Esguerra1

AnnaKarizzaEsguerra
ProfessorSimoneSuddreth
English2010
26March2015
PoliceShootingsintheStateofUtah
Utahsofficerinvolvedshootingshavebecomeanincreasinglyrelevantissueasof
lately.AccordingtoTheSaltLakeTribune,between2010and2015,45peoplehavebeenkilled
bylawenforcementofficersinUtah,whichaccounted15percentofallUtahhomicidesduring
thistime.Inaddition,officerinvolvedkillingswasrankedtheseconddeadliestcategoryof
homicide,andofficerinvolvedkillingsisalsoaheadofgangkillings,drugkillings,anddeath
causedbychildabuse(Alberty).Althoughpolicebrutalitycontinuestoincreaseinthestateof
Utah,studiesshowthatpoliceofficerscanapproachcertainsituationsindifferentwaysthatcan
limitpolicebrutality.Studiesshowthateducationplaysapartinhowpoliceofficersinteract
withcitizensandprovidesthemtheabilitytohandleconflict.Inaddition,policeshootingsneed
tobeaddressedcarefully,policeofficersneedtohaveanadjustmentinpolicetrainingorpolice
protocolonhowtohandleacertainsituation.Officershaveasplitsecondtomakeadecision
whetherresortingtoanykindofforce.PoliceofficersofUtahhavetakenanuglyturntoward
violenceandasaresult,fatalshootingsandarreststhatcouldhavebeenhandleddifferentlyare
occurring.
OnWillaFrejsinterviewwithDr.MariaHaberfeldofJohnJayCollegeofCriminal
Justicestatesthat,Educationgivesanindividualacertainperspectiveonhowtoviewlifeand
howitmakesitcleareroreasiertounderstandcertainbiasesorpreconceptionsaboutpeople,

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situations,andhowtohandlecertainsituations(Haberfeld).Forexample,theamountoftime
officershavetodeterminewhetherornottouseforce.Dr.MariaHaberfeldalsomentionsthat
duringanarrestsituationitisnicetohaveadditionaltoolsathisorherdisposal(Haberfeld).
ViceNewsreportsthat,DannyBaker,aColoradoresident,wasarrestedwhiledriving
throughHeber,UtahinAugustof2013(ElderlyManClaimsUtahCopsBrokeHisProsthetic
ArmDuringRoughArrest|VICENews).Bakerwaspulledoverforacrackedwindshieldand
waslaterarrested.Policeofficers,MichaelStoweandBrunnell,ranBakersColoradolicense
andfoundoutthatBakerownedaUtahlicensethatexpiredin1988,afterhemovedtoColorado.
Bakerstated,hisUtahlicenseexpiredrightwhenhemovedtoColoradowhichiswhyhedoesnt
haveavalidUtahlicense.
Afterrunningthelicense,OfficerStoweorderedBakertostepoutofhisvehicleand
arrestedhimfordrivingona,deniedlicense,failuretostop,expiredlicense,andacracked
windshield.Bakerimmediatelyresponded,Youainttouchingmewiththosecuffsuntilyou
readmemyrights.DuringthearrestDannyBakeralsomentionedtoOfficerStowe,thathehas
aprostheticarmandthatheisnotabletoputhishandsbehindhisback.OfficerBrunnellthen
respondedbyroughlygrabbingBakerslefthandandelbow,withsuchforcecausingthe
prosthetictosnap.Throughthearrest,Bakerexperiencedexcruciatingpainbecauseofthe
brokenprosthetic.BakermentionsthatofficerStowedeniedhimmedicaltreatmentuntilhewas
bailedoutbyhisdaughter,wholaterbroughthimtothehospital.Furthermore,Bakersuedboth
OfficerStoweandOfficerBrunnellonJanuary30thfor$1.5millionindamagesandtreble
damages(Bonner).Bakerscriminalchargeswerelaterdroppedafterbringingirrefutable

