As I understand it, the point where a cop reaches for a gun is only when they think lethal force is necessary - they aren’t trained to shoot the leg, if they are shooting it is to kill.
Sublethal methods are fine, but that is usually with a taser or pepper spray, shooting only happens when they feel they need to quickly kill a threat.
The problem is that a cop’s brain often incorrectly identifies what is a threat and jumps to killing too quickly, partially because that is what they are drilled and trained to do (and partially for other reasons - like too little mental health support, not enough rotation / off-time from danger which increases the chances of developing PTSD and increases the likelihood of overreaction, etc.).
The problems are more structural - the culture, training, and the mission of the police are more like an occupying military force, and that has predictable negative outcomes on the population controlled by that military force.
As I understand it, the point where a cop reaches for a gun is only when they think lethal force is necessary - they aren’t trained to shoot the leg, if they are shooting it is to kill.
Sublethal methods are fine, but that is usually with a taser or pepper spray, shooting only happens when they feel they need to quickly kill a threat.
The problem is that a cop’s brain often incorrectly identifies what is a threat and jumps to killing too quickly, partially because that is what they are drilled and trained to do (and partially for other reasons - like too little mental health support, not enough rotation / off-time from danger which increases the chances of developing PTSD and increases the likelihood of overreaction, etc.).
The problems are more structural - the culture, training, and the mission of the police are more like an occupying military force, and that has predictable negative outcomes on the population controlled by that military force.