Police Brutality: Does it Actually Exist? When hearing the phrase “police brutality,” many people imagine batons cracking skulls, tasers electrocuting bodies and bullets penetrating innocent teens. While police officers have been known to use violence, police brutality does not occur as often as many believe. In many situations, officers have to act on impulse and curiosity, despite the backlash the media may create. In many scenarios, police officers are not given enough time to make the rational decision between who lives and who dies. When a person’s survival is at risk, it is not uncommon for the body to enter fight or flight mode. Lindsey Betromen, author of the article “Responding with Fight or Flight” states, “The fight or flight syndrome …show more content…
In the line of police force it is imperative to think outside of the box. Many people confuse a police officer’s curiosity as racial profiling and racism. However, this is how a police officer often finds the majority of their evidence. In many neighborhoods, there a dominant races that live within the community. For example, if a wealthy white man was driving around a predominantly minority-based community, it would be acceptable for a police officer to grow skeptical at this situation. It is obvious that man is out of place, and it is the police officer 's duty to further investigate the …show more content…
To citizens, Darren Wilson killed Michael Brown of out racial prejudice. To police officers, Darren Wilson killed Michael Brown out of self defense. The media focused mainly on the citizens negative reactions, consequently labeling Darren Wilson as a racist murderer. The officer received numerous death threats, putting his life in danger. Ben Brumfield and Brian Todd, reporters for CNN state, “Fellow officers have been by [Darren Wilson’s] side day and night, as deadly threats have driven the former Ferguson police officer into hiding…” This is a prime example that media can ruin the lives of officers, as well as put them in legitimate
Over the years, this country has witnessed many cases of police brutality. It has become a controversial topic among communities that have seen police brutality take place in front of their homes. Officers are faced with many threatening situations everyday forcing them to make split second decisions and to expect the worst and hope for the best. Police officers are given the power to take any citizens rights away and even their lives. With that kind of power comes responsibility, that’s one major concern with the amount of discretion officers have is when to use force or when to use lethal force. The use of excessive force may or not be a large predicament but should be viewed by both the police and the community.
Over the years, this country has witnessed many cases of police brutality. It has become a controversial topic among communities that have seen police brutality take place in front of their homes. Officers are faced with many threatening situations everyday forcing them to make split second decisions and to expect the worst and hope for the best. Police officers are given the power to take any citizens rights away and even their lives. With that kind of power comes responsibility, that’s one major concern with the amount of discretion officers have is when to use force or when to use lethal force. The use of excessive force may or not be a large predicament but should be viewed by both the police and the community.
Is it true that excessive force is one of the most used forms of police misconduct? Are unarmed African Americans more likely to get killed during an encounter with police officers than any other race? Yes, both of these shockingly horrifying facts are true. So why are police officers abusing their powers and creating fearful environments when they should be making people feel safe in their communities. Who can we turn to on this earth to keep us safe if everyone and thing seems to be corrupt? When did police brutality become a thing in the U.S.? What exactly are we dealing with and what can we, as a nation, be doing to solve this awful conflict evolving quickly in the U.S.
In America, police brutality affects and victimizes people of color mentally and socially. Social injustice has become a major issue, which involved the principle of white supremacy vs minorities. The current police brutality that has been occurring is culturally disconnecting ethnicities from one another. According to Cincinnati Police Chief Jeffrey Blackwell, “…the cultural disconnect is very real; you have the weight of generations of abuse on African Americans,” (Flatow, 2016). For example, over the past four years, there have been countless acts of police brutality. The three key deaths of Eric Garner, Philando Castile, and Alton Sterling have become the face of police brutality in the year 2016. People knew that it was unequal treatment of black people by police in the United States and they made it known by creating #BlackLivesMatter.
Police brutality among all races needs to stop. Movements like Black Lives Matter focus in on only one race; however police brutality happens among all ethnic groups. Police brutality can sometimes shut out people who are not of the African American race. If more people supported the all lives matter movement, this could truly bring the discussion of police brutality to the table. It can be more difficult to do this when we focus on just one community of individuals. The only way to fix the downside that we face is requiring all police officers in the United States to wear body cameras. This solution would create less he said she said and more facts in situations where people are killed by police officers no matter what color they are.
