LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - 9/24/06

from The Oregonian

The Lukus Glenn shooting: Did he have to die?

Use training instead

I graduated from the Portland Police Academy and the Oregon Police Academy and retired after 25 years as a police administrator. I'm writing about young Lukus Glenn.

As a deputy sheriff, I responded to a call of a man holding a shotgun on his family. Upon arrival, I found just that. His wife and five children were hysterical. I was able to get his attention on me and away from his family.

I could have shot him immediately before he turned on me. But it was likely that a bullet might strike the family. I used my training instead to talk the man into surrendering his shotgun.

Today, that man is a teacher and still married to the same woman. He could have easily shot me, but he didn't. I could have shot him, but I didn't.

I'm not saying the Washington County deputies shouldn't have shot Glenn; what I am saying is that it's every police officer's call. But given the particulars of that incident, I would not have fired upon a young lad who, when faced with yelling police, tried his best to return to the safety of his mother, while armed with nothing but a simple pocket knife.

JAMES TAYLOR

Southeast Portland