Editorial: Real US police stranger than fiction

Paul Brooks

There seems to be a serious disconnect between the American police we see on television cop shows and the ones actually riding around in squad cars.

Could it be they don't really gorge on doughnuts and coffee and, despite obvious but endearing character flaws, are genuine guardians of law and order and protectors of the American citizen?

Judging by the number of innocent people shot by US officers, the real thing is nothing like the scriptwriters dream up.

For starters, they don't seem to be as bright as those portrayed on TV. There must be some sort of test to pass before becoming a policeman -- as they have here -- and I'm not sure what police recruits must achieve in those tests to be accepted into the force, but I'm guessing the pass mark is not high.

Take the latest case, an Australian woman shot and killed by police after she phoned in a report of a possible crime.

The police turned up ... and killed her. She was in her pyjamas, standing outside, waiting for the police to arrive. And no-one can play the race card this time.

Oddly enough, neither the officers' personal video cameras nor the one in their squad car were turned on at the time. The two have been suspended on full pay pending an investigation.

What is going on?

Law enforcment in the US is divided into Federal, State and County with the same qualifications required for every recruit, apparently. They must be American citizens, have a high school diploma, a current, clean driver's licence, no criminal record etc etc.

Nowhere does it say they must be capable of making lots of bad decisions and be quick to shoot innocent people.

There have been 524 people fatally shot by US police this year.

Live in the US? Whatever you do, don't call 911. It could be fatal.