A lot of people keep talking about how cops need more training and see incidents like these as an indicator that their training must be lacking in some way. It seems what you're referring to is more of a psychological training, not more training on the mechanics of how to use a firearm, since they seem to have that down pretty well.
Yes, more training on how to handle themselves & the situations
they encounter. Also, cops tend to be weak on knowing the rights
of civilians....seeming to be all about fearing & fighting us, rather
than protecting anyone but other cops.
They may have a deep fear of civilians, but where do you suppose this comes from? Every time one of these incidents happen, they are often ostensibly justified because the police officer "thought" his/her life was in danger and had no other choice. Where do they think they are? The jungles of Vietnam?
3 problems...
1) Their culture of "us against them", ie, civilians are a
threat, & therefore the enemy.
2) TV shows make their job look more dangerous than it
really is. Cops have an irrational fear of us.
3) Their culture of being "heroes", & above the rest of us.
Another problem seems to rest in the philosophy that "we must pursue and arrest these petty criminals at all costs." They apparently believe that we can't let anything go - every single violation of the law must be dealt with, as if they're a bunch of anal-retentive morons who have lost all sense of perspective. They're just like Constable Alvin Adams in the movie "Death Hunt":
I've also run into the other side of that coin, ie, cops who
just can't be bothered to address any petty crime.
Sergeant Edgar Millen : Let me give you a little advice, kid. Just throw those law books away, huh? It's better to turn your eyes and let them fight their damn dogs. Damn sight better than them killin' each other.
Constable Alvin Adams : But you can't let people get away with that - makin' up their own laws.
Sergeant Edgar Millen : The only thing to remember is Millen's Law. You want to stay a Mountie, then all you have to do is keep headquarters happy, huh? 'Cause the only time they're unhappy is when there's an unaccounted for killing. So if you account for all the killings, you live to be a nice, ripe old Mountie just like me. You got that?
The line from Adams here "But you can't let people get away with that - makin' up their own laws," that's a philosophical position taken by police departments. That, in and of itself, is the core of the problem. And that's exactly what they're trained to believe. Unless they change that part of the training, then "more training" will not do a lick of good.
Of course, by "more training", I'm proposing that it be better.
Not a continuation of the status quo....
"When angry in doubt, kill the ************* civilian".