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evidencefromthearresttotheprosecutingattorney.Inaddition,Mr.Bakerissuingfor,
unreasonableseizureandexcessiveforce,falsearrest,andmaliciousprosecution(Bonner).
Educationhaseverythingtodowithhowonecanperformajobbetter.Numerousstudies
in1970cametotheconclusionthathighereducationforpoliceofficerswillhelpmaintain
integrityanddiscipline.BasedonTheCommissiononAccreditationforLawEnforcement
Agencies,policeofficerswhohavereceivedgeneraleducationhaveamuchbetteropportunity
toacquireamorethoroughunderstandingofsociety,tocommunicatemoreeffectivelywith
citizens,andtoengageintheexplorationofnewideasandconcepts(Louis).MSNBCreports
that,by2010PoliceQuarterlymentionedthatofficerswithacollegedegreearelesslikelyto
resorttoforcethanthosewhohaveneverattendedcollege(Frej).Educationhelpspoliceofficers
tobetterinteractionswithcitizens,withthatbeingsaidofficerscanlearnnewlanguages,study
ethnicgroups,andU.S.History.Havingadditionaleducationfurtherhelpspoliceofficersto
understandallcitizensonadailybasis.
Acontroversialcaseregardinga42yearoldman,JamesBarker,hasbroughtplentyof
attentiontothecitizensofUtah.BarkerwasfatallyshotbyaSaltLakeCitypoliceofficerduring
anencounterintheAvenues(Video:UtahManFatallyShotafterAttackingCop,DozensProtest
Shooting).Barkerwasgoingdoortodoortryingtogetworkoutofshovelingsnow,although
therewasntmuchsnowtobeshoveled.InthearticleitmentionsthattheSaltLakeCityofficer
wascalledinforaninvestigationregardingamangoingdoortodoorwhoseemedsuspicious.
ThepoliceofficerwalkedovertospeaktoBarkerandaskedhimtoidentifyhimselfandthe
reasonofbeingthere.Thetwocontinuedtotalkaboutwhyhewasthereandthathewasonly
tryingtodobusiness.ThepoliceofficerpressedJamesBarkertogivehisidentitybecauseitis

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requiredbylawtogetanameduringaninvestigation(Video:UtahManFatallyShotafter
AttackingCop,DozensProtestShooting).Barkerrefusedtogivetheofficerhisidentityinstead
herespondedandsaid,Toleavehimalonebecauseheisonlytryingtomakealiving.The
officercontinuedtoinvestigatehimuntileverythinggotoutofcontrol.Atonepointthetwo
startedtoraisetheirvoiceuntiltheofficersticksouthishandandputsitinBarkersfaceand
thatswhenBarkerleanedbackandstartedhittingtheofficerwithaplasticshovel(Video:Utah
ManFatallyShotafterAttackingCop,DozensProtestShooting).
Officershaveabaton,pepperspray,policedogs,Taser,orfirearmsthattheycanchoose
fromdependingonwhatsituationtheyareinandifitislegallyreasonabletoresorttoit
(Alberty).Inthearticle,ThePeaceOfficerStandardsandTraining(POST)divisionofUtah
DepartmentofSafetyoverseesthebasictrainingofallpolicerecruitsinUtah.Atthe
fourthmonthofthePOST,Cadetsareintroducedtotheuseofforcecontinuum,adiagram
showingofficerforceoptions,theyalsotrainthemandshowthemhowtoshowupatthescene
verbalcommands,touchingorholdingallthedifferentforcestheyhave.Theseforcescanbe
usedifthelevelofforceisjustifiable(Alberty).Onthiscertainincidentapoliceofficercould
haveusedadifferentweapontodealwiththesituation.Althoughthesituationgotoutofhand
veryquickly,theofficerhadthechancetocallforbackupduringtheencounterbeforeitstarted
togetheated.DuringaninterviewonDeseretNewswithDeedaSeed,aformerSaltLakeCity
councilwoman,shestatesthattheofficercouldhavebackedawayfromthesceneandletthe
citizencooldownandwaitedafewminutestotalktoBarkeragain.Apoliceofficerwhohas
betterinterpersonalskillscouldhaveverywellhandledthesituationdifferently(Seed).

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OnNovember2,2012,DanielleWillard,a21yearoldWestValleywomanwhowas
unarmed,wasshotbyUtahundercoverpoliceofficers,ShaunCowleyandKevinSalmon.
OfficersCowleyandSalmonwereworkingonacaseforWestValleyCityNeighborhood
NarcoticsUnitwhentheyapproachedWillard(Kemp).DailyNewsclaimsthat,localsreported
thatWillardwasinhervehicleinalotatanapartmentcomplexwhentheundercoverofficersgot
there.BasedonOfficerCowleyandOfficerSalmon,Willardwaseatingherointhatshehad
boughtfromadealinherparkedcar,tryingtogetridofevidencewhentheyapproachedher
vehicle(Jauregui).
TheincidentescalatedquicklywhenOfficerCowleyfiredhisweaponbelievingthat
Willardputthecarinreverseandstruckhim.OfficerCowleybelievedthathislifewasindanger
whichiswhyhefiredhisweaponandassoonasCowleydidOfficerSalmondidaswell.After
theWillardshooting,the21yearoldsparentsfiledawrongfuldeathlawsuit(Kemp).InAugust
2013,SaltLakeCityDistrictAttorneySamGillsaid,Cowleysbeliefthathewasindanger
wasntreasonable.OfficerCowleywasalsochargedwithseconddegreefelonymanslaughter
ninemonthsafterSamGillruledthattheshootingwasnotjustified(Jauregui).Investigators
foundthattherewerentanymarksonthepavement,ordrugsinhersystem(Jauregui).Sam
Gillalsomentionedinanewsconference,itisourpositionbasedonforensicevidencehewas
notbehindthevehicle,andtheangleoftheshotsfiredbydetectiveCowleyplacehimontheside
ofthevehicledrivenbyMs.Willard(Jauregui).
AccordingtoTheSaltLakeTribuneinOctober2014,ThirdDistrictJudgeL.A.Dever
hasdismissedOfficerShaunCowleyscaseafterathreedaytestimonyduringapreliminary
hearing(Miller).AccordingtoTheSaltLakeTribune,Devermentionedthat,Thisisnotacase

