Commentary: Police shootings are a reminder of need for less-lethal force

“You have the right to remain silent.”

That opening line from the Miranda warning is mostly common knowledge, and the motto of law enforcement we are most familiar with is “To protect and serve” the public.

Has law enforcement consistently stuck to that motto?

Numerous police officer-involved shootings and deaths nationwide make it appear that law enforcement, in some communities, has reneged on its well-known motto and replaced it with “To shoot and kill.”

As a graduate student in the USC School of Social Work, I have been reading about this subject, and I am convinced that police officers should be wearing body cameras with microphones. California Assembly Bills 65, 66, 69, 71 and 86 deal with such police matters.

Most people would agree that law enforcement should be armed, but what if they used less-lethal force?

The recent fatal police shooting of Charly “Africa” Leundeu Keunang on skid row in downtown Los Angeles, which was recorded by a witness, makes you wonder if lethal force was warranted. Whether police officers should use lethal weapons is indeed a question that deserves attention.

Proponents would argue that lethal force is necessary because the duty of law enforcement entails stopping criminal suspects at all costs. However, gone wrong, such shootings can result in unwarranted deaths and lawsuits costing taxpayers millions of dollars.

Instead of metal bullets, what if more law enforcement guns were equipped with bullets made from nonlethal materials? Shooting victims would have a better chance of surviving to stand trial and face the consequences of their actions, if they indeed committed a crime.

The Assembly bills that seek to reduce police brutality, as well as address accountability and legal aspects surrounding officer-involved shootings and deaths, reflect the concerns of legislators.

If all five bills are enacted, we must be mindful that some rogue police officers still may not comply and that a person anywhere could be the next victim of police brutality.

If all five Assembly bills are rejected, I urge you to take action. Call and email your legislators and elected officials to urge them to reconsider and carefully analyze the repercussions.

Former Irvine resident EUGENE SUH now lives in Mission Viejo. He is a graduate student at USC.