As much as I believe the Black Lives Matter movement is flawed, who can deny the continued overreaction and disproportionate use of lethal force against African Americans?
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/30/us/police-videos-race.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=image&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
This pattern simply continues unabated. I don't get it. Is there some kind of siege mentality on the part of white policemen that motivates them to be so blazon?
Take the case of the shooting in Chicago posted here....isn't it at least possible that the suspect be shot in his legs should he refuse to obey police directives to cease and desist? Why at presumably point blank range are we shooting to kill?
My guess is that ultimately these types of police are overcome with adrenaline and fear which absolutely clouds their judgement and training (assuming of course that police are trained to shoot to kill only as a last resort?)
And it's easy for me to say since I'm not a policeman and I've never been placed in these types of situations but if this had been me, I would not have shot the kid. And even if I were inclined to shoot him I would have targeted his legs in order to immobilize him.
Why shoot to kill?
I'm told by a friend and former officer that shooting to kill is part of their training. He assured me that there is no room for nuanced decisions once weapons are engaged. Once the decision to shoot is made, police are trained to shoot to kill. I struggle to believe this. Aren't US Special Forces trained to shoot to wound in some cases? Couldn't that training become part of police training?
The protests in Chicaco have been tame so far. This comes as a shock to me.
Whatever the training these guys receive, it needs an overhaul.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/30/us/police-videos-race.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=image&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
This pattern simply continues unabated. I don't get it. Is there some kind of siege mentality on the part of white policemen that motivates them to be so blazon?
Take the case of the shooting in Chicago posted here....isn't it at least possible that the suspect be shot in his legs should he refuse to obey police directives to cease and desist? Why at presumably point blank range are we shooting to kill?
My guess is that ultimately these types of police are overcome with adrenaline and fear which absolutely clouds their judgement and training (assuming of course that police are trained to shoot to kill only as a last resort?)
And it's easy for me to say since I'm not a policeman and I've never been placed in these types of situations but if this had been me, I would not have shot the kid. And even if I were inclined to shoot him I would have targeted his legs in order to immobilize him.
Why shoot to kill?
I'm told by a friend and former officer that shooting to kill is part of their training. He assured me that there is no room for nuanced decisions once weapons are engaged. Once the decision to shoot is made, police are trained to shoot to kill. I struggle to believe this. Aren't US Special Forces trained to shoot to wound in some cases? Couldn't that training become part of police training?
The protests in Chicaco have been tame so far. This comes as a shock to me.
Whatever the training these guys receive, it needs an overhaul.