be knife wielding maniacs?
"My brain's a good brain!"
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,733
Did anyone read the article I linked above? This one?
He believes that individual states should sign up to such England-Wales policies as a Chief Inspector of Constabulary, an independent police complaints commission, and much larger minimum staffing sizes for police forces, which – combined with national initiatives such as the England-Wales register of dismissed officers – would boost policing legitimacy and help to bring down the high annual rates of so-called ‘justifiable’ homicide committed by US police.
It makes perfect sense to have an independent agency handle complaints.
Some of the reactions to the post of the video and article show exactly the problem that the US is facing, which is a normalization of the use of deadly force on suspects routinely and early on in the encounter. The comment "This guy should have been shot" epitomizes this attitude, because clearly he didn't have to be shot. All other developed countries deal with violent criminals as well; the US is not somehow special in this regard. What is different is how they deal with them. There are multiple factors but a big one is the underlying assumption that shooting the suspect is a last resort, not a first resort. Of course, there is systemic support with appropriate training and management.
TBU - yes, we expect patience and restraint on the part of police. That's part of their job, just like dealing with "knife wielding maniacs" is part of their job. We can hope that there would be fewer violent people but the essence of policing is that they are the people who deal with crime and criminal behaviour so it shouldn't be a surprise that they will be the ones called to do this. It's not like anyone becomes a police officer by accident; there is a lengthy application, screening and training process involved.
my small self... like a book amongst the many on a shelf
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,733
Thanks for checking it out, Thirty and Often.
We in the U.S. seem to have this innate belief that "our way is the right way". I wonder, are we too proud to learn important lessons about issues that have far reaching consequences from other nations? It sure seems to me we could learn a lot about law enforcement from the British. And this is nothing new- I've heard this idea a number of time over (literally) decades.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Some of the reactions to the post of the video and article show exactly the problem that the US is facing, which is a normalization of the use of deadly force on suspects routinely and early on in the encounter. The comment "This guy should have been shot" epitomizes this attitude, because clearly he didn't have to be shot. All other developed countries deal with violent criminals as well; the US is not somehow special in this regard. What is different is how they deal with them. There are multiple factors but a big one is the underlying assumption that shooting the suspect is a last resort, not a first resort. Of course, there is systemic support with appropriate training and management.
TBU - yes, we expect patience and restraint on the part of police. That's part of their job, just like dealing with "knife wielding maniacs" is part of their job. We can hope that there would be fewer violent people but the essence of policing is that they are the people who deal with crime and criminal behaviour so it shouldn't be a surprise that they will be the ones called to do this. It's not like anyone becomes a police officer by accident; there is a lengthy application, screening and training process involved.
Agreed. But there comes a point where deadly force might be necessary. To my way of thinking, in Dignin's submission, that point was reached when the knife wielding maniac aggressively came at the officers. He wasn't spinning the knife on his finger tip or making idle threats... he was menacing, volatile and gashing.
I get that this ended well, but I think we can count good fortune for that (as well as skill). I can also admit that there have been many similar scenarios where deadly force was used and the chance was there that the officers on the scene might have handled the situation without inflicting bodily harm or death.
With the aforementioned said though... in at least some of those situations... an alternative ending is assuredly in the realm of possibilities where an officer could have been killed or hurt very badly. And it is with this in mind that I offer police the opportunity to use force when threatened. I don't think they should have to endure an injury before making a serious threat assessment. At some point in time, the assailant is responsible for their actions and if they choose to confront and engage a police officer... then the consequences may be fatal.
It might be just me... but better the violent criminal than the police officer.
"My brain's a good brain!"
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WhatYouTaughtMe
I have no idea what's going on right now! Posts: 4,957
We in the U.S. seem to have this innate belief that "our way is the right way". I wonder, are we too proud to learn important lessons about issues that have far reaching consequences from other nations? It sure seems to me we could learn a lot about law enforcement from the British. And this is nothing new- I've heard this idea a number of time over (literally) decades.
I do believe that is part of our problem. I also believe, like many problems, it starts with our education system. More emphasis on critical thinking and conflict resolution at a young age would go a long way towards addressing this mindset. That goes for at home as well. We are failing our youth and our future by not properly equipping all of them with the proper tools to tackle the increasingly difficult problems we face. What happened to civics? It's been going on for awhile and it is a serious problem. Just my two cents.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,733
We in the U.S. seem to have this innate belief that "our way is the right way". I wonder, are we too proud to learn important lessons about issues that have far reaching consequences from other nations? It sure seems to me we could learn a lot about law enforcement from the British. And this is nothing new- I've heard this idea a number of time over (literally) decades.
