@farmerman,
farmerman wrote:
Even soldiers have rules of engagement, obeyed upon peril of military justice that can and has included execution. Cops cannot be above that. Soldiers are the knife edge agents of failed diplomacy, cops are supposedly OUR PUBLIC SERVANTS.
1. I believe that police reform means clarifying the rules about use of force. Police officers should be well trained and held accountable.
2. I believe that sometimes police officers must use deadly force. When this happens, the police officers should be supported legally, professionally and emotionally.
3. I believe that sometimes police officers make mistakes. When this happens police officers should be given due process with the understanding that they are in a difficult job that (unlike my job) occasionally requires them to make slip second life and death decisions.
4. I believe that sometimes police officers act in a criminally negligent, racist or reckless way. In these cases the officers involved should be held accountable with criminal charges leveled when necessary. Even in this case, police officers should be offered due process under the law.
5. None of this changes the fact that a very low number of Americans, under 1,200 are killed by police officers each year.
What are we arguing about?
Are you disagreeing with either of these points? If you make a rational argument, then I can either agree or disagree. I am not hearing that.