Quotes from Lawrence N. Blum

The debate over the use of aggression by police officers is an important one for society to learn more about. A number of contemporary police officers may feel some reluctance to put their hands upon a threatening individual, either because of a fear of unfair scrutiny and criticism, or because of the risk of personal civil liability.

As will be discussed in detail below, it is my contention that such reluctance or delay will actually result in the risk of greater police force being used, because the officer who loses the initiative to an assaultive person will experience an instinctive urgency to "catch up" to protect them from the threat.

In the weeks following September 11, many in America participated in ceremonies to honor the heroism demonstrated by public safety personnel during and after the attack. These individuals ran in the opposite direction from the people fleeing the World Trade Center buildings. They ran toward the threat, not from it, and, in doing so, gave their lives in the attempt to save the innocent victims.

Why, if we feel anguish at the death of over 300 law enforcement officers in the attacks against America on September 11, 2001, do we seek actions in police officers that are less decisive and vigorous in dealing with locally threatening circumstances-thereby placing both the officer and the subject of the police response at much greater risk?

In the aftermath of the shooting, John did not experience any sense of relief at having survived the lethal series of assaults. Nor did he gloat over his victory. In fact, he was horrified that he had caused such severe physical damage to another human being. It didn't help that some of his fellow officers seized upon this opportunity to call him "back shooter" and other phrases used in police humor as a way of dealing with the trauma of violence.