THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1999

Police cross line

Unnecessary violence persists on the streets, but the problem takes on a new guise when violence is brought on by the police. The irony is perplexing when individuals have to protect themselves from the entity that is supposed to protect them.

In the case of Tyisha Miller, the stranded woman who was gunned down by Riverside police last month, a concern for her well-being seemed non-existent. Police did not attempt to assess the situation before they fired several rounds. They did not speak to the people on the scene to try and better understand the situation.

The events seem pretty straightforward. Miller was coming home from the mall when her car broke down. A friend of Miller's called family members to inform them that she was parked in a gas station, with the doors locked, waiting for help.

When Miller's cousin arrived and could not wake her from outside of the car, she called 911 saying she believed it was a medical crisis. Her cousin told 911 Miller had a handgun in her lap. Four police cars arrived on the scene, approached the car, got no response and fired 27 shots, hitting Miller at least 12 times. Her cousin observed the incident.

Obvious questions are: Why did the police not speak with Miller's cousin before jumping to assumptions? When they saw the gun, did they feel their own lives were of greater importance? So as to avoid a confrontation, did they shoot and kill a woman locked in her car who was simply not responding?

One would hope this is not standard procedure.

Why Miller felt she needed a handgun will remain a mystery. For those of us who do not feel threatened in our schools or communities, it is even more of a mystery.

With Miller gone, an entire family and community is at a loss and left to sift through the mess.

Too many incidents resembling this one occur every day. It is no mystery that police label poor and minority areas as high-risk and problematic and handle the community members accordingly.

This is not to discredit all police work. There is no doubt it is a trying, relentless and demanding profession. But there is a line and once an individual has crossed that line into believing race, age or where a person lives determines who they are, it is time to step down.

There needs to be serious intervention and outreach toward police departments. Psychological testing and counseling should be mandatory and educating police forces should be an ongoing endeavor. Law enforcement should work side-by-side with sociologists, community members and activists to better understand the community in which they police. Maybe then they will be more able to protect and serve - everyone.