Beno Wolf: Police officers should be held to a higher standard than the general public — not protected by the system. All officers using excessive force should be convicted and all officers who witness excessive force should be required to report it or be fired.
Dale Damron: Wrong question. The police brutality you are talking about is only possible with the absolution of those behaviors by the social group that is in power. You may as well ask about how to address housing discrimination, employment discrimination, and access to health care while you are at it. This is a larger cultural question.
Lucas McIntyre: Let's start with cops drawing their weapons as a last resort, not a preemptive measure to make them seem threatening. Leading with, "I consider you a lethal threat and I am willing to respond accordingly" is not how you de-escalate a situation.
Tori Bailey: 1. Truly use de-escalation techniques. 2. Let the ombudsmen have the full access he needs to do his job. 3. Good cops need to stop protecting the bad ones. The guild should make sure due process is carried out but not go all out to keep officers who shouldn't be on the street.
Kris Martin: "If?" Who do the police work for? This shouldn't even be an option the public gives them at this point. Zero tolerance policy for brutality plus independent, community oversight committees for a start. Quit allowing them to set the rules, they are public servants, not our judge, jury and executioners.
Sara Van Valer: It looks like outreach and improving public opinion. It looks like holding any and all officers involved in excessive force having consequences... not paid leave but criminal consequences. Law enforcement is essential to the greater good but they must be held accountable. Officers need to be role models. ... Be respectful to be respected. Be accountable to hold others accountable. It looks like de-escalation training. It looks like mental health training. It looks like community involvement. It looks like oversight and transparency. ♦
EDITOR'S NOTE
Normally, we ask our question of the week of people we randomly encounter on the street. But with the coronavirus pandemic, we instead asked our followers on social media to share their thoughts.
