Police organization and managment. History Coursework

Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Name
Police Organization and Management
Question 1
After the release of a video of Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting teenager Laquan McDonald sixteen times, the officer was charged with first-degree murder. The jurors in the case believed that Van Dyke escalated the situation which he could have easily diffused and thus they did not find his explanations of the events credible. The jurors decided on second-degree murder conviction after reconsidering what might have been going on in the mind of the officer during the shooting. Van Dyke was not found guilty of official misconduct by the jury because the nature of the job necessitated the use of deadly force. It was the argument of the defense that his rights as a police officer allowed him to fire at McDonald as he had already punctured squad car tire and ignored police commands. On the other hand, the prosecution argued that the scenario described by the defense was not consi...