One our our cities' police departments fired as many shots at 1 guy as the police in all of Germany

[kpete]

German police officers fired a total of 85 bullets in 2011, 49 of which were warning shots, the German publication Der Spiegel reported. Officers fired 36 times at people, killing six and injuring 15. This is a slight decline from 2010, when seven people were killed and 17 injured. Ninety-six shots were fired in 2010.

Meanwhile, in the United States, The Atlantic reported that in April, 84 shots were fired at one murder suspect in Harlem, and another 90 at an unarmed man in Los Angeles.

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/11/11662345-german-police-fired-just-85-bullets-total-in-2011?lite

[hifiguy]

1. You can always tell when American cops have been shooting it up.

Lotsa dead civilians, dented stop signs and busted streetlights.

Funny and terribly sad at the same time.

[JDPriestly]

2. To give us a perspective, some population numbers.

The population of Germany is approximately 81,880,000, making it the 15th most populous country in the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Germany#cite_note-L.C3.A4nderdatenbank_Deutschland-2

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the resident population of the United States, projected to 05/12/12 at 21:52 UTC (EST+5) is
313,532,566.

http://www.census.gov/population/www/popclockus.html

[Generic Other]

3. If you are comparing populations

shouldn't we compare Germany and Harlem?

[DirkGently]

4. How would population affect this comparison?

So we've got what, 4X the people? So, if all else was the same, we could expect American cops to fire 300-400 shots per year, nationwide (hohoho)?

Don't think population is the difference we're dealing with.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

5. If the Germans have tasers, they probably also use them less than "our" police.

According to one site that has been tracking US police usage, there have been 525 documented taser-related deaths in America since 2001.
http://electronicvillage.blogspot.com/2009/05/taser-related-deaths-in-united-states.html

[Skip Intro]

6. Some people will kill you for no reason, some will kill you without a second thoght.

Happens everyday.

There are bad guys.

Some people are violent.

Some people place no value on life.

Nothing stands in their way.

Some people do despicable things.

I try to have faith in law enforcement, and I pretty much do.

I'm glad cops are out here in the mix.

What point are laws without enforcement?

[ronnie624]

8. Who are you arguing with?

No replies to this thread appear to favor no police at all.

[Skip Intro]

9. I'm just stating radom thought. No argument.

Just kinda stream of consciousness stuff.

[ronnie624]

10. I understand.

No offense was intended.

[ThoughtCriminal]

7. Only imperial stormtroopers are so precise

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_Evil_Marksmanship