According to Germany's Der Spiegel, German police shot only 85 bullets in all of 2011, a stark reminder that not every country is as gun-crazy as the United States. Out of those shots, 49 were warning shots, 36 were pointed at suspects. This situation sounds much safer to us than what is "normal" in the U.S. where guns are supposed to make us safe.
The use of violence is one of the primary harmful behaviors that hold hierarchies together. The U.S. is well-known for our widespread use of guns – just look at our movies! Obviously, there are other ways than rampant gun use to enforce our laws. The incarceration rate in the U.S. is the highest in the world – 743 per 100,000. In Germany the rate is about 1/10 of the United States: 83 per 100,000.
http://theatlantic.tumblr.com/post/22838441946/german-police-used-only-85-bullets-against-people
