Bomb Threat Hoax

I'm just pointing out that there are situations, which tend to happen more frequently in some areas than others, where there is very little time to make the decision whether to ask questions or shoot. I think police working in those types of communities become conditioned to make the judgement call faster and because of that are going to be more likely to make a wrong decision more often.

Paisley said:

I'm just pointing out that there are situations, which tend to happen more frequently in some areas than others, where there is very little time to make the decision whether to ask questions or shoot. I think police working in those types of communities become conditioned to make the judgement call faster and because of that are going to be more likely to make a wrong decision more often.

I think that's true, which I think gets at the real root cause (in my opinion): the requirements to become a police officer are, almost universally, frighteningly low. If you're going to empower someone with the legal authority to make rapid, life-or-death decisions, they should be very highly trained.

djDaemon said:
If you're going to empower someone with the legal authority to make rapid, life-or-death decisions, they should be very highly trained.

And if they are required to be highly trained, they should be well compensated. But, nobody wants to pay more in taxes.

Agreed. Though of course taxes are what pay for lawsuits against officers when they are found to act improperly or use excessive force. So we're paying for it in either case.

Many cities also make the job less appealing to the best applicants not just with lower pay but requiring officers to live within, not just close, to the city they work for. My husband works EMS in a high crime city. Recently they had two murders, a couple stabbings and a shooting within one week. He has been shot at while working. It's one thing to work in that environment but to be willing to raise your family there is another. If he were required to live in the city he would quit. The civil service exam system is also a joke.