Over the years, this country has witnessed many cases of police brutality. It has become a controversial topic among communities that have seen police brutality take place in front of their homes. Officers are faced with many threatening situations everyday forcing them to make split second decisions and to expect the worst and hope for the best. Police officers
Every day law enforcement officials are faced with the possibility of being assaulted or killed while in the line of duty and when off duty. Officers are faced with the harsh reality that today may be their last day alive. This leads to a rush of adrenaline when responding to crimes or when they encounter various situations. Often this rush of adrenaline can cloud an officer’s judgment. Officers are then faced with the possibility of being accused of excessive force. Citizens often call an officers use of excessive force “police brutality” (Petrowski, 2005). Citizen’s opinion of law enforcement has often been linked to the media’s tactics of displaying officers using what appears to be excessive force during an arrest. This typically leads to citizens becoming outraged and creates an issue for the force. The question then arises as to what exactly is excessive force? While many citizens may characterize force as excessive, the law reflects the realities that officer’s face in making decisions to use force (Petrowski, 2005). Each complaint of excessive force has to be examined and a decision made based on the evidence and circumstances surrounding the case. It is the agency’s duty to gain control of police officers use of force in order
Background and Audience Relevance: According to the Human Rights Watch 2012 report on Police Brutality and Accountability in the United States; police brutality has become one the most serious human rights violation. As citizens of the United States it is our duty to make sure that those with authority don 't take advantage of their power.
Police Brutality is when police don't do the right thing. Like if a cop is driving on down the street and he sees the lights and then he turns on his sirens so they can pass the red light. they could turn on their sirens so people can get out the way they're going. Kenneth Chamberian was a marine veteran. he was killed from police brutality, when some cop went to his house and killed him inside.Black people are killed by law enforcment twicw as frenquently as white people
a country who is trying to strive to be better, we must first start with making everyone an equal. This will start once we look at everyone the same. If we continue to look at everyone’s differences, then we aren’t being fair or true to one another.
Statistics states that every eight hours an American citizen is killed by a police officer. The question is why; however, why is the rate of police brutality rapidly growing? The people put in place to protect and serve are the very people we need protection from. Statistics also state that this year alone there has been 980 police brutality cases in the United States. What is it going to take to get a handle of this situation? The answer may lay within the higher leaders of this great nation. America has too many things to deal with without having to worry about what our police are doing. Police brutality is wrong and the problem needs to be addressed. We need to stop pushing it off and patting them on the back and saying “It is okay, you
Police brutality is not being solved in the way that it should because of racial profiling, these officier are cruelly racist. These officers have the right to pull someone over because of their skin tone and falsely accuse someone of being armed, giving them a reason to act violent towards the civilian. An officer's denial of their actions is also a barrier to solving the problem. A way to counteract this would be the use of body cameras to catch what really happens during the police encounter. Another problem is that people do not care, if police brutality is not affecting them they will not see the problem. Finally, a big barrier is that civilians do not fight back enough. If people want to make a change protesting allows them to do
Police officers get upset, angry and an adrenaline rush just like everyone else. Maybe an individual cannot recall the dreadful killing of Eric Garner but surely they can remember the shooting that occurred on August 9, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri. Michael Brown, an 18 year old African-American male was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, a white Ferguson police officer. Allegedly Browns last words were “I don't have a gun, stop shooting!'. Did Wilson stop shooting after Brown acknowledged that he did not have a gun; that he was not imminent threat? No he did not! He continued to fire, even though Brown did not put Wilson or any bystanders in any danger. Although Brown was targeted because supposedly stolen numerous packages of cigarillos from a nearby convenience store and shoved the store clerk; should his life have been taken away? On November 24, 2014, the St. Louis County grand jury had decided not to indict Wilson. On March 4, 2015, the United States Department of Justice reported the conclusion of its own investigation and cleared Wilson of civil rights violations in the shooting. According to the evidence, Wilson shot Brown in self-defense; even though Brown did not have any weapons to harm Wilson. The shooting sparked unrest in Ferguson. The "hands up" account was widely dispersed immediately after the shooting and it contributed to the strong protests and outrage about the killing of the unarmed man. A couple days later, Kajieme Powell was shot over 10 times, then handcuffed after he was already deceased. Why handcuff a deceased
It is a melancholy object to those who talk through this great country when they see police brutality. It isn’t something new but something that became more prominent during this period of time. Police officers take their job seriously and the power that is given to them to protect the society around us. As a matter of fact, they take their jobs so enthusiastically that they even get to the point of brutality claiming that they do it for the benefit of the community. A section of the bill of rights, the 8th amendment to be specific states that punishments must be fair, cannot be cruel, and that fines that are extraordinarily large cannot be set. However, police don’t respect the 8th Amendment when they decide to beat someone up. Considering they have no respect for the 8th amendment why should we have it for them. We should just let the family of the aggravated beat up the cop.
According to the National Police Academy, in the past year, there have been over 7,000 reports of police misconduct; fatalities have been linked to more than 400 of these cases (Gul). Police brutality is often triggered by disrespect towards the police officer. The most noticeable form of brutality is physical, where Chemical gas, batons, tasers, and guns, can be used for physical intimidation or to actually hurt people. Police brutality can also take the form of verbal abuse or psychological intimidation. It seems reasonable to understand that sometimes the police are put into situations where excessive force may be needed. But, because some officers use these extreme actions in situations when it is not, police brutality should be addressed and looked into by both the police and the public. For instance, a police officer who beats a nonviolent protester with a baton would probably be accused of excessive use of force, under the argument that the police officer probably could have dealt with the situation less violently.