I do believe that is part of our problem. I also believe, like many problems, it starts with our education system. More emphasis on critical thinking and conflict resolution at a young age would go a long way towards addressing this mindset. That goes for at home as well. We are failing our youth and our future by not properly equipping all of them with the proper tools to tackle the increasingly difficult problems we face. What happened to civics? It's been going on for awhile and it is a serious problem. Just my two cents.
Good thoughts, WYTM! Did people would listen and read us here on AMT, the world would be a better place!
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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WhatYouTaughtMe
I have no idea what's going on right now! Posts: 4,957
We in the U.S. seem to have this innate belief that "our way is the right way". I wonder, are we too proud to learn important lessons about issues that have far reaching consequences from other nations? It sure seems to me we could learn a lot about law enforcement from the British. And this is nothing new- I've heard this idea a number of time over (literally) decades.
I do believe that is part of our problem. I also believe, like many problems, it starts with our education system. More emphasis on critical thinking and conflict resolution at a young age would go a long way towards addressing this mindset. That goes for at home as well. We are failing our youth and our future by not properly equipping all of them with the proper tools to tackle the increasingly difficult problems we face. What happened to civics? It's been going on for awhile and it is a serious problem. Just my two cents.
Good thoughts, WYTM! Did people would listen and read us here on AMT, the world would be a better place!
Hahaha yeah. Although I've showed my ass on here a few times.
We in the U.S. seem to have this innate belief that "our way is the right way". I wonder, are we too proud to learn important lessons about issues that have far reaching consequences from other nations? It sure seems to me we could learn a lot about law enforcement from the British. And this is nothing new- I've heard this idea a number of time over (literally) decades.
I do believe that is part of our problem. I also believe, like many problems, it starts with our education system. More emphasis on critical thinking and conflict resolution at a young age would go a long way towards addressing this mindset. That goes for at home as well. We are failing our youth and our future by not properly equipping all of them with the proper tools to tackle the increasingly difficult problems we face. What happened to civics? It's been going on for awhile and it is a serious problem. Just my two cents.
Are you speaking to anything specific here?
When you say we are failing our youth by not equipping them to deal with the problems they will face... do you mean our wayward children resorting to criminal behaviours... or cops in challenging situations?
When you say 'conflict resolution'... do you mean to imply that cops have been raised since childhood to strike back before other tactics?
While I agree that our education systems need support, I would say the biggest problem lies within the homes. Good parenting trumps everything. Exceptions aside, if a child grows with love, support, and the proper guidance... they are likely to grow into caring and responsible individuals.
Of course, to be a good parent, you have to be at home. When single moms are out working minimum wage jobs that pay shit... and kids are left to their own devices... how do they have a chance? The success stories are the exception. The challenges the poor face are great. I don't excuse criminal behaviour under almost any circumstances, but it's easy to see how criminals develop.
"My brain's a good brain!"
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WhatYouTaughtMe
I have no idea what's going on right now! Posts: 4,957
We in the U.S. seem to have this innate belief that "our way is the right way". I wonder, are we too proud to learn important lessons about issues that have far reaching consequences from other nations? It sure seems to me we could learn a lot about law enforcement from the British. And this is nothing new- I've heard this idea a number of time over (literally) decades.
I do believe that is part of our problem. I also believe, like many problems, it starts with our education system. More emphasis on critical thinking and conflict resolution at a young age would go a long way towards addressing this mindset. That goes for at home as well. We are failing our youth and our future by not properly equipping all of them with the proper tools to tackle the increasingly difficult problems we face. What happened to civics? It's been going on for awhile and it is a serious problem. Just my two cents.
Are you speaking to anything specific here?
When you say we are failing our youth by not equipping them to deal with the problems they will face... do you mean our wayward children resorting to criminal behaviours... or cops in challenging situations?
When you say 'conflict resolution'... do you mean to imply that cops have been raised since childhood to strike back before other tactics?
