Use of force

Re “Beach council backs police oversight in name only” (Our Views, March 17): Police departments and commonwealth attorneys are on the defensive. More than a few lives, families and careers have been wrongfully destroyed based on the actions of an uninformed public. Because of this, our nation is quickly moving toward “mob rule” instead of a rule of law. Far too many use-of-force incidents recorded on camera are mistakenly seen as wrong and sometimes rioting, burning and even death results. Police, commonwealth attorneys and the media need to initiate education efforts to inform the public about what is right and wrong.

Through a YouTube search on “police shootings” it is possible to see videos posted by police departments and commonwealth/ district attorneys that include actual events and explanations. Often these videos are released soon after a shooting with the caveat that an attorney must determine if the event is justifiable homicide or murder based on constitutional law. These are decisions an uninformed public isn’t capable of making.

Most police shootings are justifiable, but some are eventually judged wrongful. The murder of Walter Scott by North Charleston, South Carolina, police Officer Michael Slager is there.

An America that involves citizen participation has to be based on an educated, informed public. Currently we do not have that regarding use-of-force issues. What is needed is more transparency along with education so that people can see and understand the constitutional issues involved.

Joseph L. Bass, Suffolk