Class of 20Something wrote: ↑January 27th, 2021, 1:37 pm
There's quite a few of us with LE backgrounds. I'd say most would be huge advocates for social workers on shift in most PDs. It's a masters degree minimum job, pay it like it.
I am a major advocate for police reform. But I think most people get the cause and effect wrong. The brutality we witness is a symptom. But why is it happening?
Well, it's ultimately a symptom of how they're trained. The time spent training with a firearm combined with the time being taught the Use of Force model and what legally justifies lethal force, far exceed the training of every officer reaction below lethal force. And that's probably not a bad thing, outright. They absolutely need to know how and be trained well to implement the gravest response they may be required to take. But what would those hands on, non lethal, encounters look like of PDs had all officers train an hour of a mixed ground grappling martial arts before or after every shift? I'm talking about wrestling and jiu jitsu styles. No punches or kicks, no taser, baton, or OC. Make the expectation 180 hours a year of ground combat. That's just 3.5 hours a week.
Does that change the encounters? Is tolerating that some suspects might suffer broken arms a tolerable trade if officer involved shootings decrease?
Giving the officers more tools to use before lethal force will reduce the frequency of lethal force.
My agency actually uses a Gracie style training regimen for part of our defensive tactics. However, taking less than lethal options away and going hands-on first is not the best practice. More injuries for both sides and it exposes the officer's firearm to CQB. The last place a cop wants to be is on the ground. The intent of less than lethal is to mitigate aggression within the Use of Force Continuum...which allows for lethal force under Graham v. Connor...which is the present and correct precedent. The problem is going to far when the threat has diminished or has not risen to the level counter acted by the LEO. LE has not done a good job of educating the public in part....the incident in Ferguson is a prime example. That was a "good shoot". Any situation an LEO goes into is potentially involving a deadly weapon....because the LEO brings it. If a subject takes action toward that weapon, regardless of whether they were initially armed...demonstrates an intent and thereby makes it a potentially lethal encounter that does have some justification by LEO UOF. Now...having social workers in LE would be huge...and I think well received in certain appropriate scenarios. LEOs today are expected to mitigate to degree in which they are generally not trained, and that is both a funding issue and a system issue.
My recommendation to those who feel there is a significant occurrence of excessive UOF in LE in general...which I do not agree with....go ride with a police agency. They allow "ride alongs" at a lot of agencies...you simply have to feel out a waiver. Lots of folks have had their eyes opened from a single ride along....what they heard and thought was turned 180 degrees on it's head.
*Addendum* My agency does these regularly and I would be happy to have any of you join us on an operation. Send my a PM and I'll provide you with the information and my personal cell phone. My district office is in Greensboro....I'd love to meet some of you.