Jacksonville Sheriff releases video of officer shooting and killing mentally ill man

Saw this earlier, really sad. And the officer was so calm calling it in, like taking someone’s life was no big deal.

 

Being a cop is one of the toughest jobs in the country. And yet, there is not much selectivity in the hiring of these people, and they get a minimal amount of training. I think that a 4-year college degree in criminal justice/law enforcement should be a requirement for getting hired as a cop, and a masters degree should be required to move up the ranks, with a PhD being required to become the chief. I also would pay these folks well and provide them with quality benefits. The bad apples need to be kept from getting hired, and the current bad apples should be weeded out.

 

Agree in principle. The thing nobody likes to point out is your average cop is just an ex high school jock that didn't have much of an outlook for after high school. A complete lack of training compared to a lot of other countries just exacerbates the problem.

 

Any sort of force on force training will tell you that in the event someone is actually threatening your life, you create distance, you don't close distance. This officer did the opposite. There was nobody else here in danger, and "mah officer safety" doesn't seem like it would apply when you have a superior weapon already drawn, have plenty of distance, and the subject is not making an attempt to close distance.

Officers need to be held to a higher standard of care. The job has dangers, but they sign up for it. John Public doesn't sign up for encounters with the police. Qualified immunity is terrible jurisprudence, is implemented in the worst possible way, and results in systematic negligence at best, and systematic abuse of power without consequence at worst. Until we get to the point where we see loss of life or significant injury as negative outcome for police in ALL cases and link officers professional and financial performance to positive outcomes while controlling for moral hazard, this will continue to occur. Not all loss of life in policing actually can be avoided, but we can do much, much better than our status quo.

IMO, most departments would be better off with half the people paid twice as much with higher qualifications.

 

I think they actually get paid very well especially when you consider their benefit package which does'nt show up on the salary tables. Plus just increasing their salary does'nt automatically make them better police.
https://www.indeed.com/career/police-officer/salaries/FL

 

But it does increase the pool of potential candidates, allowing forces to be more selective in who they take.

 

Wait so he knew he had just an axe, gets closer to him then shoots him when he raises the axe?? Poor training...

 

I agree in principle but no one is going to do that job with that education unless the pay goes up considerably. I also agree that we might be better off with less cops but higher educated and trained ones but we would have to change the way we police communities overall because there is a shortage of cops as we speak.

I will add that most cops who recieve the higher education you suggest move off the road and into management or other assignments. I will also add that the best and brightest don't often chase power and promotion. People want change but they attack the lowest qualified and often ill equipped patrol officers when administrators and legislators are the ones with the ability to make major changes.

Also, someone suggested they get paid well because of benefits but every department is different and careers carry benefits. Where police make their money is in off duty detail assignments and overtime which for some reason anti police/public worker types complain about despite the fact they have to actually work all those hours in details and overtime so why complain? In the case of detail pay, private entities foot that bill not the department.

As to the video, as someone who is more in the middle when it comes to police criticism, this cop did a terrible job of using basic principles like distance, shielding and de-escalation.

I'm glad you are able to acknowledge their job is difficult when so many do not but yes, they aren't and shouldn't be immune to criticism either like some believe.

 

I like to point that out all the time, though I dont think more training or benefits is going to improve anything. Being a cop draws a certain type of person (traumatized veterans, insecure mediocrities and sociopaths who like to take it out on others), and I would say the job pays pretty well as it stands. Maybe they need to be better at telling people you can scam overtime, run illegal side hustles with impunity and retire in your 50s and still draw a pension if you do it right.

 

One of your worst takes ever. Generalizations and insults across the board "scamming pensions" and guilting people for retiring after 25 to 30 years working. What a masterpiece

 

I saw some cops 'working' at the Dunkin Donuts over the weekend

 

Cool story. I saw a really nice guy in my city's department get shot in the face for treating a subject in a professional and courteous way. He was a good kid and he died doing none of the things you claim.

 

I just saw a cop shoot a mentally ill man on this thread

 

You're better than this. I'm not the one ascribing personality traits and denigrating an entire workforce off the actions of a few. I acknowledge all the flaws in policing I just don't paint with such a broad brush.

 

Wow. I just watched a legitimate execution. The cop needs to be charged with murder. I'm sure JSO will get right on that

 

At least it was a Whiskey Mike, it could have been a Bravo Mike then folks around here would have been real upset.

 

What a completely braindead post. Nice.

 

Hey I'm sorry I just find it kind of humorous that they couldn't simply say white male on the radio.

 

Yeah, I've seen many videos of cops shooting guys charging them or guys who clearly have a gun, etc. Even then, many LEOs sound immediately distraught or shaken after using lethal force. This may be the most subdued response I recall after a LEO just shot someone - much less in the head.