I truly understand and appreciate the role of law enforcement in our society and the dangers they face daily. Without their presence, chaos would reign supreme and there would be lawlessness across the land...however...the question(s) must be asked: what the hell is going on...really? The use of deadly force by law enforcement seems to have progressed FAR beyond personal or public safety. I was led to believe in the concept necessary or equal amount of force to reduce or eliminate the threat. Are these possible suspects posing an immediate, not potential, threat of life or limb to officers or public safety during these altercations? How can you justify the use of a firearm versus a knife, for example, from a suspect, beyond a reasonable distance to effectively employ that knife to induce bodily harm? Even if it were thrown, the suspect would have to be a professional knife thrower, not the average citizen, and be on point that day to accomplish this. How do you justify that a person possessing a weapon is an immediate threat, not a potential one, simply because they possess it? If I am holding a knife, am I an immediate threat? If stopped or detained by law enforcement, am I an immediate threat because I legally open carry my weapon or legally conceal carry? If I am not making a life threating or provocative gesture or movement towards law enforcement or other citizens, is possession enough to kill me without determining if I am a threat? Is this concept trained on or taught to law enforcement: determination of threat level? If these things are not determined BEFORE the use of deadly force, how then, is said use justified and not murder, an execution, or manslaughter? If a suspect is fleeing law enforcement, in possession of a weapon or not, is that an immediate threat to them or public safety where it is necessary or required to use deadly force? What is the purpose or point of non-lethal devices (tasers, mace, shotgun bean bag rounds, etc.) if they are backseat or secondary options to use of a firearm? Are not law enforcement trained in marksmenship? Is wounding not an option to reduce or eliminate a threat? To what end does the phrase the preservation of life or utmost respect for life truly amount to? What exactly is being protected and served? These are just some of the questions that cross the mind when I see these types of events come to light in the media or on the internet (even more so these days thanks to camera phones), continually happening across this nation and yet, from a statistical standpoint, seems to be minimal to no accountability. Thoughts...
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 18:12:19 +0000
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