Readers React: Wishful thinking on kinder, gentler police tactics

To the editor: A battle is brewing among law enforcement leadership organizations about whether and how to change police use-of-force policy and training to be kinder and gentler. (“Police officers should help write, not shun, new use-of-force standards,” editorial, Feb. 16)

As a longtime member of both the Police Executive Research Forum and the International Assn. of Chiefs of Police, I can tell you that many PERF and IACP members believe several of PERF’s guidelines are merely wishful thinking.

As your editorial points out, “Police officers do work that most of the rest of society would have difficulty understanding.” There is much to like about PERF’s guidelines, but there is much to wonder about.

The IACP appropriately responded to the PERF document with this: “As we move forward in examining law enforcement’s policies and training procedures regarding use of force it is imperative that any reforms be carefully researched and evidence-based.” Time will tell whether PERF takes the hint or continues to offer merely wishful thinking on matters of life and death.

Greg Meyer, Los Angeles

The writer is a retired Los Angeles Police Department captain.

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