Every response is unpredictable, and many have the propensity to become confrontational.
While lawmen are trained and equipped to deal with violent situations, a fine line exists between appropriate and inappropriate force, and the public does not always agree with peace officers where that line should be drawn. Nearly every large city in America has had its share of highly visible police brutality cases, whether it's the Rodney King beating in Los Angeles, immigrant Abner Louima's assault by New York City police officers, or the shooting and gang-beating this month of suspected carjacker Thomas Jones by Philadelphia police. Yet even the Marin Sheriff's Department gets its share of complaints about police brutality. Of course, the expense of defending police brutality cases is hardly unique to Marin County. Deputy county counsel Jack Govi, who has defended many of the police brutality cases brought against Sheriff's deputies over the last two decades, said Marin County's cases are not nearly as severe as those brought against police forces in larger cities.