Policing is hard work and it’s not for everyone.

I can’t imagine how scary it would be to find yourself face to face with someone who wants to harm or kill you. I understand that adrenaline can get the best of people in those very scary moments.

That’s why not every person is cut out to be a police officer and that’s understandable.

I think where we’re at now is we need to get police officers back to being “community ambassadors.”

MORE NEWS: [VIDEO] Officer Shoots Young Unarmed White Man On His Knees, Crying, Hands Up, Pleading “Please Don’t Shoot Me”

Of course, that doesn’t mean you roll over for the bad guys – but it does mean you might approach entire situations with a slightly different mindset. Perhaps this could help make things safer for everyone in the long run. At the very least, work on “detaining” suspects with less-lethal “holds.”

Nobody wants to see a good police officer going to jail.

Because here we are again – another police officer charged with manslaughter for choking a suspect to death after telling the suspect, “I’m going to fu**ing choke you out, bro.”

From The Blaze

A former Las Cruces, New Mexico, police officer was charged with involuntary manslaughter Friday for allegedly killing a suspect who was fleeing and resisting arrest with a chokehold, NBC News reported.

Former Officer Christopher Smelser reportedly killed Antonio Valenzuela on Feb. 29. Valenzuela was pulled over and he had warrants for parole and probation violations. He tried to run away, and officers were unable to subdue him even after tasing him multiple times.

Body camera footage records Smelser telling Valenzuela “I’m going to f*** choke you out, bro,” followed by the apparent sound of Valenzuela choking. He died at the scene.

The autopsy report lists the cause of death as “asphyxia injuries due to physical restraint,” and noted that methamphetamines “significantly” contributed to his death.

The police report indicates that Smelser restrained Valenzuela with a “lateral vascular neck restraint,” a controversial method that has since been banned by the Las Cruces Police Department.

You can watch the video below:

I know for me personally, I was shocked to see the police overreach during the COVID crisis, and that in and of itself made me realize that perhaps we’ve gotten too. “tyrannical” and lost some vital communication tools and critical thinking along the way.

Let’s hope that we can get police and communities back on the same page very soon.

 

This piece was written by Missy Crane on June 11, 2020. It originally appeared in WayneDupree.com and is used by permission.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Steve Gruber.