Letter: ‘Good cops’ follow protocol and ‘bad cops’ promote fear

‘Bad cops’ promote fear,
‘good cops’ obey protocol

Re: “Oakland police place officers in Pawlik shooting on leave” (Eastbaytimes.com, March 13):

After hearing about the involvement of four Oakland police officers in the fatal shooting of a homeless man, this question came to mind: Are police officers trustworthy?

The answer for many may be that they do trust police officers, but that does not necessarily mean that they trust all police officers.

I appreciate the bravery and hard work that comes in deciding to take on such a position. However, there are police officers who abuse the power of their position.

“Good cops” are those that follow protocol and only use force when preventive measures fail. “Bad cops” are those who promote fear within the community by using their positions offensively, often targeting individuals based on bias.

Now, were the officers sure that Joshua Pawlik was armed in the alley while sleeping? Also, why didn’t these officers attempt to utilize preventive measures to their full potential before turning to fatal measures?

Christie Fram
San Jose

 

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