"Over the course of 30 years, police officers in jack boots holding assault rifles have become fairly common in small town communities across the country. As investigative journalists Andrew Becker and G.W. Schulz reveal, “Many police, including beat cops, now routinely carry assault rifles. Combined with body armor and other apparel, many officers look more and more like combat troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.” I think everyone would agree that the police carry more rifles and wear more personal protective equipment than they did 30 years ago. But does that mean that a "Growing numbers of unarmed people are being shot and killed for just standing a certain way, or moving a certain way, or holding something—anything—that police could misinterpret to be a gun, or igniting some trigger-centric fear in a police officer’s mind that has nothing to do with an actual threat to their safety."? Where is this evidence of a "Growing number"? I would argue that in 2018 police brutality is in decline and has been for some time (like 30 years). What has also decreased is societies tolerance for police misconduct. Citizens and fellows law enforcement officers are much more likely to complain about police misconduct. People like John Whitehead who think police violence is on the rise don't have an appreciation for what policing was like 40,50,60+ years ago or they just aren't being honest. I am not saying that it doesn't occur today, but it's nothing like the organizationally sanctioned brutality of the past.