And officers too often hesitate to use nonlethal force, allowing standoffs to spiral out of control. It is one of the first things I learned as a rookie cop in 1976: Talk instead of fight, if the situation allows the choice. If only officers had abandoned de-escalation on their own terms instead of waiting for the suspect to end it by attacking. Fewer and less severe injuries from nonlethal weapons are preferable to avoidable shootings. We can make those exceptions more rare with better policy and training and a cultural shift that encourages use of nonlethal weapons at the right moments.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 22, 2024 08:04 UTC