Dear Editor,
A video showing police officers manhandling a dead body has made the rounds online. It was, for the most part, greeted with disgust.
However, there are some who say that no tears must be shed as the individual is accused of engaging in a shoot-out with the police. I humbly and respectfully say that they have missed the point.
The disgust at this incident and the reason human rights organisations rail up whenever a person is wantonly killed by the police is that it sets a precedent.
People are creatures of habit, and if we tell the police that for whatever reason it is OK to do extrajudicial killings in certain circumstances it is only a matter of time before that becomes the standard operating procedure.
Human rights are just that, for all, these groups speak on behalf of the most vulnerable in society because how you treat them is a barometer of how you treat the rest of society. While the groups haven’t helped themselves, optics wise, by mainly being vocal on cases involving alleged criminals, their work is important and should continue. For while all officers aren’t bad there is a culture of aloofness and basic disregard for civilians that needs to be changed.
Hopefully this latest incident will be the catalyst for change and not another nine-day wonder.
Alexander Scott
alexanderwj.scott@gmail.com
A video showing police officers manhandling a dead body has made the rounds online. It was, for the most part, greeted with disgust.
However, there are some who say that no tears must be shed as the individual is accused of engaging in a shoot-out with the police. I humbly and respectfully say that they have missed the point.
The disgust at this incident and the reason human rights organisations rail up whenever a person is wantonly killed by the police is that it sets a precedent.
People are creatures of habit, and if we tell the police that for whatever reason it is OK to do extrajudicial killings in certain circumstances it is only a matter of time before that becomes the standard operating procedure.
Human rights are just that, for all, these groups speak on behalf of the most vulnerable in society because how you treat them is a barometer of how you treat the rest of society. While the groups haven’t helped themselves, optics wise, by mainly being vocal on cases involving alleged criminals, their work is important and should continue. For while all officers aren’t bad there is a culture of aloofness and basic disregard for civilians that needs to be changed.
Hopefully this latest incident will be the catalyst for change and not another nine-day wonder.
Alexander Scott
alexanderwj.scott@gmail.com