Why are there so many shootings by Police Officers? Would it help if they didn't

1. 94

   peeplesposted 9 years ago

   Why are there so many shootings by Police Officers? Would it help if they didn't have guns?
   
   In 2013 Iceland had it's first person killed by a police officer shooting. This is because they do not typically carry guns as POs. Their communities are pro guns for sport (hunting) and many people own them there, police just don't carry. So would it help if PO didn't have guns here?

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2. 39

   ChristinSposted 9 years ago

   It would help prevent people being shot by cops sure.  How many cops would then get shot in bad areas while trying to do their jobs? Or how many more shootings would occur in these areas because cops would not be willing to sacrifice their lives being unable to protect themselves while policing?
   
   Iceland does not have the violent society we do, therefore what works for them will not work for us unfortunately.  I don't like police brutality or excessive force anymore than anyone else, but in a violent society officers need to be able to protect themselves.  It is not reasonable to expect officers to respond to dangerous situations unarmed.
   
   Having guns alone isn't what makes our country dangerous, I agree, but there is a mentality and fear-based paranoia here that fuels a tendency towards violence that many other countries don't have.  Canada for example - plenty of guns, not nearly as violent - why?

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      peeplesposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      This was mostly my thought when asking. I really wonder what are the key factors in why our nation is so violent. Canada is a wonderful example. Iceland also. Tons of guns, minimal violence. Quite the opposite here.

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3. 0

   Sri Tposted 9 years ago

   No it would not help. If you take their guns and everybody's gun, they would switch to knives, or another weapon. The problem isn't the gun. It's the being holding the gun. And since cavemen there has been violence. Why should it suddenly stop now? Many animal species are naturally violent. Maybe humans are just another one, if left to their own devices and with no moral training.

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4. 0

   sheilamyersposted 9 years ago

   While some of those shootings are not justified, most of them are. As Christin pointed out, taking guns away from the police would stop the police from shooting people, but then they have no way to defend themselves from the people who are shooting at them. Taking away everyone's right to own and carry guns is not the answer. Do more people have guns now then 20 years ago? I don't know. What I do know is the main difference, in my opinion, is that more people resort to using those guns to settle their disputes when there are many other non-lethal alternatives available. Shooting, stabbing, and beating people with baseball bats to settle a simple argument is not the solution; however, many people tend to think it is.

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5. 61

   Link10103posted 9 years ago

   I think of it this way. I would rather die in a knife/sword fight than get shot to death because some dipsh*t had an itchy trigger finger.
   
   The sole purpose of a gun is to harm/kill someone. You can spin it any way you want, self defense, protecting something etc but that fact remains unchanged. I would imagine someone is alot less likely/capable of killing someone if they do not have a tool that can do it in one well placed shot.
   
   Should cops have their guns taken from them? At this point I certainly would like to see how that plays out, but then you have to take everyone's guns away just so the cops are on an equal playing field, and that just wont happen without a civil war breaking out.
   
   I wonder how replacing their guns with better tasers would work.

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   Penny Gposted 9 years ago

   I just think they have way too much power and too many have gotten away with this and sadly becoming acceptable.  I for one think something has got to be done. I really haven't thought it through though. I am going to give this some very deep thought. I was thinking about it today and had watched some videos of very unjustified shootings that were actually heart breaking. Honestly I wonder just how much these Officers mental Health state is monitored? it should be on a regular basis as stress and anxiety rise and fall for them and maybe more vacation, mandatory time off for all would be helpful. I work for the Department of COrrections and we just plain get burned out. No guns inside and I am glad. Tempers get short, and judgements are not always good when you get this way.

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7. 69

   Angela Kendrickposted 9 years ago

   The problem with the rash of police officers killing innocent citizens comes from a lack of training, blatant disregard of citizen's constitutional rights, and an utter disregard of the law.  We have seen rogue officers shoot and kill innocent citizens, lie about what actually transpired, and attempt to conceal their actions.  We have seen the video of a person who, while committing a misdemeanor, had the life choked out of him.  The solution is not to disarm, but to make these individuals criminally responsible for their actions, as well as terminating those who have a demonstrated history of incessantly acting in disregard of the law.  Unfortunately, many Americans are oblivious with respect to this issue because these shootings do not personally affect them and in many instances there is a disconnect from those being targeted and killed.  It is ironic because there are so many people in other countries who can immediately recognize that there is an egregious problem here.

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