There was a podcast years ago from RadioLab about a guy who tried to find some stats on police shootings (police shooting people and people shooting police), and what he found out was that there was no national database with stats, and information about who and what was involved. This was years ago, so he started calling local precincts all over the country trying to find somebody who had records, and unfortunately, what he found was that there was nobody keeping information on these incidents, which is incredible if you think about it. You can do a google search and find out the dimensions, names, and backstories of the dragons in Game of Thrones in 15 seconds, but we had no national database of shootings involving police.
Since that journalist started that story, they've started trying (I use that term loosely) to gather information in all of the shootings, and it's pretty incredible what they are finding out, and it's amazing what happens when you can examine evidence and information.
I have several close friends in law enforcement, so I always try and get their thoughts on these situations, and it's pretty amazing to get their thoughts...the recent analyzation of information of the shootings...and compare it to politics and the reporting of the shootings.
Lot of conclusions have been made, but there have been two main ones that I've learned about.
1. Police have to see and deal with some of the most despicable people on the planet, and they have to see some pretty horrible things. Things that can really have an affect on someones mentality. And what has been discovered is that a lot of the police that have been investigated in questionable shootings have recently investigated a crime scene or a case that is disturbing...particularly suicides. And what they've found is that there is massively inadequate help available to police to deal with some of the horrors they've seen.
The example that really stuck out with me was a couple of police officers that were first to respond to a homicide-suicide where a dad killed his kid, and then killed himself (RIP). The officers were called to the scene in the evening...and then had to go back to work the next day. Both admitted that they were deeply disturbed by the scene, but they had to "get back to work". One of the police officers was involved in a questionable shooting 3 days later. He had no counseling, and after witnessing the terrible scene didn't have any days off, or time to gather himself. He had to go right back to work the next day...and the next day...and the next day...and see more terrible things.
2. It's becoming abundantly clear that one of the things that a lot of shooters in "mass shootings" have in common, and unfortunately in some police shootings is investigations or convictions in domestic abuse, or battery. In other words...studies have shown that there really isn't a big connection between race, or politics, or religion...but that a lot of these shooters have shown signs they aren't mentally stable, or that they have severe anger issues that manifest into violence.
And when you stop and think about it, it makes sense. First off, we only hear a small fraction of all the police shootings that actually take place. Police are shot way more often than we think, and police shooting people happen way more often than we think. All of them just aren't reported.
In this day and age people are constantly looking to blame political reasons for the shootings, and honestly for a lot of things. They are looking to blame the "other side". Trying to come with a way to rip someone from another political party, or another religion or another race when the answer is completely different.
Instead of blaming someone or some group after the fact, maybe we can focus on trying to advocate for there to be changes to get police officers help to deal with the crazy things they see on a daily basis. Maybe we can be a little more upset at the police department that put a gun in the hands of an officer who had a history of abuse and battery.
And when someone commits a mass shooting, instead of attempting to find a group to blame, maybe we can look at the individual and look at their personal history to find an explanation.
I have my own political views on things, but with this issue I don't think it's political There are other things happening that lead to these unfortunate events. I just think we gotta be better than that, and make sure we are putting our efforts into fully knowing whats going on before we blindly blame the left or the right.
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