From bad to verse
The Otto Zehm case and others involve our citizenry being killed by local cops. Zehm’s death and subsequent cover-up are a tragedy. Though Karl Thompson was convicted of using excessive force against Zehm, was he the only one to blame? Did prosecution discretion spare other guilty parties?
Has anyone stopped to consider the way police officers are trained within a culture of SWAT mentality? Do they react instinctively to preserve their own personal safety? Drive by the police firearms training range and listen to the roar of the army being trained against our citizenry.
Police officers do have a dangerous job. However, overreacting to a perceived threat where innocent citizens can lose their lives cannot be construed as “serve and protect.”
Thompson will soon lose his freedom. I believe he and other cops are simply victims of their overzealous training. To top it off, Doug Clark publishes an idiotic song titled “Jailhouse Cop,” where he makes fun of the probable homosexual assault Thompson will suffer “where the soap gets dropped” while in prison.
Our system of justice is as shameful as Clark’s lyrics.
John Black
Spokane