While I agree that our education systems need support, I would say the biggest problem lies within the homes. Good parenting trumps everything. Exceptions aside, if a child grows with love, support, and the proper guidance... they are likely to grow into caring and responsible individuals.
Of course, to be a good parent, you have to be at home. When single moms are out working minimum wage jobs that pay shit... and kids are left to their own devices... how do they have a chance? The success stories are the exception. The challenges the poor face are great. I don't excuse criminal behaviour under almost any circumstances, but it's easy to see how criminals develop.
Although it applies to many things, I was speaking specifically toward Brian's idea about our mindset and maybe unwillingness to take other approaches as a society based on what some other country's do. Was referring more to the dumbing down of our population as a whole.
I agree with the parenting and did say at home as well. The cycle does have to stop somewhere though. Maybe some of these kids who aren't provided with proper care will take valuable lessons learned elsewhere and apply them in their own parenting. I was very poor, had an extremely abusive alcoholic for a dad, and spent a lot of time in state custody as a youth. I learned many valuable lessons from sources outside of the home and feel I am a successful person. (Except for grammar, I've always struggled with that. math guy here)
The conflict resolution I mentioned was in the sense that when provided with these tools, people are better equipped to have an intelligent discussion about emotional topics and actually have a better chance at a solution or compromise. Not trying to hijack the thread but was speaking in a more broad sense. How can we fix a lot of these problems when we can't have civil discourse? We need to fix the way we approach problems before we can solve them. Being passionate is one thing, but the level of debate we have in this country is awful. Hopefully I was a little more clear as I don't always articulate my thoughts in the best way.
Edit - No I wasn't implying cops were raised that way, although the whole Sandra Bland thing could have turned out differently if BOTH parties were a little more skilled in conflict resolution.
We in the U.S. seem to have this innate belief that "our way is the right way". I wonder, are we too proud to learn important lessons about issues that have far reaching consequences from other nations? It sure seems to me we could learn a lot about law enforcement from the British. And this is nothing new- I've heard this idea a number of time over (literally) decades.
I do believe that is part of our problem. I also believe, like many problems, it starts with our education system. More emphasis on critical thinking and conflict resolution at a young age would go a long way towards addressing this mindset. That goes for at home as well. We are failing our youth and our future by not properly equipping all of them with the proper tools to tackle the increasingly difficult problems we face. What happened to civics? It's been going on for awhile and it is a serious problem. Just my two cents.
Are you speaking to anything specific here?
When you say we are failing our youth by not equipping them to deal with the problems they will face... do you mean our wayward children resorting to criminal behaviours... or cops in challenging situations?
When you say 'conflict resolution'... do you mean to imply that cops have been raised since childhood to strike back before other tactics?
While I agree that our education systems need support, I would say the biggest problem lies within the homes. Good parenting trumps everything. Exceptions aside, if a child grows with love, support, and the proper guidance... they are likely to grow into caring and responsible individuals.
Of course, to be a good parent, you have to be at home. When single moms are out working minimum wage jobs that pay shit... and kids are left to their own devices... how do they have a chance? The success stories are the exception. The challenges the poor face are great. I don't excuse criminal behaviour under almost any circumstances, but it's easy to see how criminals develop.
Although it applys to many things, I was speaking specifically toward Brian's idea about our mindset and maybe unwillingness to take other approaches as a society based on what some other country's do. Was referring more to the dumbing down of our population as a whole.
I agree with the parenting and did say at home as well. The cycle does have to stop somewhere though. Maybe some of these kids who aren't provided with proper care will take valuable lessons learned elsewhere and apply them in their own parenting. I was very poor, had an extremely abusive alcoholic for a dad, and spent a lot of time in state custody as a youth. I learned many valuable lessons from sources outside of the home and feel I am a successful person. (Except for grammar, I've always struggled with that. math guy here)
The conflict resolution I mentioned was in the sense that when provided with these tools, people are better equipped to have an intelligent discussion about emotional topics and actually have a better chance at a solution or compromise. Not trying to hijack the thread but was speaking in a more broad sense. How can we fix a lot of these problems when we can't have civil discourse? We need to fix the way we approach problems before we can solve them. Being passionate is one thing, but the level of debate we have in this country is awful. Hopefully I was a little more clear as I don't always articulate my thoughts in the best way.
Edit - No I wasn't implying cops were raised that way, although the whole Sandra Bland thing could have turned out differently if BOTH parties were a little more skilled in conflict resolution.
