First of all, let me sign this in advance so I don't forget again, Robert Schmid Central
Michael Atherton wrote: > street violence or violence in general. I mean how else can someone > believe that you can take away a machete from someone > without suffering an injury? > It's not my intention to imply that any weapon can be taken away from someone "easily" or "without injury." However, given the choice between a disarm which results in injury and death with no other injuries, I demand the disarm. It takes skill to use any weapon. I doubt that this guy was <insert favorite movie martial artist here>. I know a couple of people in town who, armed with a machete, would be a serious risk to a half dozen cops. Anyone else, however, is as much at risk to themselves as anyone else. But the police have ARMOR available to them. I see it all the time, flack jackets for daily wear and riot gear for more serious occasions. We pay the police to risk injury on our behalf. We don't pay them enough for that, probably, but then we probably couldn't afford what they are really worth for that service. The police are human beings and I know that at least some of them are agonizing over this event. Those that aren't probably shouldn't be on the force. Those that remain should receive the training necessary to avoid this situation in the future. I have been told that some of the precincts in the "bad" neighborhoods are used as rookie training centers, allowing more experienced officers to go to other neighborhoods. This is bad policy if it's true. I have also been told that there is an age limit for a street cop, older officers being forced into desk jobs. This leaves us with inexperienced and untrained cops on the worst streets. A very bad mix. This man could have been taken without loss of life. It may not have been possible without injury, but it was possible to do so without loss of life. Robert Schmid Central _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
