Police Officers Also Have to Protect Themselves
Re “Suit in Fatal Police Shooting Is Settled,” Aug. 15:
My heart goes out to the family of Antonio Saldivar. I can’t even imagine the pain of losing a child. However, I do think about it often. My daughter has been a sworn police officer protecting the lives of Californians for more than eight years.
Officers on patrol can see more trouble in a 10-hour shift than most of us see in a lifetime. Every time they stop a car, they know the occupant might be armed and ready to shoot. Every time an officer responds to a call, it might be an ambush.
Citizens want a quick response from the police when they are threatened but many are quick to blame the officer when something goes wrong. Officers are taught to protect the community, but they are also trained to protect themselves. If someone points a gun at them, they are taught to shoot. If they took the time to ask, “Is that a real gun?” they would be dead.
The answer here is simple. If you don’t want to be shot, do not aim anything resembling a gun at an officer.
Jo-Anne Collins
Fountain Valley
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