GO TO: Police Brutality | Sonoma County Free Press Home Page | Columns | Features

Hard Questions to Get Answered When There Is A Police Killing By Karen Saari

Hard questions need to be asked about officer-involved shootings in Sonoma County and elsewhere. The following are some of the questions that communities need to ask and insist on having answered when there is a shooting.

• Is excessive military-style weapons training causing officers to dehumanize the victim and shoot too soon?
• Are today's officers receive any training or encouragement to diffuse a dangerous situation verbally?
• When a police killing occurs, the community almost always receives extensive information on the criminal and psychiatric background of the victims. The community also needs to receive similar information on the officers involved.
• Have the officers been involved in other police shootings locally or on other police forces?
• Have the officers been the recipients of abuse complaints locally or on other police forces?
• Are the officers known to physically abuse their families?
• Are the officers substance abusers?
• Are the officers members of any hate groups?
• Have the officers ever been convicted of any felonies?

National studies show that many of today’s police are addicted to drugs or alcohol; MOST are spousal abusers; remarkably, some are even ex-felons. Communites deserve to have access to accurate and complete background information on all officers involved in shootings.

Send Email to Sonoma County Free Press

Sonoma County Free Press Home Page | About The Free Press | Columns | Letters to the Editor |
Our Supporters