Demonstrators march towards the Sonoma County Sheriff's offices during a protest over the death of Andy Lopez in Santa Rosa on Tuesday, October 29, 2013. (Conner Jay/The Press Democrat)

Training kids

EDITOR: Eric Lutz ("A clearer warning," Letters, Saturday) asked, "Wouldn't it be helpful if police were trained to not only shout 'drop the weapon' but also 'drop the weapon, or I will be forced to shoot and kill you'? I can see myself as a 13-year-old thinking I have a choice to drop or not drop, but I would never think the police may shoot and kill me if I chose incorrectly."

Lutz may have demonstrated one of the reasons that this and several other police shootings have occurred. It has been 50 years since I was 13, but believe me, if an officer gave me a command like this when I was 13, I would have had no illusion that I had a choice. Perhaps parents need to do more training of their kids.

L. ROBERT HILL

Santa Rosa

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