Readers React: Cut back on police shootings by cutting back on guns

To the editor: Police officers must face a population that is awash in guns. Isn’t it obvious that they might be scared when routine encounters could present mortal risks? (“Curbing use of deadly force by police calls for new policies, training,” April 15)

I do not excuse police from killing unarmed citizens, but we should look at a root cause of these shootings. Guns are available to almost anyone, and we should try to limit those that are certainly not in the hands of sportsmen but are instead in the general population.

Why is it that countries where guns aren’t so readily available don’t see this kind of carnage? It is time to get guns off our streets. And it is time to better train our police officers on how to interact with the population they are there to protect.

Lucia Dzwonczyk, San Pedro

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To the editor: Steve Lopez missed the most obvious and effective ways to stop police over use of force: Obey the law, comply with police requests, and don’t run from officers.

This doesn’t absolve officers of poor judgment, but it will eliminate the need to test them.

Mark Leskovar, Huntington Beach

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