Fear noticeable in Ferguson shooting

To the editor:

The glaring thing about the problem in Ferguson, Mo., is that the officer quickly got himself into a situation he was not equipped to deal with. He found himself in over his head, became fearful and impulsively or by training decided the only out was deadly force.

If the safety of all is the end-all of government at any cost to treasure or liberty, it behooves government to see that police officers are trained to quickly appraise the totality of any situation, how to fight in case they are involved in a physical altercation and that deadly force is the last option.

Fear can be abated by full and correct training and being prepared and mentally and physically ready for any twist or turn a confrontation might take. Even temporarily backing down does not mean the goal is not attainable.

There are some excellent thoughts regarding fear in the social and warrior contexts in 'Black Hawk: The Battle for the Heart of America” by Kerry A. Trask.

Alvin Cummings

Walker