Is police defiance becoming a trend?

Police say Friday night’s incident began with a routine traffic stop.

But it was a routine stop that took a deadly turn and with this being one of several acts of hostility toward police in the past year we ask the question: Are we seeing a trend in police defiance?

“This evening officers assigned to the Northeast Regional Command were conducting a traffic stop,” said Daryl Petry, spokesman for the El Paso Police Department.

Police say two officers in one patrol car stopped a driver because of an expired registration sticker.

While one officer was interviewing the driver they say the passenger got out of the car with a gun.

The second police officer asked the passenger to drop the weapon.

Police say the passenger did not drop the weapon and began yelling at the officer.

“One of the officers discharged the weapon striking the suspect one time,” Petry said.

The passenger died at the scene.

This isn’t the first time El Paso police have come across hostility like this.

In October officer Mike Garcia was shot roadside by a man allegedly involved in a murder suicide.

Garcia survived.

A short time later Constable Robert White died after a fight while working security for a haunted house in Canutillo.

In Seattle two officers were ambushed on New Year’s Eve.

In December two officers were killed in New York.

So ABC-7 asked the question, “Do some feel there is a trend in people defying police?’

“Not really, I don’t think that,” said Derick Willard.

But some do feel there is an increase in acts of defiance toward police.

“Yes I’m starting to see that a lot more,” said one man.

“I’ve seen an influx with defiance in police especially with what happened in the north east,” said Starlynn Lucero.

Many refer to the Eric Gardner incident in New York and Micheal Brown incident in Missouri.

“People are losing hope in police,” said Lucero.

Others have their own ideas.

“I think a lot of the younger kids think they can do whatever they want without being told what to do,” said another man.

Many agree defiance of police is not the answer for better relations between cops and citizens.

“In order for our society to function we need certain rules and regulations and some one to and someone that takes care of those rules,” said one person.

“I hope that things get better with us as a society and we can appreciate the police and the police can appreciate the citizens,” said Lucero.

ABC-7 spoke to some law enforcement officers off-camera and they said they do feel there has been increased defiance.

Some feel it’s a trend created through social media.