New Police Tactics

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Published: 5.14.2017
Level 5   |   Time: 3:40
Accent: American
Source: New York Times (4.05.2017)

A New York Times report on changing police tactics in Camden New Jersey


    

triangle Directions


  1. REVIEW the vocabulary / background.
  2. WATCH the video.
  3. ANSWER the questions.
  4. CHECK your answers. (Show Answers)

triangle Vocabulary


  • uproar [n] - loud protest from a large group
  • ensue [v] - to come next; follow
  • trigger [v] - to cause
  • restraint [n] - self control
  • tense [adj] - touchy, ready to react negatively
  • encounter [n] - meeting (negative)
  • escalate [v] - make the situation worse
  • reform [n] - changes aimed at improvement
  • hold one's fire [exp] - stop shooting
  • corral [v] - surround, then gather, then capture

[n] - noun,  [v] - verb,  [phv] - phrasal verb,  [adj] - adjective,  [exp] - expression


triangle Questions


  1. What happened in 2014?
    A black teenager shot a white police officer.
    A black police officer shot a white teenager.
    A white teenager shot a black police officer.
    A white police officer shot a black teenager.

  2. What is true about Camden, New Jersey?
    It is one of the poorest cities in America.
    It is one of the most violent cities in America.
    It is one of the biggest cities in America.
    All of the above

  3. Where do the three videos come from?
    The Camden Police
    Private citizens
    News reporters

  4. Why does the woman have a knife in the third video?
    she is protecting herself from the police.
    She was threatening her boyfriend.
    She was considering suicide.

  5. Where does video 1 take place?
    Restaurant
    Bar
    Mart

  6. How many officers are following the man in video 1?
    less than 10
    10
    More than 10

  7. How are police encouraged to act in these situations?
    bravely
    with patience
    with calm


triangle Discuss / Consider


  1. Do you think the United States is a safe place? Would you feel safe as a tourist in the big cities? How about Korea?
  2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of CURRENT police tactics in the U.S.? In Korea? How can they be improved in each country?
  3. What is the role of a police officer? Give a specific description

triangle Script


After unarmed black teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, MO in 2014, an uproar ensued. And triggered a national debate about police tactics. Since then many police departments have reexamined their use of force policies. But few have gone as far as the police in Camden, New Jersey, one of the poorest and most violent cities in America. There, officers are relying on patience and restraint to resolve tense encounters that can quickly escalate. Americans have seen a lot of videos that show police officers using deadly force. But the Camden police feel the following three clips show what police reform looks like out in the field.

The scene is a restaurant. A man pulls out a knife and threatens a customer before walking out. When the police show up, the man is still swinging the knife and will not drop it.

[officer] “Drop the knife!”

In the past, incidents like this may have resulted in the officers firing on the suspect because they consider themselves to be at risk. But something different happens.

[officer] “Sir – Drop the knife!”

The officers continue to implore the man to put down the knife, but they hold their fire. Eventually over ten officers are following the suspect. They corral him down the street, clearing out traffic ahead. Still they hold their fire.

Officers are now being trained to seek alternatives other than shooting people who are armed with knives and acting dangerously.

When they get their chance, they spring into action, apprehending him.

In another video, a man is refusing to let officers arrest him.

[man] “Don't touch me.”

The officers give him a choice.

[officer] “Sir you have two options: allow him to handcuff you or to tase you.”

This situation could have easily ended with officers tacking him, or shooting him with a taser.

But after calmly talking with him, the officers are able to make an arrest calmly and without incident.

In interaction after interaction, police are encouraged to exercise patience and calm a situation rather than escalate it.

[We’re here to help you. What is it that we can help you with?]

[I don’t want your help]

[What can we do to help you?]

Here the police encourage a suicidal woman holding a knife to drop it. You can clearly see that the officer has both hands out. He’s not holding a gun or taser.

[We’re all here to help you. Put the knife down Lisa.]

In the end, they convince her to drop the knife. And even to kick it away.

[Just kick it. Kick it on the street for me.]

Even though the footage in these videos may not seem dramatic, these videos are unusual. There are few examples of police videos in the public eye that show tense encounters resolving peacefully and calmly. But the hope is that that way of operating will become increasingly more common nationwide.



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