I just needed a bit of clarification there. Sorry to put you to the task.
I'm not going to disagree with much of what you said here. I would say that you are the exception as opposed to the norm with your home circumstances growing up.
Good for you getting off the path you found yourself on early in life. Not everybody can access a steadying influence in their life when they need one... nor can they acknowledge when they do!
Have a good day.
"My brain's a good brain!"
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WhatYouTaughtMe
I have no idea what's going on right now! Posts: 4,957
We in the U.S. seem to have this innate belief that "our way is the right way". I wonder, are we too proud to learn important lessons about issues that have far reaching consequences from other nations? It sure seems to me we could learn a lot about law enforcement from the British. And this is nothing new- I've heard this idea a number of time over (literally) decades.
I do believe that is part of our problem. I also believe, like many problems, it starts with our education system. More emphasis on critical thinking and conflict resolution at a young age would go a long way towards addressing this mindset. That goes for at home as well. We are failing our youth and our future by not properly equipping all of them with the proper tools to tackle the increasingly difficult problems we face. What happened to civics? It's been going on for awhile and it is a serious problem. Just my two cents.
Are you speaking to anything specific here?
When you say we are failing our youth by not equipping them to deal with the problems they will face... do you mean our wayward children resorting to criminal behaviours... or cops in challenging situations?
When you say 'conflict resolution'... do you mean to imply that cops have been raised since childhood to strike back before other tactics?
While I agree that our education systems need support, I would say the biggest problem lies within the homes. Good parenting trumps everything. Exceptions aside, if a child grows with love, support, and the proper guidance... they are likely to grow into caring and responsible individuals.
Of course, to be a good parent, you have to be at home. When single moms are out working minimum wage jobs that pay shit... and kids are left to their own devices... how do they have a chance? The success stories are the exception. The challenges the poor face are great. I don't excuse criminal behaviour under almost any circumstances, but it's easy to see how criminals develop.
Although it applys to many things, I was speaking specifically toward Brian's idea about our mindset and maybe unwillingness to take other approaches as a society based on what some other country's do. Was referring more to the dumbing down of our population as a whole.
I agree with the parenting and did say at home as well. The cycle does have to stop somewhere though. Maybe some of these kids who aren't provided with proper care will take valuable lessons learned elsewhere and apply them in their own parenting. I was very poor, had an extremely abusive alcoholic for a dad, and spent a lot of time in state custody as a youth. I learned many valuable lessons from sources outside of the home and feel I am a successful person. (Except for grammar, I've always struggled with that. math guy here)
The conflict resolution I mentioned was in the sense that when provided with these tools, people are better equipped to have an intelligent discussion about emotional topics and actually have a better chance at a solution or compromise. Not trying to hijack the thread but was speaking in a more broad sense. How can we fix a lot of these problems when we can't have civil discourse? We need to fix the way we approach problems before we can solve them. Being passionate is one thing, but the level of debate we have in this country is awful. Hopefully I was a little more clear as I don't always articulate my thoughts in the best way.
Edit - No I wasn't implying cops were raised that way, although the whole Sandra Bland thing could have turned out differently if BOTH parties were a little more skilled in conflict resolution.
I just needed a bit of clarification there. Sorry to put you to the task.
I'm not going to disagree with much of what you said here. I would say that you are the exception as opposed to the norm with your home circumstances growing up.
Good for you getting off the path you found yourself on early in life. Not everybody can access a steadying influence in their life when they need one... nor can they acknowledge when they do!
Have a good day.
No problem and thanks for the kind words.
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WhatYouTaughtMe
I have no idea what's going on right now! Posts: 4,957
And for thread integrity, I'd like to give a shout out to the NY state trooper who actually handed my weed back to me after a traffic stop in 1997. Certainly not the norm in my experience but hey, that's for another thread.
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brianlux
Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 40,733
And for thread integrity, I'd like to give a shout out to the NY state trooper who actually handed my weed back to me after a traffic stop in 1997. Certainly not the norm in my experience but hey, that's for another thread.
That's so cool, especially because it helps counter the experience of my having once known a cop - a sheriff, no less- (a guy I had previously worked with and eventually distanced myself from) who used to confiscate weed from from people he stopped for his own personal use.
