Police Shooting of Innocent People is Systematically Justified

Force Science Institute is a company that trains tens of thousands of police officers, and is one of the reasons why officers are so rarely punished for fatal and unwarranted shootings. Dr. Lewinski, the man behind the company, conducts his own research and has testified as an expert witness in police shooting trials. “A batter can’t wait for a ball to cross home plate before deciding whether that’s something to swing at,” he told the LA deputy sheriffs. But isn’t shooting and killing unarmed people more like swinging before the ball has even left the pitcher’s plate?

It’s true that officers must make quicker decisions under stress, but this fast response can result in ignoring cues for a safer outcome. Studies show that training in realistic environments or training in combat sports improved officer performance under stress, with similar results from behavioral training and mindfulness exercises. Police academies should prepare officers to avoid panic under fire, but rarely do as a result of resources and lack of political will from government overseers.