Police critic needs to answer 4 questions
8/28/2015, 11:50 a.m.
Re “Post-Ferguson progress, issues,” Aug. 13-15 edition:
I have some questions for the writer of that column, Claire Gastañaga, the ACLU of Virginia executive director.
1) Before Ms. Gastañaga fired her literary scud missiles against front line law enforcement, did she spend at least 180 days as a first-response police officer in an inner-city neighborhood?
2) Has Ms. Gastañaga ever had to make a decision in less than a second to use deadly force to protect her own life or that of an innocent bystander?
3) If she has made such a decision, was she aware that all who disagreed with her decision, whether cop or civilian, would make it their sworn duty to terminate her career?
4) Has Ms. Gastañaga ever been spat on, had all matters of vile things thrown at her, received serious death threats or been stabbed, shot or verbally or physically abused?
Police officers experience all the things I have asked about in those four questions. When Ms. Gastañaga can truthfully say she has experienced all those things as often as cops do, I will then consider her point of view to be worthwhile.
KIRK HANCOCK
Richmond