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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hedonist
standing on the edge of forever Posts: 24,524
And for thread integrity, I'd like to give a shout out to the NY state trooper who actually handed my weed back to me after a traffic stop in 1997. Certainly not the norm in my experience but hey, that's for another thread.
Same thing happened to my husband in his late teens/early 20s (well, the officer confiscated it and cited him for the original pull-over, but that was it).
Nice discourse between you and Thirty, by the way!
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g under p
Surfing The far side of THE Sombrero Galaxy Posts: 18,122
I'm not sure where I saw and read about the police officer who stopped and assisted a child in fixing his bicycle. That was so awesome of him, now with the many officers around the country being seen in a negative light due to their actions.
Peace
*We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
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mickeyrat
up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 35,802
I'm not sure where I saw and read about the police officer who stopped and assisted a child in fixing his bicycle. That was so awesome of him, now with the many officers around the country being seen in a negative light due to their actions.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
After a chance encounter at a housing project near downtown, Los Angeles police officers helped plan a teenage girl’s remarkable coming-of-age celebration that was held Saturday.
Gang officers with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division were “conducting outreach” at the William Mead Homes when they met a 14-year-old girl, according to a statement on the division’s Facebook page.
“This special girl, Jazmine, told the officers a heartbreaking story,” the post read. “She had a disabling disease and her mother had a terminal illness.”
The teen introduced the LAPD personnel to her mother, who expressed her wish that she could give Jazmine a proper quinceañera before passing away.
The conversation prompted the officers to begin planning the traditional event, held for Latina girls on their 15th birthday.
Working with more than a dozen local business and community organizations, police coordinated and attended a festivity that included live music from a mariachi band.
A video shared on social media by the LAPD shows one of the officers serenading Jazmine, who wore a tiara and a formal pink gown on her special day.
“No matter your beliefs, we can all agree with the tenets of #kindness & #compassion,” tweeted Capt. Ruby Malachi, one of several police personnel who posted photos of the event online Saturday.
Comments
The officers assumed the risk of their profession when they took the job. Coming in contact with knife wielding crazies is part of their job. And they dealt with the situation admirably.
And I'm sure the officers felt much better about what they did that day then if they had shot a killed that man. I'm sure very few people want to go home from work knowing they had killed someone. Whether you think he deserved it or not.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
This kinda thing happens in spades everyday.Glad to see it getting some pub.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
It's great this ended as it did, but I would have been okay with them shooting him as he neared the one officer gashing away.
Do people seriously expect great degrees of patience on the part of law enforcement when facing knife wielding maniacs? Instead, why don't we expect people to not be knife wielding maniacs?
http://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/police-use-of-force-white-house-told-us-must-learn-from-uk#sthash.NkjWSgF5.dpuf
He believes that individual states should sign up to such England-Wales policies as a Chief Inspector of Constabulary, an independent police complaints commission, and much larger minimum staffing sizes for police forces, which – combined with national initiatives such as the England-Wales register of dismissed officers – would boost policing legitimacy and help to bring down the high annual rates of so-called ‘justifiable’ homicide committed by US police.
It makes perfect sense to have an independent agency handle complaints.
Some of the reactions to the post of the video and article show exactly the problem that the US is facing, which is a normalization of the use of deadly force on suspects routinely and early on in the encounter. The comment "This guy should have been shot" epitomizes this attitude, because clearly he didn't have to be shot. All other developed countries deal with violent criminals as well; the US is not somehow special in this regard. What is different is how they deal with them. There are multiple factors but a big one is the underlying assumption that shooting the suspect is a last resort, not a first resort. Of course, there is systemic support with appropriate training and management.
TBU - yes, we expect patience and restraint on the part of police. That's part of their job, just like dealing with "knife wielding maniacs" is part of their job. We can hope that there would be fewer violent people but the essence of policing is that they are the people who deal with crime and criminal behaviour so it shouldn't be a surprise that they will be the ones called to do this. It's not like anyone becomes a police officer by accident; there is a lengthy application, screening and training process involved.
We in the U.S. seem to have this innate belief that "our way is the right way". I wonder, are we too proud to learn important lessons about issues that have far reaching consequences from other nations? It sure seems to me we could learn a lot about law enforcement from the British. And this is nothing new- I've heard this idea a number of time over (literally) decades.
