I'll share this first - everyone knows the concept of how Republicans are so good at not speaking ill of Republicans?  Well, to understand police, just times that by at least ten times and you'll see part of why police reform is so hard.

I was reading about the shooting of Dexter Reed in Chicago, here's a link, https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/09/us/dexter-reed-chicago-police-shooting-video/index.html.

Briefly, this is a case where an undercover police unmarked tactical unit stopped a driver for no seat belt and the traffic stop ended with the motorist killed.  Video seems to suggest the driver started firing first and was eventually killed after 90 some police shots were fired.

Putting aside the debated justification aspect of the shooting, I think it is fair to ask everyone, especially the police this question:

Under similar circumstances, how would you react if a man, regardless of any race, in street clothes suddenly appeared at your car window pointing a handgun at you and ordering you to do things, even if driving a possible unmarked police vehicle with flashing lights? 

I know how I would react - it may not be to start shooting back immediately, but it probably would involve some heavy fright and dropping something in my drawers.

So, how do you put a stop to something like this?  For one thing, when running some sort of tactical operation like this, assign a goddamned marked police unit with a police officer in full uniform for initial approaches. And for those that cry, "undercover, undercover," my response is, then have them hide in the area.

Next, unless there is some sort of indication of danger behind the wheel, why the fuck is an undercover officer approaching a vehicle for a seat belt infraction like storming a beach in Normandy?

Here is one thing so many police fail to internalize - while expressing how police many, many times react to the behavior of others, too many times police lack a cognizant appreciation of how others react to police! Sounds strange, right?  But think of it - this is such an important concept to learn and recognize and so very often overlooked by individual police officers. 

For example, one of the best street cops I ever knew used to always stress to rookies, "Remember, when you approach people, homes, or cars when not being requested or with the knowledge of the first person you encounter, the person you encounter has no idea why you are there or what you are there for and who knows, the man at the door may have just killed his wife in a domestic dispute, while you may just be investigating a noise complaint."

Not only this, but individual police also trend toward not appreciating how their encounter with a person might be influenced by the earlier encounters with police by the particular citizen. So often, citizens react to the uniform and are influenced by their previous encounters and not the individual in the uniform.

But back to my subject line, how is it that in a world where we can launch satellites, deep space probes and telescopes in the most complex of ways, we can't come up with ways to not kill citizens in situations like this?

Lastly, I'll share two reasons that I know of: first, in most policing, there is an emphasis on handling calls and dealing with things as rapidly as possible in the most efficient ways possible.  Rather than correcting or solving a problem, it's more about assembly line processing - get that call off your screen, don't make another officer come in your area and take a call, and just keep on butchering.

The next one and possibly the hardest one to deal with is the belief that retreat in policing is an act of cowardice.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting allowing dangerous people to escape or just be left alone, but suggesting, there are times when "retreating" is the best option.  Where retreating and taking time will work if given the opportunity. 

For example, I saw a horrific video a while back of an elderly, dementia-riddled woman shot by a police officer because she was in her house with a knife and wouldn't come out or put down the knife. While he was in the doorway, she approached the officer. He then backed out of the doorway and eventually shot her when she made a slight lunge toward his position.

In the video, there is a vehicle that can be seen - I can't recall, but it might have even been his - and my point is, he could have simply backed up and walked to the other side of the vehicle as cover and then continue to verbally persuade her to do what he wanted her to do.  

(PS....now, on the common refrain of, "just shoot them in the arm and leg" - my words to this are, go down to a shooting range yourself and give it a try - I am a well above average marksman and it's not easy at all or advised.  We had a training exercise to simulate an attacking dog where trainers would tie a rope to a bowling pin or other object and then pull it towards you to simulate an attacking dog and I can tell you that many, many shots were missed).

And don't even get me on the subject of the need to fire 90-plus shots.