Paul1405,

By 'we' you mean Greens featherweight and serial clown, David Shoebridge.

Sensationalism to get a headline.

If Only!
If we had a policy of 'shoot first, ask questions later' our streets would be a darn sight safer.
And this mental illness card is becoming a bit of a joke because if a person is so unwell, why are they out without a carer.

Dear Paul,

I recall the ex-police officer who got kicked
out of the police force for being a whistle-blower.
This showed me that there are honest police officers
in NSW.

Therefore I'm a bit dubious about not trusting
people to investigate their own. Surely if we ask
them to put their lives on the line for us we need
to trust them in return? I don't believe that they
would all whitewash things. Not all of them are
dishonest and we have to rely on the honest ones
to do the right thing - as the whistle-blower did.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

The guards. Move along sir, nothing to see here.

But I always preferred the response of Sir Samuel 'Stoneface' Vimes:

Q: Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
A: I do.
Q: Ah, but who watches the watchman who watches the watchmen?
A: I do that too. All the time.

Samuel Vimes is fictional, which is probably why he's such a decent guard.

For those of you who like to read an awesome who-dunnit with regular coppers (not detectives) as the main protagonists and a heavy emphasis on the importance of guns, I recommend you all read Men at Arms by Sir Terry Pratchett. It's funny, clever, exciting and it might even make you think...

It made me think the first time I read it.

Fortunately in my 32 years in the job I've never had an occasion to discharge my weapon. I've needed to draw, and point my weapon a number of times, but not actually discharge it. Though in one instance I needed to destroy a large dog, I managed to foul-up that task to my everlasting shame. The howls that resonated from that poor mortally wounded animal, all because I failed to shoot him in the approved manner, will live with me forever I'm afraid.

Back to the topic, the reason most coppers are reluctant to fire their weapon even when completely justified to do so, is the onerous Coroner's Inquiry that generally takes place, months, even a year or so after the event. That extended time lag can inflict an enormous amount of stress on police, much more than either the public or the judiciary comprehend?

Notwithstanding the realisation, that he's taken a human life, together with the attendant publicity from a clamouring media pack, already assigning and apportioning blame? In other words, 'trial by media and public opinion' negatively impacting on the already highly stressed police officer. Whatever the true circumstances of the shooting are, the copper often ends up a vocational basket case, all because of the assertions of guilt?

Reality,

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-15/gold-coast-officer-shot-in-face-addresses-court/6858122

Gold Coast police officer Gary Hamrey recalls moment he was shot in face following armed robbery at Arundel Tavern

and,

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1116931/As-happened-Gold-Coast-bikie-brawl-footage-released.html

The 'one shot' Tasers wouldn't have deterred an attack on police.

and,

http://www.qt.com.au/topic/bikie-gangs/

and,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organised_crime_in_Australia