We learned this week of four brave gun-toting Quesnel RCMP officers doing a violent take-down of 90 pound Rodney Moffat, a disabled, mentally challenged, 49 year-old man.

Someone had reported Moffat might have a gun in his pocket. He did, a bulbous plastic space ray-gun, complete with scary sound effects.

Karl Moffat has complained that his son suffered bruised ribs and has pain in his wrists and lungs because police used too much force by tackling him to the ground.

Does anyone else notice the similarity between this incident and the one that left Robert Dziekanski dying on the floor at Vancouver International Airport?  There too, four RCMP officers preferred violence as the first response. Luckily, the Quesnel 4 had no taser to deploy.

Unfortunately, we have too many hormone pumped police officers who believe the first response should be force. Far better for them to engage their brains first. As the father asked, what happened to the concept of observation and determination that should precede every action?

Another example of brawn before brain.
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