In the essential transaction between the police and the citizens, we want the police to protect us and use force in doing so, but we want them to use force judiciously. They should not be hasty, as in trigger happy. Nor do we want them to be belligerent, which leads to police brutality. But we don’t want our keepers of the peace to be hesitant to the point of putting us — or themselves — in harm’s way. Confused? Try being a cop with a Glock 17 on your hip when a bad guy threatens you or bystanders.
Our cops are routinely forced to face life and death situations. They are trained and drilled in how to react. They must study when to use force and how. Each time a D.C. cop so much as lays a hand on someone, he or she must file a “use of force report.”
