Corrections

16 shots … This number became a true motto for young black Americans.

On Tuesday 25th November, the press grasped the opportunity to revive debats with a judgement : that of the charge of the Chicago officer, Van Dyke.

Indeed, this is the first time in decades, that an officer is accused of first-degree murder.

The story began one year earlier.

The 17-years-old black American's death made headlines and disclosed a real tension between the police forces and the local population, espacially the black population.

The shocking video was made public on the same day of the judgement.

If this murder became the expression of this tension, it is due to the fact that it is not an isolated act.

How to forget the uprisings in Ferguson ou Maryland ?

The Guardian is counting the people killed by US law enforcement agencies this year.

And the number is surprising : 1029 !

This significant number includes all kind of race and ethnicity.

However, one number is higher than others : 6,2 per million.

It corresponds to the average of black people killed by the police in US.

More than a dozen officers have now been charged wih murder this year over fatal shootings, according to Philip Stinson, an associate proffessor of criminology.

This represents an increase of about five per year over the past decade.

This total demontrates a lack in the police training.

Marq Claxton, the director of the Black Law Enforcement Alliance, explained « Common sense mandates – and training dictates – that you maintain a safe distance, and take advantage of opportunities for cove and concealment ».

He added « the police actually create the extreme level of danger with bad tactics ».

The Chicago mayor, Rahm Emanuel, admited there is « absolutely no doubt that [ the Laquan McDonald's shooting video] will tear at the hearts of Chicagoans ».

It is now their duty to recreate a strong, clear and stable link between the citizens and the police reprsentatives.

Safety must be the primary concern, what maybe has to require extensive rethinking of the system.