How to end police shootings in one easy step.

[RoadRunner79]

Ok... so person is jay walking and steps in front of a bus and is killed.... jay walking is a capital offense worthy of summary execution.... I get the way you think now!

Intent matters just a tiny bit, don't you think?  Can it possibly exist in the hypothetical you're presenting for consideration?

I agree, that intent matters...   and if you could show, that the intent of the cop was to go to work today and  shoot an unarmed person, then I say lock them up.  And the easiest way, that I know of to show intent is to have a camera on the officer recording the event, and the one being arrested to comply with the authority given to the cop.  If they are making sudden moves towards what could be a gun or weapon I don't expect the officer to wait until someone is actually harmed or killed to find out what the intentions are of the suspect. 

Also just to note, in the recent crisis at the night club in Florida, I would not call the decision to shoot the perpetrator a "summary execution" for a "capital offense".    It's not within their authority to make that judgment.   However they are permitted to use lethal force to protect others and themselves.   Which is sometimes going to be a quick and difficult decision (and yes mistakes may be made).  

My answer is to have people submit to the authorities for arrest (and nobody get shot in the process).  Your's appears to be to walk up and give the potentially armed suspect a hug (or maybe a stern look if it's really bad) or to stand down until a couple people are killed, and then call in and wait for lethal force. 

I don't know that we are going to agree on this, but it was productive, in that I confirmed quite a bit I suspected in the way you think and discuss things.


(edit to add)... oops didn't realize I was responding to someone else, the last comments may not apply to you CTH