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Rethinking police use of force

 

怎樣決定一個人有沒有攻擊性？怎樣在電光火石之間決定開不開槍？美國接連發生警員向疑犯開火事件，《紐約時報》以警隊開槍指引為題，探討過去三十年一直參照之21尺射擊範圍是否合理。

 

In the fall of 1982, a police training course instructor performed a rudimentary series of tests and concluded that an armed attacker who bolted toward an officer could clear 21 feet in the time it took most officers to draw, aim and fire their weapon.

 

rudimentary  基本的，初步的，粗淺的

(adjective 形容詞)

 

例子：a rudimentary knowledge of English   略通英語

 

► rudimentary equipment, methods, systems 簡陋的，不先進的

例子：The equipment in the company is rudimentary.  

 

bolt

(verb 動詞)

 

(1) 逃跑

例子：The robber bolted through the window.

 

(2) bolt (down) 狼吞虎嚥

例子：The hungry man bolted (down) the food.

 

粗淺的試驗結果，最後竟成為美國警隊的行動守則：

 

The next spring, the instructor published his findings in a magazine and transformed police training in the United States. The “21-foot rule” became dogma.

 

dogma （常作貶義）（教會等的）教義，教理，教條；信條

(noun 名詞)

 

例子：They rejected the dogma that the earth is the center of the universe. 

 

► religious dogma 宗教教義

► party dogma 黨派的信條

 

美國的經驗是，警察濫權往往滋生暴力，而且無助改善治安。不過，隨著新一代警隊訓練引入新思維，警察需要運用武力的情況銳減：

 

A new era of training replaces truisms such as the 21-foot rule with lessons on defusing tense situations and avoiding violent confrontations.

 

truism 自明之理，不言而喻的話，老套，老生常談

(noun 名詞)

 

defuse 緩和，改善〔困難或危險局面〕

(verb 動詞)

 

► defuse tension/anger/fears etc

例子：Let’s listen to some music to defuse the tension.

例子：The manager is doing his best to defuse the current crisis.  緩和當前的危機。

 

不過在美國，減少對立、以和為貴的辦事方式，要爭取大部分警隊中人認同，仍然漫漫長路：

 

While the Justice Department and chiefs of some major police departments are supportive, the effort has not been widely embraced, at least so far. Some police unions and others have expressed skepticism, saying officers are being unfairly criticized.

 

embrace 欣然接受，採納

(verb 動詞)

 

 

Kevin 教室

 

bolt (noun 名詞)

= lock 鎖

= screw 螺絲釘 

 

bolt of lightning 閃電，霹靂

例子：I saw a bolt of lightning last night. (thunderbolt)

 

make a bolt for (it) 急忙逃跑

例子：He made a blot for the door.

 

the nuts and bolts of a subject or an activity 基本要素；具體細節

例子：It is important to study the nuts and bolts of English grammar. 研讀英文文法的基本細節。

   
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