Police Shootings are you concerned?

joseph b

The problem with investigating police shooting investigations is that no matter what the outcome, someone will always have an opposite opinion.

For example, to counter what you say, I could say that it is unfair to have persons who have no expert knowledge judge a police officer on his actions and that by having non professional, political groups doing the boards, they may be unfairly swayed by public opinion or their own personal discriminations and perceptions. This could be really unfair to the officer.

Furthermore, many base their opinion on what the media says is fact. I have seen more than once that the media has not only left out details and facts but either put out lies or misconceptions on many police incidents.

Ian UK

Its unfortunate that sometimes the Police get it wrong. You can equate it to so called 'friendly fire' incidents at times of war.

As for the IPCC being staffed mostly by Police, I would be interested as to where you got this information?

How can an official body that it independent from the Police be staffed with Police? That's hardly an indication of independence.

Lynne J

Where do you begin on this issue? If you don't give police the means to protect themselves how are they supposed to protect us? With yob culture, drug crime, underage drinking etc - there is no discipline in the home, no discipline in schools and little discipline allowed by anyone - thanks to politically correctness. If we don't protect our police, what is left? Complete anarchy with anyone and everyone running around with guns, knives etc. Of course it is tragic but it is not a nice world and accidents happen.

GÃ¼nther Bischoff

Latest yearly figures for UK - 01/04/2006 to 31/03/2007

Firearms authorised for deployment on 18,053 occasions (armed response vehicles deployed on 14,530 occasions although it is not clear whether this is part of the 18,053)

Shots fired by police on 3 of these occasions.

And there's an increase?

Oh, and by the way, by the terms of the IPCC, it is illegal for them to employ serving or retired police officers.

shergal farkey

the police are allowed loaded guns, but not deemed suitable to adopt children by the government adoption agency.

go figure.

nice_n_easy

For your question, am I concerned for police shootings certainly yes of course. Whether this is any part of the world for that matter. Because innocent lives are at stake.

But you cannot totally blame the police if they shoot back for pursuing a suspect with shotguns or .38 or .45 pistols shooting them when they robbed a bank. Definitely the police has to respond by shooting them. But the fact is they should think before they shoot of innocent bystandard along the path of the robbers. This is where the training of these police officers come in handy. If the academy failed in giving them enough training then you got more dead bodies than live ones in the streets.

Yes certainly you are right, this could be my son, daughter, father or mother who will be caught in the cross fire. If that would happen then certainly it is fate. Who would think by just walking in the park suddenly a police chases a car with robbers on it then starting shooting all over the place, what if I had my 12 year old son and we are caught in the cross fire, I was shoot together with my son. He died I live. Such tragedy in life.

On the way this is investigated by the independent police body, then we should be just vigilant and do not loose hope on pursuing justice wherever it is in any part of the world.

Carlos

I believe in the UK they feel that if constables begin carry firearms then criminals will begin carrying firearms also to match the police firepower.

W W D

Welcome to the American experience!
Unfortunately, we're living in a violent world, and people are occasionally going to be shot. It seems from data collected in Florida that the police are about five times as likely to shoot an innocent person, mistaking him for a bad guy, as is an armed private citizen. Your choices are to limit firearms and have more of the same, or arm the citizenry to the teeth and not rely primarily on the police. In Florida and some other states in the US, a tiny bit of the latter seems to work to decrease violence.
As long as the investigators aren't in the same department, there's little in the way of good alternatives to the system. Who better than they can know when a shooting is justified? There may be the appearance of bias, but there are always going to be situations in which it would be unreasonable for the officer to withhold firing, with an apparent threat to his life that later turns out not to be real, but society is asking them to risk their lives for a few quid, so a bit of their perspective is in order.

"isitme"

Defend your statement they're on the increase, I think you'll find that's incorrect.

Could you provide an example of an incident where police officers killed totally innocent victims? I'm not doubting the reasoning behind your question, but as a police officer, other than SWAT in LA accidently shooting the baby being used as a shield by the father as he shot at the police in the dark (the father's fault my opinion), what other examples have there been recently?

SDD

You're right. According to the FBI, the shooting of police officers is up 30% in 2007 over 2006.

teddy

This should be an independent body that deals with police shootings, as i think though could be wrong its dealt with by internal police associations. Mind you if one really thinks of it, in UK these are still pretty rare.

Steven C

if we need armed cops I would rather have the S.A.S. doing it as they are a lot more controlled in the use of firearms i.e. they don't get a big power trip out of holding a gun

90210 aka Hummer Lover

the police complaints commission is an independent body from the police. however its funny how they always seem to rule in favour of the police and never the victim.

as for the guy above me. CD: i can think of 2, the guy who was naked in his own bedroom who was shot dead by police and the guy who had a table leg in a bag and was walking home and shot dead by police cos someone said he had a sawn off shotgun in the bag.

fiddler

Independent should mean independent.Not just for Police.But
for medical etc.They should also be done quicker with less cost
Paying wages for sometimes years to someone suspended.At
the moment hundreds of police ,doctors and teachers are
suspended on full pay.Our police have a low percentage on
innocent kills.If some nutter is going to brandish what looks like
a weapon.Safety first.Shoot.Is above stoned at 8.15 in the
morning.

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