Erica Price
CJUS 200
Professor B. Zuidema
Application Essay #2
The severity of these crimes could not be more different. First suspect was jaywalking. He
continued to do so even after being stopped by officers. However, it was still not a severe
infraction. The first officer tried to handle the situation, the suspect got agitated, the second
officer got involved and seemed irritated and annoyed by the situation. Then, we have a
suspect who is walking down the street, speaking to police, while holding a knife. This
situation is more dire in terms of severity because, at the time of contact, we don’t know
exactly what he wants to do. “You just think about what needs to be done…” [ CITATION
Off12 \l 1033 ] Officer “V” handled this situation in the best way that he could. He showed
empathy, which I think is important for police officers. It allows people to handle situation that
could be dangerous where no one must be hurt.
Neither suspect posed any actual threat to anyone’s safety. Understanding the second
suspect was holding a knife and trying to appear as a threat in order to obtain his goal of
suicide by cop, I do not believe that he was an immediate threat to anyone. He continued to
speak to the police and walk but he never actively resisted. The jaywalker actively resisted
arrest and tried to evade police by running. At no point, do I believe the jaywalker was a threat
to anyone.
The second incident ended more appropriately because the policer officer had empathy. He
spoke. He didn’t yell or curse, he didn’t run towards him and grab the knife. He took his time.
In the first video, the officer was evidently agitated, so when he spoke up the situation got
more heated than it should’ve been. Matthew 5:14 says “We are to be the light of the world…”
Erica Price
CJUS 200
Professor B. Zuidema
Application Essay #2
If you are already irritated, no situation you are put into is really going to have the ideal
outcome.
We are all humans who want and expect to be treated with dignity. I think non-coercive
measures are best. When we come into a situation with the plan to discuss options with people,
it almost always ends with the best outcome as opposed to when people go into situations with
an aggressive mood. Matthew 7:12 says “So in everything, do to others what you would have
them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” We have all been taught this
“Golden Rule” since we were children and it is just as relevant as adults in all fields.
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