Editorial: Police Excessive Force Complaints a National Crisis [View all]

[damnedifIknow]

We have a national excessive use of force problem in our law enforcement community. The onslaught of examples in the last nine months has moved this issue to the forefront. This is not a new issue, but our awareness is particularly heightened in light of the rapid dissemination of written and visual information. Our use of force problem isn't isolated to racially charged communities, although we are more likely to find excessive use of force in urban and large metropolitan areas where, not by coincidence, we are also likely to find minority communities. Use of force is endemic throughout our nation, including a small community in northern Connecticut"

* Police officers are trained to use necessary force. They must be able to protect themselves and members of the community and we do not advocate constraints that would endanger them or the public. However, it is time that we, as a nation, demand that our law enforcement community ensures that officers do not engage in illegal, unapproved, excessive or lethal use of force against those they are sworn to protect and that appropriate sanctions are leveled against officers who do engage in such use. Excessive use of force is unacceptable."

http://www.ctlawtribune.com/id=1202723729015/Editorial-Police-Excessive-Force-Complaints-a-National-Crisis?slreturn=20150320174224