Ashley Fagre

Briggs
English 2010,1 pm, TR
4/8/16
Proposal
The Fate Of Our Protection
Police officers seem to be under the scrutiny of every American citizen as todays
headlines are increasingly filled with shocking titles that involve officers harming, or
killing presumably innocent lives. With the rise of these events sparking national outcry,
one crucial question finds itself waiting to be answered, how do we fix this? The
solution is far simple. However, by understanding how technology, gun laws and selfdefense play a role in law enforcement problems can be pinpointed, as a source for what
action should be taken.
Self-Defense & Gun Laws
In the 2012 shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman said he
had fired in self-defense(pg1). So what exactly does this mean? There are 21 selfdefense laws in the United States. The Stand Your Ground Law declares, if people feel
they are in imminent danger of being killed or seriously injured, they do not have to
retreatthey have the right to stand their ground and protect themselves(pg1). Hence,
how the law gets its name. It was under these circumstances that the Trayvon Martin
shooting took place in the state of Florida. It is also
important to note the states loose gun laws, any
resident who is not a felon is allowed to buy guns,
and relatively large percentages do, tells the

International Herald Tribune (pg1). As a result, the police department had no probable
cause to act against Zimmerman.
Although Zimmerman was not a police officer, the confrontation demonstrates
how this self-defense policy combined with relaxed gun laws can create volatile
conditions. According to a Wall Street Journal analysis of crime statistics from all 50
states,[s]o-called justifiable homicides nearly
doubled from 2000 to 2010(pg1). In addition to
this, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported
[o]ver that same 11-year period, total killings
averaged roughly 16,000 a year(pg1).
Therefore, the potential for gun fatalities is alarmingly high, leaving little speculation as
to why deadly shootings continue to happen across the country today.
In the midst of this violence, it is clear something must change, but one major
roadblock is contained within our own Constitution. The Second Amendment states, [a]
well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the
people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.(pg3). This sense of freedom that
America was fundamentally built on resonates with and is a powerful drive for those who
are fixed against strict gun laws.
Consequently, instead of proposing the obvious answer to tighten gun laws, what
improvements could be made in how the law is enforced? In recent years, remarks have
often been made about how no other country has such staggering numbers, as shown in
the figure below.

To combat this, the United States could rethink police training after the example
of other countries. For instance, in Germany, [e]ach recruit earns a bachelor's degree
as part of basic police training - a requisite before getting a badge(pg1). After
receiving their badge, training revolves around a dont shoot initiative. Training is also
done over longer amounts of time. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) the
normal duration of basic recruit training in the United States is 18 weeks. That number in
Germany is at least 130 weeks. The individuals in charge of this operation say, [these]
rigorousstandards help to widen an officer's vision when stress narrows it - when he or
she has only seconds to consider how to confront a menacing suspect(pg1).
As a result, police officers are going out into the field with more knowledge.
Irwin Cohen, research chair at the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the
University of the Fraser Valley puts it this way, "[y]our most important tools as a police
officer are usually not the ones that are on your belt anymore, but that are in your
brain(pg1). Now, officers are more capable of dealing with confrontation, while also
being seen as less of a threat in the public eye.
Contrary to this, American citizens have gradually slipped into a deeper state of
fear and mistrust considering recent events. The weight of authority has been heightened
to a point where police officers are seen as a kind of destructive force instead of a
protective one. This is where the self-defense laws mentioned earlier come into play;
individuals then act in an imposing self-defense way, making a hostile environment. Of
course, this isnt to say that confrontation with the police is supposed to be lighthearted
but there are ways this tension can be alleviated. "In Germany, a gun is not sexy; it is not
part of [a police officer's] masculinity..." comments Joachim Kersten, a professor at the

German Police University in Muenster, "If [police] have to be dominant in a situation,

they don't need a gun for that(pg1). By dropping the ingrained idea that guns are at the
root of power, this allows for safer settings to take shape. In fact, improvements are
already underway. The Obama administration has proposed a revival of "community
policing"(pg1). Japan is an outstanding example of how constructive this concept can be
given that it has been perfecting the idea since 1874. Koji Harada, a former police chief at
the Kushiro branch of the Hokkaido Prefectural Police observes, "[m]any Japanese
people tend to believe what authorities say(pg1).Their society has adopted a notion that
defers the authority of law enforcement. In doing so, bonds of trust and safety have been
built between citizens and officers. The last time a suspect was shot by a police officer
was in 2012.
Technology
Robert Kirby, a former police officer, recounts his experience in an article
published by The Salt Lake Tribune. Sometimes [I] flinch in my sleepit's the
memory of an armed man in the parking lot of a bar. He was carrying a rifle toward the
door when I stopped him(pg1). Luckily, the man dropped his weapon, and Kirby did not
shoot. This story may seem rare in todays world where the media is constantly updating
us about the latest police brutality occurrence. Perhaps if Kirby had been wearing a body
cam this would be the next big headline. As this type of technology becomes more
general, what is its affect on law enforcement? The New York Times just recently released
an article including video clips produced by Seth Stoughton, a law professor at the
University of South Carolina. The clips show officer confrontations through the lens of
an officers body camera and then filmed from a different camera like a bystanders.

He makes the experience interactive by asking a series of questions about each

clip. The outcome is, Our interpretation of video is just as subject to cognitive biases as
our interpretation of things we see live, Professor Stoughton adds, people disagree
about policing and will continue to disagree about exactly what a video shows(pg1).
Thus, body cam or witness, it doesnt matter to Stoughton. We all have a different story.
Yet, being a former police officer, Professor Stoughton supports efforts requiring officers
to wear ameras. He believes they will increase accountability and better educate people
about police work, but also knows they have their limits(pg1). This certainly rings true
for the New Orleans police department, as their monitor investigation team reviewed
reports of force and found only 49% reports clearly indicated the event had been
recorded( pg1). Evidently, additional use and monitoring of body cameras will take
place in the near future. Still, they are a useful tool in the hands of law enforcement and
should be used.
Ultimately, the fate of improving law enforcement regulations rests with a
combination of these three concepts. As self-defense, gun laws, and technology methods
are examined more closely, through trial and error changes will be made that are best
suited to serve and protect the needs of the country.

Works Cited
Alvarez, Lizette. "Self-Defense Law in the Spotlight." International Herald Tribune. 22
Mar. 2012: 2. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.
Daley, Ken. "Cameras Not on Most of the Time When NOPD Uses Force, Monitor
Finds." The Times-Picayune. N.p., 4 Sept. 2014. Web. 04 Apr. 2016.
Gun Control Overview. Congressional Digest 92.3 (2013): 3-7. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 3 Apr. 2016.
Llana, Sara Miller. "Why Police Don't Pull Guns in Many Countries." Christian Science
Monitor. 28 Jun. 2015: N.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 30 Mar. 2016.
Palazzolo, Joe, and Rob Barry. "More Killings Called Self-Defense." Wall Street Journal.
1 Mar. 2012: A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.
Training/ Academy Life. Police Recruit Training and Academy Summary -. N.p
Web. 04. Apr. 2016.
Williams, Timothy, James Thomas, Samuel Jacoby, and Damien Cave. "Police Body
Cameras: What Do You See?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 31
Mar. 2016. Web. 04 Apr. 2016.