Uvalde got a grant a few years ago to supply them with advanced weapons and body armor. Police budgets represent huge slices of local government. It seems their teeing up for a moment like this but the fantasy falls through when we see the results.
It’s weapons and power for traffic stops or noise disturbances. It’s shifting of the balance during a dispute. It’s to get your arms around your back and charges levied. I do not believe this would be different in another instance. It has not been. An FBI report shows unarmed citizens stopping conflict multiples more than armed officers.
We should really reevaluate our investment in a shared illusion. Fear for your life in the presence of a toy gun. Fear for your life with an active shooter. If the profession is navigated off fear, I’d hate to be who they fear. I’d hate to move in a way that makes them fearful. But I would also hate to be on the end of a shooter’s AR-15, because I will sooner become a memory and a hashtag before they will charge against that fear to save me.
Thank you for posting this and sharing your insight. It strikes at the heart of an aspect we have not addressed as a country. “To protect and serve” has been a slogan probably for decades. We did not read the fine print. We did ask who or what they protect or who they serve.
This is really an excellent piece of writing and analysis, Joe. And to top it off, the police department put out lies about how the situation was handled to cover themselves. So glad we have video of the parents there. Wow.
Uvalde got a grant a few years ago to supply them with advanced weapons and body armor. Police budgets represent huge slices of local government. It seems their teeing up for a moment like this but the fantasy falls through when we see the results.
It’s weapons and power for traffic stops or noise disturbances. It’s shifting of the balance during a dispute. It’s to get your arms around your back and charges levied. I do not believe this would be different in another instance. It has not been. An FBI report shows unarmed citizens stopping conflict multiples more than armed officers.
We should really reevaluate our investment in a shared illusion. Fear for your life in the presence of a toy gun. Fear for your life with an active shooter. If the profession is navigated off fear, I’d hate to be who they fear. I’d hate to move in a way that makes them fearful. But I would also hate to be on the end of a shooter’s AR-15, because I will sooner become a memory and a hashtag before they will charge against that fear to save me.
Thank you for posting this and sharing your insight. It strikes at the heart of an aspect we have not addressed as a country. “To protect and serve” has been a slogan probably for decades. We did not read the fine print. We did ask who or what they protect or who they serve.
This is really an excellent piece of writing and analysis, Joe. And to top it off, the police department put out lies about how the situation was handled to cover themselves. So glad we have video of the parents there. Wow.