The US policing crisis thread

[muppet]

Interesting breakdown/summary of all the 2016 killings by US police here:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/jun/01/the-counted-police-killings-us-database#

Astonishing reading that.

Many whites killed as well, with the investigation ruled 'Justified'. For example, a 23 year old white woman was shot by her husband, a cop who claimed he was 'cleaning his gun'. Ruling: 'Justified'. Not negligence or incompetence or possible homicide, but Justified. Oscar Pistorius should have used that one.

This shooting of a 12 year old is particularly sad: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jan/12/police-fatally-shoot-ciara-meyer-12-pennsylvania

As is this shooting of a suicidal woman who pulled a knife: http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/04/auburn_police_officer-involved.html

All of the three women above were white, so I am not banging the racial drum. But in most civilised countries, the cops would not open fire in those scenarios. There is obviously an issue with either training (just shoot to kill) or personnel selection (are they completely incapable of assessing situations under pressure and just open fire?).

Each circumstance is different and I am not saying the police are wrong automatically, they are not. And even the 3 cases I picked above have their own different levels of blame to apportion. But I honestly believe that none of those women would have been shot dead in Ireland or the UK.

Not every d**khead in Ireland and the UK can readily get their hands on a gun.

I'm sure that is bound to have an impact on the mindset of the cops in question. I'm not condoning their actions, but these lads must be on the mental edge a good part of the job and subsequently not going to take the slightest chance and fire first, ask questions later.

None of the 3 victims I mentioned above were even remotely suspected of carrying weapons. The 12 year old was near her father who was carrying a rifle.

I was generalising with the d**khead part, not the three particular incidents you were referring to.

As for this part;

If the mindset of cops is to shoot everything that moves, in case they are nutcases with guns, then why bother with having cops at all? Just arm every citizen and tell them it is ok to shoot what they think are bad guys. What difference is there whether a cop pulls the trigger or anyone else?

Isn't that what the NRA are ultimately suggesting. Good guys shooting the bad guys any time there's a shooting at a school campus or cinema or wherever.
It sounds utterly nuts to anyone with a titter of wit, but with gun saturation in the US as it is, people are believing it makes sense!!
Scary times stateside.

I had actually typed pretty much exactly that in my previous post, but deleted it. I had also typed the the NRA have bought all Republicans and some Democrats so it is very hard to see where change will come from. I think it will get far worse before people over there start to cop (sorry) on.

[Hardy]

In the US, the ubiquity of guns results in the gun being the default resolution to even the most minor of disputes. Muppet was saying that some particular police shootings he highlighted would not happen here or in the UK. There is practically no doubt about that, as some statistics from The Guardian illustrate:

There have been 59 fatal police shootings in England and Wales in the last 24 years.
There has been 1 fatal police shooting in Iceland in the 71 years of the country's existence.
There were 55 fatal police shootings in the US in the first 24 days of 2015.

There were 94 fatal police shootings in Australia in the twenty years from 1992 to 2011.
There were 97 fatal police shootings in the US in March of 2015.

There were 6 bullets fired by Finnish police in 2013.
There were seventeen bullets fired by police in the US in a single fatal shooting (of Antonio Zimbrano-Montes).

It is beyond grotesque.

[omaghjoe]

In the US, the ubiquity of guns results in the gun being the default resolution to even the most minor of disputes. Muppet was saying that some particular police shootings he highlighted would not happen here or in the UK. There is practically no doubt about that, as some statistics from The Guardian illustrate:

There have been 59 fatal police shootings in England and Wales in the last 24 years.
There has been 1 fatal police shooting in Iceland in the 71 years of the country's existence.
There were 55 fatal police shootings in the US in the first 24 days of 2015.

There were 94 fatal police shootings in Australia in the twenty years from 1992 to 2011.
There were 97 fatal police shootings in the US in March of 2015.

There were 6 bullets fired by Finnish police in 2013.
There were seventeen bullets fired by police in the US in a single fatal shooting (of Antonio Zimbrano-Montes).

It is beyond grotesque.

This is BS, it takes away from your point which is correct.

[Hardy]

You give me too much credit. I'm not capable of making a point that is both BS and correct.

[omaghjoe]

You give me too much credit. I'm not capable of making a point that is both BS and correct.

Your point was correct but the bit in bold was not your point. It was a statement used to back up your point and being wrong it took away from your point, even tho your point was correct

[AZOffaly]

That's basically what the wild west was. Some of these lads appear inclined towards those times.

[muppet]

That's basically what the wild west was. Some of these lads appear inclined towards those times.

This is it in a nutshell.

That is what the NRA wants. No need for cops. Quick draw justice for all. Fastest gun is right.

[Hardy]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/true-crime/wp/2016/10/17/head-of-u-s-police-chiefs-apologizes-for-historic-mistreatment-of-minorities/?pushid=breaking-news_1476711796&tid=notifi_push_breaking-news

[muppet]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1102/828571-iowa-shootings/

Two cops shot dead in separate 'ambush style' killings in Iowa!

[J70]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1102/828571-iowa-shootings/

Two cops shot dead in separate 'ambush style' killings in Iowa!

Looks like some white supremacist lowlife.

Apparently he was kicked out of high school football game a few weeks ago for waving a confederate flag at some black people during the national anthem.

[muppet]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1102/828571-iowa-shootings/

Two cops shot dead in separate 'ambush style' killings in Iowa!

Looks like some white supremacist lowlife.

Apparently he was kicked out of high school football game a few weeks ago for waving a confederate flag at some black people during the national anthem.

J70, have you seen Netflix 13th?

[J70]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1102/828571-iowa-shootings/

Two cops shot dead in separate 'ambush style' killings in Iowa!

Looks like some white supremacist lowlife.

Apparently he was kicked out of high school football game a few weeks ago for waving a confederate flag at some black people during the national anthem.

J70, have you seen Netflix 13th?

No.

Now that you mentioned it I googled it and remember seeing a trailer or reading about it about a month ago.

Will check it out soon.

Is it good?

[muppet]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2016/1102/828571-iowa-shootings/

Two cops shot dead in separate 'ambush style' killings in Iowa!

Looks like some white supremacist lowlife.

Apparently he was kicked out of high school football game a few weeks ago for waving a confederate flag at some black people during the national anthem.

J70, have you seen Netflix 13th?

No.

Now that you mentioned it I googled it and remember seeing a trailer or reading about it about a month ago.

Will check it out soon.

Is it good?

Incredible.

I don't want to say anything to spoil it but it is powerful stuff. The corruption that is disguised as 'lobbying' is incredible.

[muppet]

Officer basically assassinated: http://www.wsj.com/articles/san-antonio-police-officer-fatally-shot-while-writing-ticket-1479673277?mod=e2tw

Shocking stuff.

[foxcommander]

This is the new america. Do this as a protest against Donald Trump?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0105/842762-chicago-video-arrests/

No surprise that CNN ignore the story. The liberals on here can defend the behaviour (right eamon, j70)