I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the US society is more violent than ours, which could explain the different approach (to some extent - I'm not trying to justify anything, I just don't know enough. I know the US police did some very wrong/questionnable things not long ago, it reached our news over here).
Well... it's less and less true. For decades, there is a negative spiral in France and our society is more and more violent and violent crimes and general insecurity have constantly increased during the last decades (and I'm not even taking into account the very real threats of the islamic terrorism, here).
In fact, a few months ago, the way we handle things about police and the right to shoot, had been at the center of a national debate.
A few months ago, a police patrol car with 2 police officers inside (1 man, 1 woman), was torched by a group of ~10+ individuals fom the estates and they tried to prevent the cops to go out of the car while it was in flames. The two policemen were heavily burned and could have died.
This caused a national uproar, and many policemen started to demonstrate during the nights, for several weeks (which is something that is extremely rare) in order to show their discontent about several issues.
The two wounded policemen were armed but they didn't used their guns and it had been argued that the french policemen are so convinced that if they use their guns they're going to be in such a load of troubles that many are completely afraid to use it whatever the situation, so the police asked for more latitude in the use of their weapons (among other issues). They argued that the law goes to far in the defiance of the Police and that this "philosophy" of management of all this is completely out of date in regards to the current situation and the growing challenges faced by our police.
That said, I don't want to give the wrong impression: the French policemen do use their guns when they need it - but it's really the ultimate resort and the law/administrative hierarchy is not particularly encouraging them to do so apparently.
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Top_Shelf
7 years ago
The French policemen do use their guns when they need it - but it's really the ultimate resort and the law/administrative hierarchy is not particularly encouraging them to do so apparently.
This is how I believe it should be.
Unfortunately, a small group infiltrated our societies. The overreaction of our governments (for personal and political gains) aided them in their pervasiveness. Now sick people are springing up everywhere in some name or cause eliciting triggers from all directions for the slightest offences.
Everyone's arming themselves. We'll never have peaceful communities again.
Back to the story: If Berthaud shot The Butcher when she first saw him sitting on top of the girl with the knife in his hand, I believe it would have been justified. Would the French Court have seen it that way?
Some have such a low esteem they create reasons to hate everyone else.
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clong_clong
7 years ago
"If Berthaud shot The Butcher when she first saw him sitting on top of the girl with the knife in his hand, I believe it would have been justified. Would the French Court have seen it that way?"
Probably. Im not sure - I'm no specialist - but I guess so, yes.
You have to save a person about to be very seriously harmed/killed. Every citizen has to, actually, otherwise you can be charged for "non assistance à personne en danger" (not helping a person in danger). I'm not sure how often this thing is actually ruled in "real life" by courts, but it's in the law and clearly its the duty and role of a policeman.
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