New Documentary Explores The Changing Face Of Peace Officers

This is KPBS Midday Edition. I'm Maureen Cavanaugh. The use of police force is a major issue across the country, including San Diego. Just last week Bonnie do Manas released videos of three controversial officer involved shootings. Reversing a policy of keeping such videos away from the public eye. Tonight on KPBS TV an exploration of the issue of gun violence in America begins with what some call the militarization of police forces. It centers on the irony of a former sheriff in Utah who formed a team that eventually killed one of his relatives. Joining me is Scott Kristofferson the producer of the documentary peace officer. Former sheriff Deb Williamson is a man on a mission. Can you explain what is that mission? He started the first SWAT team in Utah to see that team kill his son-in-law 30 years later. He goes on a quest to figure out how we got to where we are with police why is there so much more violence with police, wire SWAT raids used more frequently. Dub has been analyzing his son-in-law's case for four years. He analyzed other cases that have gone wrong in his community. When he was sheriff he served 16,000 more nots without any fatalities or injuries. His son-in-law was involved in a standoff with a SWAT team after he heard his wife in an incident. Williamson thought the incident would end well because of how to train the SWAT officers were. He had great respect and trust in police officers. There was something that didn't feel right, he investigated the standoff, here is a clip from "Peace Officer" After two years and seven months the family was able to get a copy of the video that was taken by the police. I bought a computer and those two videos, I was able to put them on the computer and download them. As I learned more and began to piece that puzzle together I spent more time hours, I would work till midnight. It became an obsession. The more I learned the more it drew me into trying to find the truth. That's a clip from the documentary, "Peace Officer" . In that documentary we learned some history of SWAT and how the units originated in where the idea came from. Tellis. SWAT originated from a couple of things. The Watts riot that was one thing. The police thought SWAT was a tool to defuse active violent situations. Even Dub would say that's necessary. Over the years, after Nixon declared war on drugs. Reagan made it literal, you see SWAT teams used to carry out search warrants. Since the 1970s, SWAT raids have increased some 15,000%. They have really strayed from what they were meant to do. They were meant to defuse active shooter situations. Now 80% of SWAT raids, are used to carry out search warrants. That causes all kinds of problems, it puts officers lives at stake. In your film, you try to look at both sites. We have a clip hear from you top. The cops are becoming more like the military. It is false. It is a altered reality. The opposite is true. The military is learned from the police, it is evident in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. The reality is, SWAT teams save lives. Demonstratably, many of our weapon systems are saving lives, the Taser is a great tool. It's a vilified in many places as an unnecessary use of force, I personally have seen it save the lives of youth and others. Our tactics have improved and improve the safety of our community. That was from the documentary that will air on KPBS TV tonight, "Peace Officer". What you hope to get across with this film? We hope to get a few things across. It was important that we empathize with police and citizens. We tried really hard to find balance and give voice to everyone. That's the power of documentary, you can empathize and spent time with people. The documentary "Peace Officer", the first of the guns in America special report will be broadcast tonight at 9 on KPBS TV. I've been speaking with producer Scott Kristofferson. Thank you so much. My pleasure. Enqueue for having me.