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It is a good excuse. This piece is also found on the Calgary Herald website.When a police car drives down the street, lights and sirens on, the automatic response is to move out of their way. When I see them walking around whether it be down a street or patrolling a concert, my response is to stay out of their way. It's a matter of respect. The recent verdict on the RCMP officer who shot and killed an inmate was not at all surprising to me. Although some may consider it a slap on the wrist, others may think of it as due justice. Think about it. A cop has much more authority over the regular Joe. You bust out a punch? They bring out their batons. You bust out a knife? The cops bust out their guns. If an officer shoots and kills a person, I won't question their reasoning for a minute. If their life is in danger, why not use the force available to them at the time? This isn't a radical new trend, we've armed city guards since the dawn of time. The understanding has always been that you risk your life the minute you become a violent criminal. Every kid who's ever read a comic book could tell you that. Contrary to the Calgary Herald's position that this was a case of "an officer who lost control and deliberately made a decision to shoot and kill", I think otherwise. From what I read about it, it was a matter of self defence. A 19 year veteran of the RCMP would know what he is doing. I don't doubt that there are some corrupt cops who do in fact use force and their authority to their advantage, but Constable Mike Ferguson's record is Mr. Clean tidy, so I am hesitant to question the verdict. Actually the sentence of two years under house arrest seems a little silly to me. For another example, look to the case of Deng Kuol who was shot and killed in the front of an apartment building by police. Mr. Kuol attacked Constable Ira Maccumber by stabbing him in the arm. What did Maccumber do after Kuol stabbed him in the arm? He shot and killed the armed and dangerous stabber in self defence. Think about it and imagine the alternative. A dead or incapacitated cop, plus a violent Deng Kuol now armed with a police firearm and at best, a hostage standoff. Officers are trained to use different degrees of force to defend themselves. This includes including deadly force. The decision to use any type of force, I am sure, is not questioned. Neighbours said Kuol was a good man, but that's what the neighbours always say. Jeff Dalmer was a nice neighbour. So was that Bundy character, and every nut job who's ever been busted by the police. Our police are here to serve and protect. I have the utmost respect for them and get really irritated when our society picks on them for doing the hardest part of their job. Posted by Bella at 1:01 AM# 0 Comments:
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