After the conviction of Chauvin, the killing of Adam Toledo in Chicago, and the latest shooting by police in Columbus, Ohio I think it’s clear it’s time for police to stand down. I’m not saying quit or get defunded. I’m saying stand down. Do not intervene. Wait for the crime to be committed and come in for the arrest afterward. I can’t see at this point how any police officer should be willing to step in between criminals and the crime they want to commit. Protecting other people and property aren’t worth killing people or cops losing their lives and careers.
Ma’Khia Bryant is seen in the video below fighting with people. The police arrive and try to get people’s attention. It’s a chaotic scene with Bryant heading towards a woman wearing looking like she’s about to stab the woman with what looks like a knife. The officer shoots Byrant before she can stab anyone. Bryant dies. It seems the officer was trying to stop a killing. By taking action to stop one he committed another and now he’s to blame. Perhaps he should have just let things play out and clean up the aftermath.
We’ve gone from the militarization of police where they were trained in military tactics that should not be employed on the general public to those tactics reaping what they have sowed. The people are not the enemy of the police. Over time this training has worn thin with the public. Even with most police having the best of intentions training to shoot and kill to protect others’ lives and property only puts them in an unwinnable position. With today’s politics every violent result of a police interaction is viewed through the lens of race. Even when a police officer might be justified in saving his own life or saving another his action, if it is taken against someone of another race, will be viewed as a hate crime. There is no winning on any side.
Perhaps it’s time for real community policing. Let the public police themselves.