Video on How to Be Arrested

In response to “Arresting Behavior” (editorial, May 24):

The Times doesn’t like Gates’ proposal to create an instructional video on how to be arrested. The Times is wrong. Such a video should be made, and it should be required watching for all young men, especially minority young men, in about 8th grade and every subsequent grade.

The point is that police officers are armed and dangerous. Most of them are afraid (not entirely without cause) and some of them are vicious. Either way, they are prone to violence. We ought to give our young men tools to protect themselves. Young people should be taught how to avoid giving the police a reason (or an excuse) for violence.

The video should discuss strategies to avoid attracting police attention. It should show how to demonstrate appropriate respect and deference for the police officer’s legitimate authority, and explain why failure to do so is a psychological “red flag” for officers. It should point out that officers fear for their own safety and teach how not to exacerbate that fear.

This is a potentially effective public health measure. It ought to be done.

MARSHALL T. MORGAN

Los Angeles