Professor McNeal appears on Huffington Post Live

Professor Laura McNeal appeared on Huffington Post Live this morning to continue the conversation on the shooting deaths of unarmed victims by police officers.

The segment follows Professor McNeal’s quotes in the San Francisco Chronicle over the weekend on the same topic. Huffington Post Live host Ricky Camilleri specifically explored the most recent incident in which Tulsa, Oklahoma, Reserve Police Officer Robert Bates shot and killed unarmed 44-year-old Eric Harris after mistaking his firearm for a Taser.

The host asked panelists why so few cops are prosecuted and why these incidents, including with citizen police officers, keep happening.

During the segment, Professor McNeal discussed concerns over volunteer police officer training, calling it “abbreviated.” She also talked about the special nature it takes to be a police officer.

“Just because you want to be a police officer doesn’t mean you have the disposition,” she said.

Professor McNeal said we need a better screening process for police officers, including ongoing psychological testing.

She added that there is also a lack of training on when to use deadly force.

"We not only need pre-screening, but also continuous training on when the use of excessive force is required and appropriate,” she said. “What we’re seeing are police officers who don’t have the disposition and frankly should not be police officers.”

Professor McNeal added that prosecution rates are low because “it’s hard for many Americans to believe police officers lie or engage in criminal behavior, so it takes indisputable evidence.”

Professor McNeal was joined by Cheryl Dorsey, retired LAPD sergeant and author of “The Creation of a Manifesto: Black & Blue;” Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at BGSU; and Jarrel Wade, a reporter for Tulsa World.