California has been reducing violent encounters between residents and officers since before the racial justice protests sparked by George Floyd’s murder. It’s a trend with little fanfare.

  • kebab@endlesstalk.org
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    1 day ago

    Police not killing people is not necessary a good sign. Sometimes you just can’t stop the criminals by other means. In Europe police has basically no power and the weapon use by the police is heavily restricted and gets the policemen in trouble which makes it easier for criminals to just run away

    • silence7@slrpnk.netOP
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      1 day ago

      There is a long history of most police killings being situations where officers could have deescalated but chose to shoot, or being mistaken about the presence of a gun other than their own.

      • kebab@endlesstalk.org
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        1 day ago

        I am not an American but having watched many bodycam videos on YouTube, it seems that in 99,99% of the cases when someone got shot, all they needed to do not to get shot is follow the police officer’s orders. Isn’t that so? In the US if you draw a gun on a police officer you get shot and the deal is done. In Europe, if you draw a gun on a police officer, the police starts running away fearing for their life, and the offender just escapes and stays free

        • silence7@slrpnk.netOP
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          19 hours ago

          People being threatened while experiencing some sort of mental health crisis don’t do that. Cops need to not just shout orders and threaten people, but actively deescalate to prevent unnecessary shootings.

        • HasturInYellow@lemmy.world
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          21 hours ago

          I’ll be honest with you, I am against obeying orders of any kind. So if I exist in a society where that could get me killed if I happen to have any interaction with the police, that is insane.

          • kebab@endlesstalk.org
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            22 hours ago

            I am aware that abuses do happen, what I am questioning is the scale. The situation from the video you’ve sent is of course absolutely unacceptable and disciplinary actions shall be taken against that officer as it’s a clear abuse of power.

            Also, I am not pro “authoritarian bootlicking attitude”, just believe that it’s better if the police has tools to fight the actual criminals while taking responsibility for power abuses. In US it went too far one way, in Europe it went too far the other way.

            • HasturInYellow@lemmy.world
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              21 hours ago

              There is very rarely any punishment for abuse and often the punishment is a suspension or transfer to a different precinct.