I am sure I will be hated for this, but Cops lives matter. I will be the first to say that not all police are good. In fact there is a history to suggest that police were very corrupt at one time. I am not going to say they aren’t anymore, but I do believe it is less than in times past.
With this being said, police have a job to do and either we let them do it or we remove them, but we cannot tell them to do a half job. Hindering their ability to do their job will only get them killed.
Currently, there is an uproar over some black people being shot. A lot of people want to make it a race thing when I do not think it is. Now there is talk of de-funding/dismantling the police. Instead, we need to tell criminals to stop or their are going to be consequences.
A policeman has a fraction of a second to make a decision when someone is approaching them with a weapon or make threatening gestures. It takes someone about 1.5 seconds to cover 21. Think about that, 1.5 seconds. We are asking officers to wait and see what happens in that 1.5 seconds when they have already told the person to stop, do not approach, drop the weapon, etc. Are police supposed to wait and be attacked first before they can use force? It would seem the answer is yes.
People forget about some of the incidents where police tried to use alternative means and one of those was Rodney King. Rodney King was beaten by police with batons, but people forget he was on PCP and the police used multiple tasers and they did not work. So they hit this man repeatedly with batons. Lets face it, tasers, pepper spray, batons, etc. do not always work.
Now in the above instance, people got upset because once Mr. King was on the ground they continued. People across the nation only saw what the media wanted them to see and they got upset. However, he was told to stay down, but did not. He was told to stop but did not.
Are we expecting police officers to say, okay you are down so I will stop, but you are trying to get up, but because you were down I have to stop. Oh, now you have attacked me. What am I to do? If I hit you again I go to jail, but if I don’t you could possibly kill me.
This seems to be what people want. The reality is, you do not stop until they stop. There was a shooting in my town many years ago. Three or four officers went into a local drugstore to arrest an individual. The person stood up and tried to pull a gun. All of the officers emptied their entire magazine of 15 rounds and I think some had even gone into their second magazine before they stopped. Why did they stop? Because the person hit the ground and dropped the weapon. This individual no longer posed a threat. However, there was an outcry and an investigation because so many rounds had been fired. The conclusion was the wall held the person up who was already dead, but the officers are trained that once you start shooting, you do not stop until the person is no longer a threat. Ask the FBI about threats and dangerous situations after being shot.
The current outcry is there should be some kind of de-escalation or mental illness worker present to help the officers. Because we all know that when a person is hyped on drugs or alcohol and is making threatening moves, that de-escalation is going to work and we really know that a social worker is going to make all the difference. Yes, that was sarcasm.
I say send in the social workers and others without police escort. If it works, then great and if it does not, then we will know what a crock that was.
A friend of mine posted that police only wanted to go in and harm black citizens because they were refusing to take calls in Atlanta. They could not be anymore wrong. Police in Atlanta were basically told not to shoot anyone. No, those were not the exact words, but that that was the gist. You have now jeopardized a police officers life because the only way they can respond is if they are attacked.
I believe that most people try to do the right thing, but mans heart is also deceitful.
Jeremiah 17:9 English Standard Version (ESV)
9 The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
Man has proven time and time again that he will kill to get what he wants. Cain killed Abel started it all.
Genesis 4:1-16 English Standard Version (ESV)
Cain and Abel
4 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Throughout the bible we have instance of humans killing other humans in cold blood. So do not think that if the police are removed that violence will suddenly stop. Ask CHOP in Seattle WA.
If you are upset about the current situation, then pray. Also, pray that our leaders and police will make the right decisions.