This one has got me totally pissed off. IF the story is true that is one cop who needs to go away for a long, long time. A young kid, working all night to repair his truck so he can go to work at his construction job the next day. Cops just need to realize normal, law abiding people don’t think they’re constantly in combat and think “oh, this cop might shoot me”. This kid thinks, “oh, my truck isn’t stopping, I need to fix that before it hits the cop car”. And now he’s dead because he doesn’t think like a cop. The fact that he bears a strong resemblance to my son doesn’t help, either.
I’ve looked into hundreds of these over the years. Some people needed killing. Others were involved in lawbreaking, maybe didn’t need to be shot in the circumstance, but were.
For the most part, I’m not so much worried about those, unless particularly egregious, for example the killing of Walter Scott. There may be a few others that are highly questionable.
However, the catagory I focus on, and am concerned about is: (1) Innocent citizens, (2) acting in a lawful manner, (3) behaving rationally for them under the circumstances- but still shot by police.
Someone reaching for a cellphone, police mistaken identity, a SWAT wrong house raid (because often in those cases the police haven’t really notified the people inside that’s it’s the police), an innocent citizen making a “furtive move” or “disobeying police (often contradictory) commands” being blown away I have a problem with.
This case falls into that catagory.
I’ve noted hundreds of those over the years.
How cops think:
1) I sure look cool in my uniform, badge and gun.
2) Every person that is not a cop is guilty of something.
3) I sure look cool in my uniform, badge and gun.
4) I need to get some more OT this week.
5) I sure look cool in my uniform, badge and gun.
6) That guy has a hot girlfriend. I need to bust his chops to make sure his girlfriend knows how cool I look in uniform, badge and gun.
7) Steroids are illegal, but I need to take them to be tougher and stronger than the public.
8) Why are people always waving at me driving around in cool patrol car? Don’t they know I hate them? If I just look forward I won’t have to acknowledge their wave.
Feel free to add your own.