Is it time for gun control in Washington?

No, at least not at this time, and since the perp is dead, there may NEVER be a real connection. In the connect the dots category, it seems highly likely, but gonna be tough to prove.

As to the difficulty in being a cop. Some of that they've brought on themselves. Police have gone (in my lifetime) from community support, to paramilitary enforcement. Some of the changes are subtle, cops here almost all have short, military style haircuts now, 20 years ago, not so much. they want to look bad ass. It changes their appearance, and they now have the demeanor to match, which may be a result of more ex-service guys being cops now. Even the uniforms have become more military. Dark colors or black. Cargo pants, lots of hardware, every cop has a taser, pepper spray and a Glock with 3 or 4 extra magazines. Notice how many SWAT teams there are now? Hell, my little county in Florida has TWO full time swat teams, and one of those nifty semi-tank trucks to drive around in. (I run into them regularly having dinner at a restaurant I frequent here.)

The State Police in Florida are called "troopers." In Pennsylvania as well. They have a commander, not a chief, and they are located in State Police Barracks, not police stations.

They also have become very aggressive in their behavior. There's no benefit of the doubt, and there's no discussion/discretion. You shut up take their **** or you go to jail, or they search you and your car. The kinder/gentler approach is long gone. They are all about revenue and control, "protect and serve" is long gone. They are also EXTREMELY aggressive with their techniques. Subdue the guy you've detained, assume anyone you stop or pull over is a very bad guy, and take no prisoners.

There are, of course exceptions, but my experience says there is an "us vs. them" attitude that is pervasive, and that's a huge problem. Unfortunately, in some instances the "us" is a white cop or cops and the "them" is a black suspect, and when it goes bad, it's all over the news in a flash.

Remember, my wife is a former LEO, and we both work part time down here for the county Sheriff's office, so I get to see a fair number of the local LEOs up close.

D

 

And this is why America's belief that the gun solves everything does not work. All it can ever possibly do is create an aggressive and nervous population.

Yes there are guns in Australia and NZ, but we still have the hope that other guy doesn't have one.
Pete

 

That's patently absurd.

Most Americans are not packing. The VAST majority are not. It's illegal without a permit in most states, with the exception of Alaska and I think Vermont, which are not exactly populous.

And they're not getting massacred by the hundreds every year. 1980-2014 USA averaged 64 police line of duty deaths per year. (Not including non felonious traffic accidents.) So that covers a host of causes.

12.8MM carry permits have been issued in the USA, total. Many, if not most, don't carry on a daily basis. I have a LTCF, and I haven't carried concealed more than a dozen times.

D

 

No, ours are just a pack of tax collectors with attitude

 

Heck ...

In the past 32 years, 14 men have been killed in the line of duty while serving with the New South Wales Police Force ... NSW Police officers killed in the line of duty

From 1867 to 2011 there have been 29 deaths for Queensland Police Officers in the line of duty ... https://www.police.qld.gov.au/aboutUs/commemoration/honour/

I have not checked the other States and there have been 11 Federal Police Officer deaths (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_Federal_Police_killed_in_the_line_of_duty), and yes Australia is a heck of a lot smaller, but there is something very wrong with 64 police officers dying every year in America!!!!!!!!

Very sad . I'm not anti-American and have been there a few times for work, thoroughly enjoyed our family holiday in Hawaii (the best holiday we've ever had!) but is "she" unsaveable, a lost cause?

Maybe Trump should build his wall around America to keep them all inside
Pete

 

What you're describing is a widespread trend in the developed world and my experience of US cops has always been one of unfailing courtesy. On the other hand, I don't give them an "attitude" in any country.

There will be a back story to the guy who got shot in his car last week, these days police know a driver's record before they pull them over and if the cop had his gun out, there was no doubt a reason.

 

the US has a big problem with violent crime and guns are part of it, but the core issue is entrenched criminality in black communities and, just like the hideous domestic violence in our aboriginal communities, that can only be fixed when people take personal responsibility.

Recommend you read this:
https://quadrant.org.au/magazine/2016/07-08/blacks-police-violent-america/

Electing a black president should have been an opportunity to confront and start repairing the dysfunction, but sadly Obama failed here too.

 

Thanks for the link; I have had my eyes opened ... damn sad!
Pete

 

As with most things, it's not a single issue but many interconnected and slow burning issues...
1. Lack of responsibility among many communities both black and white
2. The post-industrial revolution which means few jobs and hence poverty for many of these communities.
3. Poorly selected and trained police and the way their attitudes have developed over time.
4. The guns don't help - everyone is afraid the other guy might be packing so they have to shoot first.
We should not be too smug here since Australia is usually just a few years behind on whatever path the U.S. takes, although I hope that's changing. But then we just elected Hanson so...

 

Dallas Mayor: Open carry only brought chaos and confusion during sniper attack ? DeadState

 

1.2MM cops in the USA
49,000 cops in Australia

Most of the 64 the USA averages are killed in car accidents while on duty. 64 is .005% overall.

in 2014 over 1,100 citizens were killed by police in the USA. I'm not factoring guilt or innocence into this, and this doesn't include inmates put to death or killed while incarcerated.

 

Not ALL are. It's the younger ones that are full of attitude. The older cops, at least in my exposure to them, are more like what I remember. Polite and helpful. but the young guys, nope, they are edgy.

D

 

Wow, hard to believe things like this happen!

 

I'd be very nervous if I was living in America and had darker skin. So very sad and I have a son with high functioning Autism so know how important good helpers are!
Pete

 

Wow the US cops are nervous , they may have thought the kids truck was bomb or it was a lure. After the 911 ambush, they have adopted the classic shoot first then ask questions.

 

... if you are an African American
Pete

 

Do they get any training at all!!!!: https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/arts-and-culture/miami-cop-who-shot-unarmed-black-man-was-actually-/d20ae942-0f65-4d72-8ea4-d3cc7889ecb8.htm

Thank God I do not live in America!

From all the articles I am not able to work out whether the nurse/care worker is dead or not.

But what really shocks me is the police need to start apologising for these fnck ups!, it is what is required and those involved need to be retrained, etc. You cannot keep shooting innocent people and coming up with BS excuses to justify your staffs inability.

Police should be calm and very damn rational under pressure!
Pete

 

He's alive: Black carer helping autistic man shot while lying down - 9news.com.au

Thank God ... definitely not America and their police force!
Pete

 

It's the inevitable conclusion in a society where virtually everyone could be carrying a gun.