But it's not!
These statistics are from the Officer Down Memorial Page ... this is 2016 so far:
And a few previous years ...
2015: 130
2014: 145
2013: 123
I believe our community protection employees (fire fighters, ambulance drivers, water rescue) have a life risking job all of the time. So I am outraged when people are killing them because of their uniform!
No matter that I am not a persecuted ethnicity, I don't see THAT as a reason to kill. MOST of the time, the police have had to kill offenders not based upon their skin color or religion or anything other than the breaking of the law (and maybe background information obtained right before they pulled up) that is happening right then. Many will disagree with my opinion. Your prerogative. I have police and firefighters as family and friends and neighbors. All of them are outstanding humans.
From the Washington Post ... statistics of 2015 police involved killings, broken down into categories.
These numbers don't look out of balance just by the figures alone. Twice as many whites as blacks have been killed by police. It would be interesting to research the demographics that go with the numbers ... right now I'm too lazy to look things up.
Yes, you can unfollow me on Facebook or unsubscribe from this blog. It seems like a small percentage of "bad cops" has gone a long, long way.
The overwhelming numbers of police and firefighters are good, honest people who do a fantastic job. But it doesn't help their departments or the public to deny that there's a few bad apples who give them all a bad name. It's really sad and scary what is happening with all the ambushes! Sometimes I think if the media didn't cover them then copycats wouldn't copy. Not going to happen, I know, but I can dream. We also need better mental health treatments and laws to help get the crazies off the streets.
ReplyDeleteI read that many of the bad apple cops are being called out. Part of my issue is that it is essential that we base these discussions on good data and sound presumptions. You can find liberal sources and I can find conservative sites ... but how do we know for sure?
DeleteIt matters!
I agree with you 100%. I thought perhaps having a Black President would have inspired the Black's, but it seems he has made it much worse and empowered them to riot and misbehave in all sorts of things--like they think they can get away with it. The Peaceful Dr. King must be rolling in his grave!!!
ReplyDeleteIt does seem like the world is getting angrier and angrier. All of our compassionate leaders are crying ...
DeleteAW, I do not disagree with your opinion AT ALL. I have a nephew who is a police officer in LA. I AM SO PROUD OF HIM. I saw him last week when he visited his Mom and Dad ( my brother ), driving across country to do so. His wife is pregnant with their first, and I do not want anything to happen to him or her or their baby!
ReplyDeleteThere are SO many compassionate people in the world but you'd never know it, to listen to the media. So glad you posted this.
And too bad the media cannot be better managed. Of course, I had to turn off the convention tonight! It's UGH either way although I am leaning towards Trump.
DeleteIt is time to seriously pursue the bad apples. They make the good officers, of which there are many, look bad. I think authorities are in that mindset now and we will see movement toward intolerance of any bad actors in police departments. It is very hard to hear about police officers being shot and even harder to think of their grieving spouses and children and parents. Interesting to see your statistics. If we watch too much tv, it's easy to believe the entire world is on fire.
ReplyDelete