The Police are not the ones who are ignorant

I came across this post on a blog dealing with illnesses. It’s about a bipolar man who walked out into traffic and was tased twice. He later died. Here is a news article about the incident.

The blogger suggests that the fault lies with the police due to ignorance in dealing with the mentally ill. She suggests that “anyone of us (and I’m assuming she means the mentally ill) could be killed by the police.” She also says that, “mentally ill people are NOT criminals, nor are their family members.”

First off, I take issue with the idea that “anyone of us could be killed by the police.” I have contact with the police on a regular basis and I can tell you, causing the death of any person is the last thing they would ever want to do. It hurts them greatly to have to defend themselves to the point of deadly force. They too, are traumatized by any death that results in the use of deadly force. It’s a tragedy all around. Now do you honestly think the police look forward to the death of someone?

And we will not be killed by the police simply for having a medical condition. It is the circumstances and behavior of the individual that dictates what level of force that is necessary for the police to use. The safety of the innocent bystanders are of primary concern, and yet so is the safety of the individual they are dealing with. The police have a tremendous burden of maintaining the safety of all individuals in any incident.

So the mentally ill never commit crime? Never? That’s not what the mentally ill inmates in prisons say. They can and do commit crime. And their family members don’t commit crime either? Family members don’t interfere with the police when said mentally ill criminals are arrested? I think not.

Many people claim to have mental illnesses, such as bipolar, and use this as an excuse to get away with crime. Would you say this is a misrepresentation of persons with bipolar? The media sensationalizes their acts of crime and blows them out of proportion, just as, with the isolated incidences of the use of the taser to defend innocent people, where death is later reported. Both are wrong, as it gives the impression that it occurs more than it does and most often the truth of the matter goes unreported. That’s the media for you. Don’t believe everything you read.

Just as you would not want us to fear bipolar people because of what we read in the media likewise it would be wrong to perpetuate a fear the police. We need to speak up and look for the truth behind the headlines. Having these false impressions has a direct effect on those we should care about, bipolar people and our police officers. People will act out negatively if they believe they have reason to fear bipolar people and the police. Neither groups of people deserve this.

Let’s get at the truth of the matter…

The police are not ignorant when dealing with people they are sworn to protect. Keeping people alive is what they train for, day and night. It’s why they became police officers, dispatchers, corrections officers.

The police do not kill people. They defend themselves and others against danger. The police will rather take a bullet themselves then let an innocent person die.

The police are not ignorant nor clueless. They are very highly-trained, educated individuals.

The police deserve the right to be in good-standing with the community. They deserve the right to carry out their duties without the public fearing harm from them.

It’s not the police who are ignorant.