However, to be fair to the police in the U.S., they do have something the UK does not have--heavily armed citizens. I have stated in this thread my belief that the police should de-militarize. They should never have been militarized in the first place, imo. But to send a policeman in the U.S. into a situation of potential violence unarmed wouldn't work. You would just have a dead cop. They do need to be able to protect themselves against the very real threat of a gun-wielding assailant. Unfortunately, I think everyone in the country has become a gun-wielding assailant in some of their eyes. And that mindset has to be addressed. Less lethal means of arresting someone who isn't firing back at you need to become the SOP. Because unarmed black men with their arms raised in surrender shouldn't be shot dead in the street. And neither should a mentally ill person walking down the street. Or beaten up. There are so many examples of police abuse of power.To me, the contrast is fascinating. And I've got to say, the UK government is the one that comes off looking like it's trying to HELP its citizens, while the US government looks like it's trying to CONTROL its people.
Nighttimer, of course the 9 yr old's life matters. However, I do believe that is a different discussion than this one. No less important, mind. But different.