Voices from Ferguson: Law Enforcement Opinion on Recent Events

I purposefully let this question lie for some time, knowing more information would come to light. It did. I'm not in possession of any inside information, and it's still hard to make sense of some of the details. However, here are my reactions:

Media Accounts and Skepticism

There are still significant discrepancies in the accounts provided, even from prominent voices. For instance, citing the account of Dorian Johnson holds no water for me. Ignoring the character indictment of his presence at an alleged robbery, there are so many claims that haven't been borne out by closer inspection:

While Johnson confidently declared that Brown was shot in the back while fleeing, the autopsy did not confirm this. Johnson's account glosses over any explanation for Officer Wilson's facial injuries - which, despite details about whether he suffered an eye socket break, are significantly unremarkable in the broader context. The idea that Officer Wilson was trying to grab Brown through his patrol vehicle window and pull him into the car is bizarre to me. Given that, from a seated position in the vehicle, he would lack the leverage to control the movement of a 16-year-old boy, it's highly implausible.

Training and Response Strategies

This case highlights the need for law enforcement agencies to develop more effective training on holistic responses to large-scale events like this. Once vandalism and looting started, I'm sure the training kicked in under the closest heading: Riot control. The visible response that followed was to display an overwhelming presence to defuse further hostility, a largely unwritten law enforcement tenet. If I was in a fight with four guys, I wouldn't want three other officers to come help me—I'd want about a dozen. This doesn't scale appropriately for this level, and the local police quickly lost the hearts and minds battle by continuing riot response when it was, at times, no longer warranted.

However, as the dust settles, there will be a lot of talk in in-service trainings across the country in the coming months about things like information sharing with public relations personnel, effective press releases and news conferences, and effective deescalation of force response, which would certainly include standing down when you're taking gunfire.

Other Law Enforcement Perspectives

Let's also look at the perspectives of other law enforcement officers:

2012: El Paso Police Officer Dies After Severe Beating - This case underscores the risks that law enforcement officers face and the importance of effective de-escalation training. Law Enforcement Tenets and Training - The unwritten law enforcement tenet of displaying an overwhelming presence to defuse hostility needs to be re-evaluated in large-scale events. Training on de-escalation and community engagement is paramount to maintaining public trust and ensuring safety.

Conclusion

The events in Ferguson, Missouri, have brought to the forefront issues of accountability, training, and community engagement for law enforcement. While there are no easy answers, understanding and addressing these concerns is crucial for the future of public safety and community trust.