An alternative to deadly force: Courage
I am linking to a story that undoubtedly is getting attention for the associated picture. That, at least in part for its 'sensational' value.
The story in question is one of an off-duty, female, Swedish police officer, who performed an arrest [[w/tackling and restraint) on a homeless thief [[young, able-bodied).
The key element here, the female officer was wearing only a bikini, and was un-armed and could not call for back-up.
Remove the sensationalism of the bikini-clad officer and wonder for a moment. A police officer, un-armed, w/o back-up, tackled a man who she couldn't be sure wasn't armed, and restrained him w/o cuffs.
It struck me that that was a profile in courageous policing; and the kind that gives the broader public confidence in their officers. Something we don't see enough of in North America.
Not only was she gutsy, w/o needing a military style level of armament [[to say the least), she also didn't seriously injure the fellow, which given the rest of what she did, one suspects would have been possible had she wished it.
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/wo...akedown-arrest
