Timoleon: April 2008 Archives

The police often say 'We put our lives on the line every day to serve and protect' and as far as it goes, they do.  A typical, well known example is the cop approaching the driver of the car he just pulled over - will the driver pull a gun and try to shoot the cop?  Some few times the answer is yes and some fewer times the cop ends up dead.

But what about the times they don't risk their lives?  What about the times they blast away at someone rather than risk their lives? 

Consider that time in NY, February 4, 1999, when 4 undercover cops blasted away at Amadou Diallo, a civilian in the shadows who was attempting to show them his identification?  One cop said he thought the victim was pulling a gun, and in fear for his life, this cop opened fire on the victim.  When his brother cops realized the first cop was shooting at the victim, they joined in.

These cops didn't know if the victim had a gun, they were just 'afraid' he did.  Rather than risk their lives in order to determine if the victim intended them harm, they shot him down in a hail of 41 bullets.

"We risk our lives."  Compare that statement to the soldier's: "We give our lives."  What does it mean when someone risks their life but stops short of giving it?  Or contrast the cop's stance with that of those hero's of Search and Rescue who say "If I have to give my life for yours, I will".

Sometimes cops actually go beyond merely risking their lives to giving them.  On That 2001 NY day, scores of cops became rescue workers, and three score perished. 

As harsh as it sounds, I want the cops to default to dying rather than killing innocents.

"Self-sacrifice enables us to sacrifice other people without blushing." George Bernard Shaw

Fun Facts to Know and Share:

Per year averages for the 15 year period from 1980 through 2005:

§  10,751 cops were assaulted by folks using weapons - 22% of these assaults involved firearms

§  About 50,000 assaults on cops without weapons

§  140 cops were killed - 56% of these deaths were accidental, the remaining 62 were felonious 

In 2004 there were more than 800,000 full-time sworn law enforcement officers in the United States, yielding an average of 8 deaths per 100,000.  The homicide rate from 1976 through 2005 was 7.8 per 100,000.  While my calculations here are only approximate, it seems that being a cop is about as risky as not being a cop.

"The changes in the U.S. homicide rate over time are interesting. In 1900 there were few gun laws. New York had no handgun law and California no waiting period. Guns of all types could be ordered by mail or bought anonymously. And the homicide rate was 1.2 per 100,000." David C. Stolinsky, MD

Bumper stickers that caught my eye:

"The only thing that I feel when I kill, is the recoil."