On Wed, 04 May 2005 21:55:54 -0000, "€ Dr. Artaud €"
wrote:


2. Educate officers that everyone other then their own "are not enemies".

The current doctrine is -- There are three inds of people in
the world -- cops, cops' families and suspects.


Unfortunately, you have obsessed on one aspect of my post, ignoring the
remainder. Whether an officer shoots someone dead or electrocutes them is
a moot point, as dead people are still dead. Increasingly, the public is
held at a much higher bar than the officers are, e.g. officers shoot an
unarmed man in New York, striking him 18 times, out of 40 or so shots
fired altogether.

If that was a record, it fell today -- 96 shots fired at a
wacko, but unarmed man in a van in Compton, CA. He was hit four times
(great marksmen that they are). Watching the 18 seconds of shooting on
TV, you have to wonder why some cops weren't killed as they were
arranged as a circular firing squad.

Of course it took many fewer shots a few weeks back to waste
another unarmed wacko who had the temerity to brandish a rock at the
CHP in San Mateo, CA.


The autopsy showed that a shot went through the man's
foot, from bottom to top, indicating that they were still shooting at him
after he had fallen.

The man had no gun or weapon, committed no crime, had no police record,
yet the shooting was held to be justifiable. If you shoot an intruder
that is wielding a gun, you most likely will still be arrested, still
miss work, still spend money on an attorney. The officers may have been
suspended "with" pay, and don't need to pay for their defense.

It's unconscionable that police continue to escalate the use of force
when no force is warranted. It's unconscionable that they try to provoke
a situation where no situation exists.

Lastly, many occupations need to cope with dangerous situations, many
more dangerous than what the police experience. If they feel overwhelmed,
let them find new employment, let's not sacrifice our Rights for their
conveniences.


Dr. Artaud


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