I get that this ended well, but I think we can count good fortune for that (as well as skill). I can also admit that there have been many similar scenarios where deadly force was used and the chance was there that the officers on the scene might have handled the situation without inflicting bodily harm or death.
With the aforementioned said though... in at least some of those situations... an alternative ending is assuredly in the realm of possibilities where an officer could have been killed or hurt very badly. And it is with this in mind that I offer police the opportunity to use force when threatened. I don't think they should have to endure an injury before making a serious threat assessment. At some point in time, the assailant is responsible for their actions and if they choose to confront and engage a police officer... then the consequences may be fatal.
It might be just me... but better the violent criminal than the police officer.
When you say we are failing our youth by not equipping them to deal with the problems they will face... do you mean our wayward children resorting to criminal behaviours... or cops in challenging situations?
When you say 'conflict resolution'... do you mean to imply that cops have been raised since childhood to strike back before other tactics?
While I agree that our education systems need support, I would say the biggest problem lies within the homes. Good parenting trumps everything. Exceptions aside, if a child grows with love, support, and the proper guidance... they are likely to grow into caring and responsible individuals.
Of course, to be a good parent, you have to be at home. When single moms are out working minimum wage jobs that pay shit... and kids are left to their own devices... how do they have a chance? The success stories are the exception. The challenges the poor face are great. I don't excuse criminal behaviour under almost any circumstances, but it's easy to see how criminals develop.
I agree with the parenting and did say at home as well. The cycle does have to stop somewhere though. Maybe some of these kids who aren't provided with proper care will take valuable lessons learned elsewhere and apply them in their own parenting. I was very poor, had an extremely abusive alcoholic for a dad, and spent a lot of time in state custody as a youth. I learned many valuable lessons from sources outside of the home and feel I am a successful person. (Except for grammar, I've always struggled with that. math guy here)
The conflict resolution I mentioned was in the sense that when provided with these tools, people are better equipped to have an intelligent discussion about emotional topics and actually have a better chance at a solution or compromise. Not trying to hijack the thread but was speaking in a more broad sense. How can we fix a lot of these problems when we can't have civil discourse? We need to fix the way we approach problems before we can solve them. Being passionate is one thing, but the level of debate we have in this country is awful. Hopefully I was a little more clear as I don't always articulate my thoughts in the best way.
Edit - No I wasn't implying cops were raised that way, although the whole Sandra Bland thing could have turned out differently if BOTH parties were a little more skilled in conflict resolution.
I'm not going to disagree with much of what you said here. I would say that you are the exception as opposed to the norm with your home circumstances growing up.
Good for you getting off the path you found yourself on early in life. Not everybody can access a steadying influence in their life when they need one... nor can they acknowledge when they do!
Have a good day.
Nice discourse between you and Thirty, by the way!
Peace
*MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
.....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti
*The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/08/12/saskatchewan-mountie-dances-powwow-video_n_7977862.html
http://ktla.com/2015/08/22/quinceanera-held-for-daughter-of-terminally-ill-woman-after-planning-by-lapd-officers-local-businesses/
After a chance encounter at a housing project near downtown, Los Angeles police officers helped plan a teenage girl’s remarkable coming-of-age celebration that was held Saturday.
Gang officers with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division were “conducting outreach” at the William Mead Homes when they met a 14-year-old girl, according to a statement on the division’s Facebook page.
“This special girl, Jazmine, told the officers a heartbreaking story,” the post read. “She had a disabling disease and her mother had a terminal illness.”
The teen introduced the LAPD personnel to her mother, who expressed her wish that she could give Jazmine a proper quinceañera before passing away.
The conversation prompted the officers to begin planning the traditional event, held for Latina girls on their 15th birthday.
Working with more than a dozen local business and community organizations, police coordinated and attended a festivity that included live music from a mariachi band.
A video shared on social media by the LAPD shows one of the officers serenading Jazmine, who wore a tiara and a formal pink gown on her special day.
“No matter your beliefs, we can all agree with the tenets of #kindness & #compassion,” tweeted Capt. Ruby Malachi, one of several police personnel who posted photos of the event online Saturday.
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/police-gather-at-turkeyfoot-elementary-school-to-escort-daughter-of-fallen-akron-officer-on-her-first-day-of-kindergarten-1.619366
If this were Texas, someone would be digging a giant hole!