Chief Bones
Forums Grumpy Old Man
Have the police overused deadly force?
This is a question which is being asked more and more every day by citizens in every part of the United States.
This year approximately 15,000,000 arrests will be carried out by police organizations throughout America. Of the 15 million arrests, approximately 2-3 percent will involve the use of deadly force. That means that 300,000 - 450, 000 times this year a policeman (or) policewoman will have to draw their sidearm or use a shotgun or rifle to effect an arrest.
Less than 10 years ago, the number of average rounds that were fired during deadly force confrontations was 2.5 rounds per deadly force arrest. Today that number has almost doubled ... accounting for the increase is the fact that you are talking about sidearms that carry up to 17 round magazines instead of the normal 6-7 rounds that were carried in pistols and 45 cal semi autos.
What makes the application of deadly force so disturbing is the fact that more and more unarmed Americans are being killed by errant rounds (collateral damage). When multiple officers start throwing rounds as fast as the trigger can be pulled on their weapons, the 'splatter' effect comes into play ... high rounds - rounds to the left and right of the target - rounds punching through thin walls or material ... all of this increases the odds that an innocent will be hit.
Before someone starts hollering about the split second decisions which must be made by police, I will hereby grant you the argument that I would NOT to like find myself on the firing line on today's dangerous crime ridden streets. The decisions that these officers must make are made in the blink of an eye and under conditions where these officers are under a tremendous pressure to just survive another day and return home safely.
Whether your community is similar to the streets of a New York City or another Detroit (or) the quiet streets and lanes of a Midland, MI or Hell IN ... the crimes have become more violent and more pervasive.
From drive-by-shootings to gang fights or drug wars between different factions, the officers of today are being hard pressed to hold violent crime in check.
One of the saddest commentaries concerns the breakdown of the deaths caused by shootouts with police ... Blacks and Chicanos make up less than half of the incidents but over %85 of the deaths. Amidst charges of profiling, many 'large' police departments have tried to take steps to discourage this objectionable practice. How much this profiling causes fear on the part of street cops is unknown ... but ... it MUST have some affect.
WITHOUT USING ANECDOTAL INFORMATION ... IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO DECREASE THESE SHOOTINGS?
IF YOU WERE THE CHIEF OF POLICE ... WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
DOES THE NRA (OR ) GUN MANUFACTURERS BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BURGEONING AVAILABLITY OF GUNS?
WOULD MORE GUN LAWS HELP?
This is a question which is being asked more and more every day by citizens in every part of the United States.
This year approximately 15,000,000 arrests will be carried out by police organizations throughout America. Of the 15 million arrests, approximately 2-3 percent will involve the use of deadly force. That means that 300,000 - 450, 000 times this year a policeman (or) policewoman will have to draw their sidearm or use a shotgun or rifle to effect an arrest.
Less than 10 years ago, the number of average rounds that were fired during deadly force confrontations was 2.5 rounds per deadly force arrest. Today that number has almost doubled ... accounting for the increase is the fact that you are talking about sidearms that carry up to 17 round magazines instead of the normal 6-7 rounds that were carried in pistols and 45 cal semi autos.
What makes the application of deadly force so disturbing is the fact that more and more unarmed Americans are being killed by errant rounds (collateral damage). When multiple officers start throwing rounds as fast as the trigger can be pulled on their weapons, the 'splatter' effect comes into play ... high rounds - rounds to the left and right of the target - rounds punching through thin walls or material ... all of this increases the odds that an innocent will be hit.
Before someone starts hollering about the split second decisions which must be made by police, I will hereby grant you the argument that I would NOT to like find myself on the firing line on today's dangerous crime ridden streets. The decisions that these officers must make are made in the blink of an eye and under conditions where these officers are under a tremendous pressure to just survive another day and return home safely.
Whether your community is similar to the streets of a New York City or another Detroit (or) the quiet streets and lanes of a Midland, MI or Hell IN ... the crimes have become more violent and more pervasive.
From drive-by-shootings to gang fights or drug wars between different factions, the officers of today are being hard pressed to hold violent crime in check.
One of the saddest commentaries concerns the breakdown of the deaths caused by shootouts with police ... Blacks and Chicanos make up less than half of the incidents but over %85 of the deaths. Amidst charges of profiling, many 'large' police departments have tried to take steps to discourage this objectionable practice. How much this profiling causes fear on the part of street cops is unknown ... but ... it MUST have some affect.
WITHOUT USING ANECDOTAL INFORMATION ... IS THERE ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO DECREASE THESE SHOOTINGS?
IF YOU WERE THE CHIEF OF POLICE ... WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
DOES THE NRA (OR ) GUN MANUFACTURERS BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BURGEONING AVAILABLITY OF GUNS?
WOULD MORE GUN LAWS HELP?