How much do we need the police?

>>js2+(OP)
One of my current frustrations with American politics is how radical everything has become. The debate is now, either we don't have any police and defund them, or, we allow them to continue being completely unaccountable. Neither of those situations sound ideal.

It feels like Europe and other places have a much more reasonable and nuanced view. Police get funded, and well funded, but the job requirements are strict, and the emphasis is more about public good and safety. If there's a crime the police do exist and do show up but they also don't shoot people dead in their house at 3am.

>>jorblu+Ua
It's a guns issue, surely? Not got the exact stats but for 2019 I think police killings in the UK ~3 and US ~1000, with only a 5x difference in population. I'm a well spoken law abiding white guy and American cops frighten me.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_killings_by_law_enfo...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2019/national/police...

>>nmca+Pg
Let's not forget that the police themselves have their own share of fallen officers. For 2019, ~150 officers killed, out of ~700k total LEO.

https://www.odmp.org/search/year/2019

>>twyleo+ol
It seems you're overstating the case. When I click through I see causes of death like "heart attack" and "automobile crash". Other people die of those causes as well.

Policing isn't even in the top ten most dangerous jobs. Save the honors for fishermen and lumberjacks.

>>jessau+9O
Full data. I'll let you decide which deaths count and which don't.

    Total Line of Duty Deaths: 147
    9/11 related cancer         24
    Accidenta                   l1
    Assault                      3
    Automobile crash            22
    Drowned                      1
    Duty related illness         2
    Explosion                    1
    Gunfire                     48
    Gunfire (Inadvertent)        2
    Heart attack                19
    Motorcycle crash             1
    Struck by vehicle           14
    Training accident            1
    Vehicle pursuit              1
    Vehicular assault            7

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