Police

What constitutes “excessive force” in New York?

Many stories have unfortunately made their way into the media about alleged instances of police shootings and other misconduct. Some of these cases center around the use of excessive force by police officers on the job.

Could better airport security have prevented the Fort Lauderdale, Florida shooting?

Lives were lost and the nation left in shock after a shooter opened fire in the Fort Lauderdale airport earlier this month.  Security footage and witness accounts depict Esteban Santiago pulling a handgun from his waistband and opening fire on the unsuspecting travelers who were attempting to collect their bags and greet their loved ones.  Five people were killed in the rampage and several others injured.  As authorities continue to unravel the unfortunate series of events that gave way to this horrific tragedy, questions have arisen concerning the role of the airport in the shooting.  Many are left wondering, would better security in the airport have prevented the shooting?

Mass Shootings and Negligent Security

Mass shootings have become increasingly common in recent years.

When is a police shooting justified?

Recently, The Washington Post asked several experts to examine five viral videos of police shootings.  Experts included a training instructor with the police department and two criminology professors. Their analysis raised considerable questions about the use of excessive force among officers in America today.  Three of the videos examined include:

1. Charles Kinsey:  Charles Kinsey was shot on July 18 in North Miami.  Kinsey was an African-American caregiver who was lying in the street trying to help an autistic patient.

There are two sides to every shooting.   This is all too familiar to a mother who lost her son as a result of a police shooting.   The victim was a father of only twenty-five years old and was shot and killed by a police officer in the Bronx.   There were several conflicting views as to whether the fatal shot was warranted.