The officer’s unwarranted violence is outrageous; the suspect was unruly and verbally abusive but posed no apparent threat. By contrast, the response by police officials and prosecutors has so far been a model of accountability and transparency. Neither pulled any punches in characterizing the officer’s conduct, and neither sought to justify the officer’s actions. An apparently harmless man was shot to death by uniformed officers, and the only official response has been silence. The Montgomery County incident should provide a lift for a proposal by County Council member Hans Riemer (D-At Large) to establish a civilian board to offer advice to police on use of force, discipline and dealing with residents with mental-health issues.

Source: Washington Post July 14, 2019 22:18 UTC