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ofthedefendantactingrecklesslyandthetestimonyestablishesthatthedefendantconsciously
anddeliberatelyacted.Deveralsoadded,Thattherewasnoevidencepresentedtoestablishthe
conductandthatprosecutorsdidnotestablishprobablecausethatCowleycommittedacrime.
TheWillardcasewillcontinuetobeoneofthebiggestcasesinpoliceshootingsbecauseofhow
longOfficerCowleywasintrialfor.Thiscertainsituationcouldhavebeenavoidedifboth
officerscommunicatedwithWillardeffectively.Insteadoffiringtheirweaponsbelievingthat
theirliveswereindangertheycouldhavehandledthesituationdifferently.Forexample,they
couldhaveaskedthesuspecttostepoutofthevehicleduetotheevidencethattheyfound.
RegardlessofWillardsactionofgettingridoftheevidence,bothofficershadthechanceto
communicatewithherduringtheinteractionbutinsteadtheyfiredtheirweaponsonlytofind
thattherewasnodrugevidencefoundinWillardsbodyandtherewerenomarksonthe
pavement(Jauregui).
SaltLakeTribunestatedinNovemberof2014,Thatsofarin2014,deadlyforceby
policehasclaimedmorelives.Italsostatesthatlawenforcementwatchdogssayitistimeto
treatdeadlyforceasapotentiallyseriouspublicsafetyproblem,sincefatalpoliceshootingshave
raised.ChrisGebhardt,aformerpolicelieutenantandsergeantwhoservedinWashington,
D.C.,andinUtahincludingsixyearsonSWATteamsandseveraltrainingduties,says,The
numbersreflectthattherecouldbeaproblem,anditisgoingtotakeadeeperunderstandingof
theseshootings,andthatitdefinitelycantbewrittenoffascitizengroupsbeingupsetwithlaw
enforcement(Alberty).ThroughOctober,45peoplehavebeenkilledbylawenforcement
officersinUtahsince2010,accountingfor15percentofallUtahhomicidesduringthatperiod
(Alberty).AccordingtoTheSaltLakeTribune,theuseofforcebypoliceisthesecondmost

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commoncircumstanceunderwhichUtahanskilleachother,surpassedonlybyintimatepartner
violence(Alberty).Utahsrateofofficerinvolvedshootingsarecontinuingtoincreaseanditis
goingtotakesometimetotacklethisproblem.ChrisGebhardtiscompletelyawarethatthereis
anissuebetweencitizensandpoliceofficersanditisaveryseriousmatterthatneedstobe
addressedtoallpolicedepartmentsinthestateofUtah.
DuringaninterviewonDeseretNews,withDeedaSeed,aformerSaltLakeCity
councilwoman,shestatedthatastatewidedatabasethatdocumentsassaultsonpoliceofficers,
includingthetypesofassaultsandthetacticsusedbytheofficerinresponsewouldhelpwhen
tryingtomakepublicpolicydecisionsabouthowtothendeploytrainingresources.Inaddition,
askingforarevisionoftheSaltLakeCityPoliceDepartmentspoliciessurroundingtheuseof
forcetoreflectthevaluesofhumanandjustpolicing.Moretraininginalternativestogunuse,
moretrainingondeescalationskills,expandedCrisisInterventionTrainingtohelpofficers
recognizeandappropriatelycommunicatewithpeoplefacingmentalhealthandsubstanceabuse
challenges,andmoreofficerstrainingintheareasofsocialinteractionandcommunication
skills.Policedepartmentscandecreasefatalshootingsbyreviewingpastshootingincidentsthat
canhelpdeterminehowpoliceofficerscouldhavehandledcertainsituationsdifferently.Police
officerscanalsodeterminewhattypeofweaponcouldhavebeenusedincertainincidents.
Policeshootingshavebeenanongoingissueforquitesometimenowanditisavery
seriousmatter.Ithasbeenbroughtintomanycitizensattentionthatthereisaproblemandthat
thereneedstobeacommongroundonhowthiswillbesolved.Officershavesixselectionsof
forceonhowtohandleasituationofcourseithastobelegallyreasonable.Havingasplit
secondonhowtohandleasituationhasgottobetough,butrelyingonaguneverytimecantbe

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theanswer.Educationhasapartinhowonecanperformajobbetter,whetheritismentallyor
physically.Educationgivesoneabetterhandleonaverydangeroussituation,anabilityto
handleconflicts,andtodecidewhethertoresorttolessorexcessiveforce.

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TheSalt
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"Video:UtahManFatallyShotafterAttackingCop,DozensProtestShooting."
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