Am sick (and angry) of the police being able to claim "for their defense" anytime they want.

[glinda]

70 yr old man and veteran, shot while reaching for his cane while stopped during expired license! http://www.wsoctv.com/videos/news/vet-shot-in-fair-condition/vCR8Ns/

[atreides1]

1. It's easier...

...then saying "I'm a cowardly fuck who just wants to shoot people"!

[RKP5637]

2. It all got ushered in by 911 and DHS turning local police forces into militarized

units and a bad attitude often fostered IMO by Rush Dumbo and the likes.

[Malteil]

6. First off, police brutality is not a new post-911 thing.

I suspect that is a very, very old thing. Police have always been very violent; but with our current media apparatus, we are just made more aware of it. Do you really think that Rodney King, regardless of his character or actions, was a new thing?

It seems to me though, that when you are confronted by any kind of “law enforcement” keep your mouth shut and don’t fricken move. Some of these cops are just itching to perpetrate some violence on you and there is no way to know who you are dealing with. We see the videos and hear the reports here at DU all of the time. Not all cops are bad though and that should be a no-brainer. However, there are enough that are that it makes it tough to know which one you are dealing with.

I am not defending the cop here, but realistically, how many crazy old white militia types are out there. I doubt that the cop told him to get out of the truck and the old dude most likely had no ill intentions toward the cop, but he should have stayed in the truck. It just makes me wonder, if a person that I just pulled over reached into the back of the truck and pulled out something, what would I do, regardless of his age or ethnicity or even sex. It just seems that a simple and legitimate situation got way out of control and the cop in retrospect horribly overreacted .

[RKP5637]

7. Yes, it's all on a trigger of emotions and reactions wherein in days past there was more

time to analyze a situation. I do have to admit, if I were a cop, I would be quite nervous at times.

[Downwinder]

3. The War comes home.

[zebonaut]

4. An expected occurence in our gun infested sick culture

This is the kind of crazy event you get

[Taitertots]

5. I'm sick of the police departments being allowed to "investigate" their own crimes

I'm sick of criminals being put on paid vacation time while their friends and co-workers create legal excuses from their insane behavior.