Dismayed that you gave so little attention to the episode on March 9th when a Santa Clara Police Officer shot and killed a young man? You reported on the episode of the SJPD opening fire on another victim on Stevens Creek, but only gave a cryptic description of the SCPD fatal shooting in the back of newspaper as a police report. And this is such an important story. One that I feared last year could be the result at my home, when I had to call for police help with my niece who suffers from mental illness. The attitude of some of the police was unacceptable.
Not a caring, concerned attitude but one more of judgment and disapproval. If a person cannot handle that they will be called to difficult situations, they should not volunteer for the service of Police Officer. They do not have to take that type of job. But quite frankly it sounds to me that both the Stevens Creek shooting and the Monroe/Scott Blvd shooting were unnecessary uses of force. I hope they are both investigated thoroughly.
But regardless our society, Police personnel, and all others in Public Service need to accept and understand that mental illness is NOT the fault of the ill person and/or the family of the ill person. And the complications involved with getting them adequate treatment is one most people will never understand until they are forced to be involved in it. My heart goes out to this young man’s family.
