What I Saw in Ferguson

Peter joined the Baltimore Police and describes how they were taught to "own the situation", which in effect means responding with escalating force until the situation is under control. This approach is evident in the reports from both the Washington Post and Al Jazeera journalists. From the book's description of the training, there appeared to be little effort to educate on correct responses for different situations.

I have friends in the UK Police force (I am not a cop myself) that tell me they are taught how to diffuse situations rather than escalate them and that getting into a violent confrontation is seen as a last resort, not a first response.

I have every sympathy with the police, and the tough job that they face, but I can't help but feel that the differences in approach and specifically the inflexibility of the US police training does not help them.

> His prone figure sprawled on the street for four hours in the unforgiving August sun, with blood on the asphalt—an indignity in sharp contrast with the quick departure of the officer from the scene.

> Police, some outfitted in riot gear, others in military fatigues, barricaded the streets. At least one of them draped a black bandana over his face; others covered their badges.

> One homeowner walked out of his house to find a spent flash grenade on his lawn. An armored truck rolled down the street, a flume of tear gas issuing from the back.

Utterly shameful.

To the people flagging this off the front page: if you don't see what the suppression of protest and the arrest of reporters by a militarized police has to do with a site focused on startups and the disruption of existing power structures, you need to think harder.