"It's the first time someone has been killed by armed police in Iceland since it became an independent republic in 1944. Police don't even carry weapons, usually. Violent crime in Iceland is almost non-existent.
"The nation does not want its police force to carry weapons because it's dangerous, it's threatening," Arnorsdottir says. "It's a part of the culture. Guns are used to go hunting as a sport, but you never see a gun."
In fact, Iceland isn't anti-gun. In terms of per-capita gun ownership, Iceland ranks 15th in the world. Still, this incident was so rare that neighbors of the man shot were comparing the shooting to a scene from an American film."
From http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-03/iceland-grieves-after-police-kill-man-first-time-its-history
This is one of those stories that makes the reader think of two separate reactions. One is to say that it is amazing that in 79 years a nation, an entire country has had no police involved shootings. The other reaction should of course be mourning, not only for the deceased man, who apparently suffered from mental issues but also the population and the man who shot him. As a recurring event here in the US police involved shootings have desensitised us to the act. It is quite amazing that this small nation has such a track record and that until now not many people have ever heard of it. It begs a question in my mind that if this nation can handle its police work without the use of guns, having an armed populace, what do other nations have to gain by studying their techniques and allowing a more peacefule approach to peace officers on duty?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment