It’s Time to Take Collective Responsibility for Slayings : Our duties include teaching peaceful resolution of conflicts, demanding stricter controls on military-type weapons and condemning the glamorization of violence.

I’m furious! Again, another tragic loss of life of one sworn to protect us.

Yes, we will demand immediate investigation, identification of the perpetrator, prosecution and severe punishment of the criminal. Certainly, this is an appropriate response, and I have no problem with hanging this vile creature from the “yardarm.” Not only has he or she deprived this officer’s family of a husband and father, but also he has attacked all of us, since each officer on the street is our agent providing for our collective security.

Out of this incident, we must ask the question of how we prevent such future occurrences. What is our collective responsibility?

If we ask someone to assume the challenge of our collective security, don’t we have an obligation to ensure “the deck is not stacked against them?”

Yes, I’m furious. We as a society continue to become more violent, yet we ignore the social, economic and political conditions that create this violence. What do we expect with the insane arguments from the National Rifle Assn. that arming ourselves to the teeth will provide us with security from criminals?

We allow people to buy and possess the most deadly weapons that technology has developed, such as the Cobray M-11, a weapon capable of spitting out 1,000 rounds per minute.

We enact legislation that makes concealment and possession of a handgun only a misdemeanor, yet make the possession of a billy club a felony.

We teach our kids to stand up for their rights and fight back but neglect to teach them how to resolve conflict peacefully. We set the example for peacefully resolving conflict by physically assaulting our spouses and kids, and cheer loudly when Michael Douglas gets even with his perceived malefactors at the movies.

Teach our kids to resolve conflict violently, and then make weapons readily available and what do we expect? Logically, the outcomes are easily predictable. Our response: Let the cops handle it.

I’m sick of it all. There is only so much the police can do. Many of our crime problems are caused by greater political, economic and social conditions that are beyond the ability and charter of the police to solve. Isn’t it time for us to take collective responsibility for the senseless killings in our society whether the victims are police officers, doctors, students, motorists or innocent bystanders?

First, let’s demand stricter controls on sophisticated military-type weapons and handguns, and the concealment of same. Let’s demand programs in our schools that teach youngsters peaceful resolution of conflicts. Let’s condemn movies and TV programs that glamorize violence, and let us concentrate on teaching tolerance of individual differences and dealing with individual conflicts without resorting to violence of any sort.

Isn’t it time to give credence to the saying: “We support our local police”?