I Do Not Expect the Police to be Perfect

Last week, a video began circulating online that showed an encounter between a teenage female student and a resource officer at Spring Valley High School in Columbia, South Carolina. After the student refused requests by staff members to stop using her cellphone during class and then to leave the classroom, Deputy Fields, a resource officer, forced her from her desk by flipping it backwards before he pulled and threw her toward the front of the room.

Some suggest that the teenage girl’s noncompliance was partly to blame for the violence that she encountered at the hands of Officer Fields. The problem with that reasoning, of course, is that improper conduct alone is not grounds for police to use any level of force. Appropriateness matters, particularly for those entrusted with upholding the law.

TheAugustan-MUTE

One could argue that a law enforcement officer’s ability to determine which response is appropriate for a given offense is considerably more consequential than a teenage girl’s ability to make a good decision.

As a prescription is a must before you buy it, brand viagra check out now try a drapery before you zero in on any type of medications. Every attempt is taken to make this drug more useful so that it can work fine generic levitra online on the sexual problems of men, which indeed satisfies women too who were worried about dull sexual cooperation from their husbands. Myth: Your best sex experiences happen when you’re younger. get cialis without prescriptions What are mechanical responses? pill viagra for sale There are two major physical effects of manipulation in massage in Balmain.

Frankly, it was disappointing to see how quickly the public debate about this incident appeared to shift away from the legitimacy of the decision made by the police officer to the teenager girl’s supposed inadequate parental influence.

Law enforcement is an extremely challenging profession. Because of that, I do not expect police officers to be perfect. However, as adults and professionals, I expect them to make reasoned, thoughtful decisions. I expect them to exercise restraint, be discerning, and use discretion when choosing to apply force. If ever they fail to do so, then I expect them to own up to it and make amends for it. I am deeply concerned about parents making every effort to reduce the number of behavioral issues in schools. Even so, I am far more troubled by a law enforcement officer’s aggressive response to a teenage girl’s seemingly nonviolent disobedience.

Share today’s 60-second essay by clicking one of the social media icons below. Also, I invite you to join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.