A new documentary, Hold Your Fire,  deconstructs fatal interactions and shows that  police training actually contributes to these tragedies.

A new documentary, Hold Your Fire, deconstructs fatal interactions and shows that police training actually contributes to these tragedies.
Photo Credit: Bountiful Films

Documentary: Hold Your Fire- why police are quick on the trigger

In North America in the past few years, there have been many incidents where police have fatally shot suspects. In many of these cases critics have said officers lives were not really in danger and there was no immediate need for police to fire. In many cases, critics say the victim was mentally or emotionally disturbed, no actual harm had come to anyone else, and the situation could have been de-escalated without use of force.

Helen Slinger of Vancouver-based Bountiful Films is writer and director of the documentary film “Hold Your Fire”. It examines the situation, and finds that police training encourages the quick resort to use of police guns.

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Helen Slinger, writer-director Bountiful Films, Vancouver
Helen Slinger, writer-director Bountiful Films, Vancouver “Hold Your Fire” a documentary on police training for armed confrontations and shootings of often emotionally disturbed people

It’s a difficult, controversial and tough subject. Police are called to serve and protect but often within mere moments of their arrival on the scene, a victim lies dead.

It seems there is virtually no time given by the police in Canada or the US, to assess the situation and attempt a de-escalation.

The film highlights differences in the “American” approach to tense situations- and adopted by most Canadian police- and that of the British method, which tends to proceed much more slowly and de-escalate without weapons drawn.

Hold your Fire- documentary: A senior British police officer grimaces in shock and surprise while watching the video of the Yatim shooting in Toronto, saying that's not how British police would have handled the situation.
Hold your Fire- documentary: A senior British police officer grimaces in shock and surprise while watching the video of the Yatim shooting in Toronto, saying that’s not how British police would have handled the situation. © Bountiful Films

The film shows how typical police training leads to the quick reaction to draw weapons and shoot, and how progressive police forces, in Britain and a few in North America are making efforts to adopt a different path.

The documentary talks with the families of victims to learn their side and also travels with police mobile teams in major Canadian cities of Hamilton, Toronto, and Halifax to understand what they are up against.

Following the CBC Television Main Network premiere on Thursday, .

Huffington Post- Greg Matters

CBC- Greg Matters

CBC Yatim

Youtube Video Yatim shooting

CBC- Boyd shooting

Youtube Boyd shooting

Huffington Post- Montreal shooting, including bystander

Dziekanski- tired, lost, confused in Vcr airport- police @4.55-first taser 5;20. dead approx 7;00

wiki list of deaths by police Canada

W5- CTV- full length 2-part investigation Greg Matters

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