Got To Be A Better Way

Two recent police shootings have once again raised questions about excessive force by the NYPD. In both cases, somewhat deranged folks came at the police in a threatening manner. Both refused to listen to warnings. Both were killed. One was carrying a broken bottle, the other a hairbrush that police thought was a gun.

Now I have never faced a lunatic coming at me with a weapon or at least acting as if he has a weapon. I can only imagine the fear that plays into the mind of a police officer who has to make a split-second decision about whether someone is dangerous, is armed, or is just bluffing. Do you want to be on the losing side of that bet?

That said, seems to me that this is where stun guns or heck even paint balls could come in handy. There has to be a different way of dealing with the truly deranged. A broken bottle is a dangerous weapon, but not when you have a gun and a club and about a dozen other men in uniform standing with you. There has to be a way to minimize these tragedies without putting the safety of the police in jeopardy. A few more incidents like the two last week, and it's going to get real ugly real fast.