Are cops nothing more than well armed cowards?

[Stinky The Clown]

Why do they get to fear for the lives and act on that fear while the people who are the real victims and who TRULY fear for their lives continue to die at a HORRIBLE rate?

Why can't they use less than lethal force, even when they "fear for their lives"? Why isn't THAT there default action? How about we train for THAT?

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. What we need are better non-lethal weapons, ones that are so effective we can essentially

take the cop's precious lead-flingers away ... without significantly endangering them.

At least in anything but extreme circumstances. Like, only SWAT-like units have actual firearms.

The tech has GOT to exist at this point, or at least COULD, if enough money were throw at the problem.

[backscatter712]

5. Bobbies in the UK have made do with simple batons.

Hell, getting clobbered by Officer Roid Rage and his billy club is usually more than bad enough.

I agree. It's time to nerf the cops. Take their guns away and reserve them for the SWAT teams and the backup. Only cops of sufficient rank, that have proven to be responsible, that have earned it, should be allowed access to firearms, and then only in case of emergency. And no, an 80lb elderly woman with dementia accused of walking off with $14 of merchandise doesn't constitute such an emergency. (The pigs in my hometown were the ones in the news who ripped a little-old-lady's shoulder out of its socket - so brave... /s)

ACAB.

[LisaL]

7. I don't think in UK every citizen is armed with an AK 47.

NT

[backscatter712]

9. Even in gun-happy USA, most people don't get even slightly violent.

A cop doing nothing but using his radar gun and writing speeding tickets doesn't need enough weapons to rearm Bolivia.

The guns should be reserved for backup. The first-line officer is supposed to be the friendly face, who deescalates situations. Of course, he'll likely have backup (and in the UK, the backup's gonna have lots of weapons) if things get even slightly twitchy.

I'm fed up with cops acting like Imperial Stormtroopers.

[uponit7771]

12. +1, for the most part Americans statistically are not bad people but we're jailed like we are

[uponit7771]

8. +1, but in America people think multi-shot tasers don't work against high school aged girls ...

... and will post pages arguing why they're right to justify more than lethal force on American citizens.

[backscatter712]

10. Yep. 74 million wearing those red MAGA hats to hide their lobotomy scars.

[uponit7771]

11. lol

[kcr]

19. I'm convinced

You're getting a cut on the sale of multi-shot tasers.

[uponit7771]

20. No KCR, your knowledge of tasers is minimal but willingness to justify this leo using a gun

... vs a lesser lethal force is high.

There's no one with adequate and field knowledge of use of tasers who hasn't said it would likely fail to stop a 15 yr old girl in her tracks.

The notion sounds silly on its face

[The Magistrate]

2. A Lot Of Current Training Seems To Inculcate That, Sir

Police work is not that dangerous, physically. An officer driving to work is at much greater risk of life and limb than when he or she makes a traffic stop.

The danger is the corrosion of the soul brought on by frequent contact with people at their worst, with people at their weakest, with people who are damaged beyond repair.

Police culture is rooted in white working class culture, which inculcates among other behaviors stoicism, repression of emotion, and self-medicating to relieve psychic pain.

Camaraderie is a potent intoxicant, and always contains an element of a collective identity, one different from others, who aren't one of us. Under a great collective stress, this can and does go toxic.

Sooner or later, an officer is going to take for an excuse to let off steam some trifle with a person who's not police. People are going to end up suffering who didn't really do anything, certainly nothing commensurate with what is done to them. Given the actual state of our culture and society, it is far more likely the victims will be persons of color. Nothing deters this, there is nothing to weigh in the balance against the moment's rough pleasure. There is generally reinforcement for it among comrades.

So it continues.

[Redleg]

15. An insightful post

You described the socialization and group development process very well, and I say that as a behavioral scientist. This is the same way that soldiers can become less humane during times of war. Interesting stuff!

[Hekate]

17. Thank you, Sir

We have to do better

[Hoyt]

3. I'd bet most police would love to have something where they seldom have to

get out of their car.

There are things like sound cannons, but too many complained about those that police don’t use them. Folks would probably complain about 10 foot prods, police dogs, etc., too, just like folks complain about tasers.

But at least things like that are reversible, although they are easily abused. There are times where people trained to deescalate would help, other times there is just not time.

Next time one calls police for a thump in the night, don’t be surprised if they take extra time showing up.

Guess gunners are right, we all need to arm up.

[Bev54]

4. We cannot lump all police together.

[uponit7771]

6. K&R, in America non-white citizens are trained to be calm and deescalate when it comes to interacton

... with some PDs

[backscatter712]

13. So many Black families give their teenagers The Talk when it comes to police officers.

And I find it heartbreaking that they've gone through so much shit at the hands of racist POS cops that they feel they need to do this.

America's cops have turned into complete psychos. Scratch that, they've always been complete psychos. Only now, they're on video...

[Nay]

14. Yeah, pretty much. nt

[Deminpenn]

16. These cops weren't

https://triblive.com/local/im-not-going-to-let-this-guy-die-pittsburgh-cops-on-foot-patrol-save-unresponsive-man/

[kcr]

18. The focus should be on less force, not more.

Giving them even more options, even if they're deemed less-than-lethal will only give them more tools to oppress and increase their authoritarian, adversarial mindset. Then they will use all of their options even more, including the lethal ones.

A complete overhaul of our police forces is the answer. Less reliance on police is the answer. A focus on community-oriented solutions is the answer.