DAVE ROSS

Professor: We’re addressing police-involved shootings at the wrong time

May 8, 2017, 11:51 AM | Updated: May 10, 2017, 8:43 am

With the emergence of cell phones, it seems more people are coming around to the idea that some police officers have been misusing their power.

Ross: It’s time to solve the health care fight ourselves

Professor Barry Friedman, with NYU’s School of Law, says when we think about holding police accountable, we are focused on the wrong place. We always focus on the aftermath of, for example, a police shooting.

“So we want an evaluation,” he said. “In the rest of government, all of our accountability is on the front end. We’re involved in writing the rules … and so what we’re trying to do is bring citizens’ voices to the front end.”

Friedman, who started a policing project at NYU, says police departments should be interacting with their community and asking how they want to be policed. This was backed by President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, which determined that while the Fraternal Order of Police is against civilian review boards, they are in favor of advisory boards, Friedman said.

“People don’t like to be second-guessed, but they are willing to have a conversation on the front end,” Friedman said.

But that doesn’t solve the question of what to do when an officer should be charged with murder. It’s been a hot topic recently, including in Washington state, where a task force debated the wording of the law that holds police accountable for use of deadly force.

“I think anyone who thinks we’ll solve the problem with policing by throwing them in jail is deluding themselves,” Friedman said. He added that it could even result in an amount of de-policing nobody is prepared for.

“The solution is to not have the incidents happen in the first place,” he said.

Many officer-involved shootings happen because of insufficient training and an unclear definition on the use of force, he says.

Listen to the entire conversation below.

Dave's Commentary

Dave Ross on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM
  • listen to dave rossTune in to KIRO Newsradio weekdays at 5am for Dave Ross on Seattle's Morning News.

Dave Ross

car culture...

Dave Ross

Ross: Are we killing car culture? Or is car culture killing the US?

I don’t think the question is whether we're going to "kill" our car culture. The real question is can we stop our car culture from killing the U.S.?

3 days ago

drivers data insurance...

Dave Ross

Ross: As cars release driving data to insurance, is your driving my business?

Every move you make, every swerve you take, every lane change you fake – someone’s watching you. Do drivers have a right to keep driving data private?

10 days ago

rent control...

Dave Ross

Ross: Rent control was never the answer in Wash.

The rent control bill died in the Washington State Legislature this week, even though Democrats control both houses.

1 month ago

end of democracy...

Dave Ross

Ross: Conservative activist earns applause for pledging an ‘end of Democracy’

The theme from Jack Posobiec's speech is that Jan. 6 was a righteous attack not on democracy, but on those who threaten democracy.

1 month ago

Image: Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colorado, is seen on Capitol Hill on Jan. 6, 2023. (Photo: Alex Brand...

Dave Ross

Ross: Voters can help cull bad politicians from the herd early

Let's remember that just about every occupant of a higher office once occupied a lower office, and was put there by us, Dave Ross says.

1 month ago

Super Bowl celebration...

Dave Ross

Ross: The NFL does it again

The NFL once again put on a show that was able to keep me tuned in for four hours even though I had no stake in either team.

2 months ago

Professor: We’re addressing police-involved shootings at the wrong time