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Police need a different approach to firearms

The incidents of March 15 and March 20, in which police officers were attacked by the suspects they were investigating, occurred under different circumstances.

One took place while highway patrolmen were performing a traffic safety stop, while the other involved local police trying to capture a suspected narcotics criminal.

These two cases share one lamentable thing in common, however: in both incidents, the suspects steal an officer's gun and shot an innocent passing motorist or one of the arresting officers.

These two incidents underscore the fact that there are several areas where the nation's police training needs to be improved.

However, it also shows a need for an official police protocol for interacting with citizens similar to what can be found in the US.

Almost all drivers in the US know that for their personal safety, when a police officer turns on his vehicle's lights and sirens, they must pull over and turn off their engine.

They know to remain seated in the car with both hands on the steering wheel and wait for further instructions from the police officer.

At this point, the officer's job is just to assess the situation. He can use a computer in his vehicle to look up information about the car and driver and report back to the command center.

If there are safety concerns, he will wait for backup to arrive before getting out of his vehicle. He will cautiously take the driver's license and then proceed as the situation requires.

These customs were developed in response to the high rates of gun ownership in the US.

The Second Amendment of the US Constitution has been interpreted as guaranteeing the rights of citizens to own guns, so while doing their job, police officers are aware they might encounter individuals bearing firearms.

Police officers in the US also frequently work alone, so they emphasize calling for assistance to give the police force an advantage over the suspect before taking action.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that police officers must first consider their personal safety and that of innocent bystanders.

The nation's style of police enforcement is very similar to that found in the US. For example, in the highway shooting case, the two officers discovered a speeding black Mitsubishi sedan while on patrol and immediately turned on their lights and sirens.

However, the car sped off instead of stopping for inspection. As a result, the officers requested backup and began what in the US would sometimes be described as a typical case of "hot pursuit."

The difference, however, was that when the black sedan stopped after colliding with the median, the two officers didn't wait for support and immediately took action.

As a result, one of their sidearms was taken and an innocent driver was tragically shot and killed.

Police agencies must therefore address two pressing matters.

In addition to reviewing police training, it is even more important that they communicate with citizens' groups to articulate measures that are adapted to the increasing flow of firearms into Taiwan.

This protocol must let people know that forceful police action is for the personal protection of the officers, as well as the safety of innocent citizens.

Wang Hsiao-Ming is a visiting professor in the department of police administration at Central Police University.

Translated by Marc Langer
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