Lethal threat comes first

Do United States cities appear peaceful today? Isn’t it the prime directive of police departments to protect, maintain and serve peace? So how’s that use of lethal force working for us?

Wait: Does the U.S. taxpayer provide any nonlethal alternatives? Could use of such nonlethal means that we spent good money to supply police with – such as pepper/mace sprays, stun guns and Tasers – possibly serve the prime directive more effectively occasionally?

In all incidents recently, there is one outstanding, arguable and objectionable common aspect: All these threats were nonlethal. Going forward: In the retraining of our departments, please join with me in praying that the President George W. Bush philosophy of pre-emptive strike will be shelved for all time.

The only cause for use of lethal force is a lethal threat, which means one shot has to be fired at any officer first to justify any officer firing his gun back. Only then is lethal force objectively justified after we supplied police with so many nonlethal force alternatives. If you are a peace officer, you knew what you were getting into.

So man up, stop taking the easy way out, and please promote peace again.

Kathy Pintler

Spokane