Police Shootings and Race: Facts and Truth – California Cop's Story. Few topics generate as much controversy as police shootings, especially when race enters the conversation. Be sure to check out the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Newsbreak, Medium and most all social media platforms. The interview with Jeff Wenninger is available as a free podcast on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most major podcast platforms. His story, widely shared on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Newsbreak, and Medium, sheds light on his personal experiences with officer-involved shootings and dives into the broader societal context of race, police work, and public perception. Retired Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer Jeff Wenninger is our guest. He spent 33 years on the force, offers a rare and candid glimpse into the complexities of these incidents.Wenninger further explores these pressing issues. The interview with Jeff Wenninger is available as a free podcast on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most major podcast platforms. The Incident That Changed Everything. Police Shootings and Race: Facts and Truth – California Cop's Story. Early in his career, Wenninger was thrust into the center of an officer-involved shooting while responding to a domestic violence call. The scene escalated rapidly when the suspect opened fire, forcing Wenninger to make split-second, life-or-death decisions. He describes experiencing “auditory exclusion,” where sounds become muted, and the mind locks onto the immediate threat. Time seemed to slow as his instincts took over, guiding him through the chaos. Keep informed by following the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, MeWe, Pinterest, Newsbreak, Medium and other social media platforms. For Wenninger, the aftermath of the shooting was nearly as jarring as the event itself. Physically, he dealt with stomach issues and sleep disturbances, while mentally, the incident weighed heavily on him. These reactions, although distressing, are not uncommon among officers who face traumatic events on duty. Later in his career, as a sergeant, Wenninger found himself reliving those same physical and emotional tolls when one of his subordinate officers was involved in a fatal shooting. The stress echoed the feelings he had during his own earlier experience, illustrating the long-lasting effects of such encounters on officers. Race and Public Perception. Police Shootings and Race: Facts and Truth. One of the most contentious aspects of officer-involved shootings is the role race plays in public perception and media coverage. Wenninger reflects on how often the race of the officer and the suspect can influence reactions to a shooting, even before all the facts are known. This dynamic is especially pronounced in California, where high-profile cases have sparked widespread debates over policing, justice, and race. Wenninger discusses how police officers, including himself, frequently face questions about the racial dynamics of these encounters. While statistics like those from Statista report that 828 civilians were shot by police in the U.S. between 2017 and 2024, with 181 of those being Black, he emphasizes that these numbers don’t always tell the whole story. They focus on the tragic outcomes but often overlook the actions or circumstances that led to the shootings, which can drastically change the context. The interview is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website and most major podcast Platforms. For instance, as of 2024, 1,163 fatal police shootings occurred in the U.S. in 2023 alone, with Black Americans disproportionately affected. The rate of fatal shootings for Black individuals stood at 6.2 per million people between 2015 and September 2024. While these statistics are alarming and underscore the racial disparities in police shootings, Wenninger points out that the context in which officers make split-second decisions—often under extreme duress—is frequently absent from these discussions. He stresses that understanding the full scope of these incidents requires acknowledging the danger officers face and the legal standards for using deadly force, not just focusing on the racial dynamics of the outcome. Psychological and Physiological Effects on Officers. Police Shootings and Race. Wenninger doesn’t shy away from discussing the psychological and physiological toll police shootings have on officers. A study conducted by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) found that officers involved in shootings often experience a range of reactions, from “tunnel vision”—where one’s field of view narrows—to time distortions, where events appear to unfold in slow or fast motion. Many also report heightened senses or auditory blunting, where certain sounds become imperceptible during ...
