Don't second-guess police using force

Where was the Taser? That question was asked in a recent letter appearing in this column relating to the police shooting in Rolling Meadows. Since I was not there, I have no idea why the Taser was not used.

I do know, however, that the Taser is not always a reliable weapon. A Taser loses its charge in a short period of time, and there is often a variation in the electrical charge transmitted to the prongs.

If an assailant is on drugs, or wearing heavy clothing, the effectiveness of a Taser will be compromised.

When an officer is confronted by someone drunk and brandishing knives, the Taser certainly is not his first weapon of choice. If an officer is to go home to his family at the end of the day, he must possess greater force than that of his assailant.

Too often today, we read news accounts of police officers being condemned when a criminal is shot. Let the police review board sort out the details. No longer does society give the benefit of the doubt to the officer who says, "He pulled out something that looked like a gun."

In a split second, an officer must make the "right" decision. Some folks have watched too many "dirty cop" movies and lost all respect for police authority.

There was a time in our recent history when mostly large city forces had a high number of untrained and unprofessional officers, some even being thugs with badges carrying throw-away guns. Over time, these officers have been mostly weeded out.

Today's police officers are family-oriented, college graduates, competent and highly trained and are there to protect us. The next time you encounter a police officer, shake his hand and thank him for separating us from an unsavory world. The cop is our friend and deserves our respect.

Ray B. Countryman

Palatine