Systemic discrimination under debate

In response to Nina Smith's letter, April 8, I don't totally disagree with your opposition to SB5280. Police officers do choose to go through the training, pin on the badge and wear the uniform. Police officers agree to do the work that regular citizens don't want to or cannot do. Cops have broad shoulders and know the dangers. But, I disagree with your statement, "...not a systemic issue of discrimination against police".

▪ Los Angeles, 1991, Tina Kerbrat stopped to investigate a man down on the sidewalk. She was shot and killed by that man who ran up on her before she could even exit her car.

▪ New York, 2014, two officers were sitting in their police car, on the street. The shooter, who was angry with police, walked up to the passenger side of the car and executed both officers at point blank range.

▪ Harris County, Texas, 2015, a deputy was pumping gas into his patrol car when he was shot multiple times and killed, execution style.

▪ Lakewood, Washington, 2009, four police officers were shot and killed while they drank coffee and briefed for the day's activities.

The common denominator in all of these shootings is that the victims were just police officers.

I will conserve my remarks and only comment further on your last paragraph. The brothers Thompson and Chaplin were not shot for allegedly stealing beer. They were shot for allegedly attacking an officer with a skateboard, wielded as a club.

This story was originally published April 21, 2017 at 7:17 PM with the headline "Systemic discrimination under debate."