Now, hold on just a darn minute here.
I object to the generalization that most/all of the people getting bonked by police flashlights are "victims" who don't deserve it. I also object to asking police officers to keep the peace without giving them the tools to do so.
How many of you would actually be willing to do field police work in return for the compensation offered? You deal with the absolute dregs of society on a daily basis while putting your life on the line in return for a middle-class existence.
OF COURSE police officers should not be allowed to brutalize innocent people. The penalty for doing so should be many times what it would be for an ordinary citizen.
But taking away flashilights because they have the potential to be used inappropriately does not make me feel safer, and does not help these public servants do their important jobs.
When flashlights are outlawed, only criminals will have flashlights.
