Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to [email protected].
Unless I’m mistaken, it seems that the greatest threat of homicide in Presque Isle is from law enforcement. The recent killing by police is the third in the last few years, and no one I spoke to could recall one before those law enforcement shootings. I have read what I can about these killings by police, including the attorney general’s reports. Those reports are strictly limited in scope. They only consider the immediate act of the shooting, not what might have been done differently to avoid a fatal outcome. AG reports only appear many months after the shooting.
I’d like some insight into why these killings continue to occur. Do officers have adequate training, in matters such as mental health, and de-escalation of crises? Are officers adequately screened before employment? I think it is time the city and its police department provide a public response, and information on their plan to avoid police killings in the future.
Steve DeMaio
Easton
