A Short Summary On Police Brutality

Today in America there has been a growing problem amongst people and the police force. There has been many cases over the past couple of years were the police has used brute force on citizens. The main group of people suffering from police brutality is young African Americans. The young blacks feel that they are being targeted by the police. These cases continue to happen with no signs of stopping anytime soon. The police have been using brute force on black Americans for years now. There was a major that spark awareness on police brutality a couple of years ago. This case was the Trayvon Martin case that stated the whole black lives matter movement. This case was one of the key features to start the black lives matter movement.

What does the term ‘police brutality’ mean to you? ‘Police’ are the men and women dressed in uniform that are supposed to protect us from any danger at any time. They’re who you call when someone is breaking into your house in the middle of night, or even when someone strange is following you home. The word ‘brutality’ is physical violence towards someone. How do those two words sound next to each other?

In the present day many laws are in progress to try to stop police brutality. For instance, there is a law in progress where policemen have to where a camera on them to see if there is any evidence of misconduct. The most important difference is the impact of social media. The present day is far more technological advanced then it was from before. Now because of the media and technology almost all people are able to see any massive events, like police brutality.

Ronald Weitzer “Incidents of police misconduct and public opinion” Department of Sociology, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA .

Police and Law enforcement have been protecting the public for a long time. Especially in the United States of America, "first American police department was established in Boston in 1838" (Nodjimbadem 3). Since the first establishment of a police department to enforce law and order in the United States things have changes over time. This change over time can allow people, ideas and other things good or bad to enter which could lead to excessive and violent force or appropriate and pleasant force dealing with Police Brutality. The idea of Police Brutality stems from the brutal policing victims received.

One day a boy named Tyrone and his father were on there way to Six Flags when they were pulled over by a police officer. The cop walked up to the vehicle and Tyrone’s dad asked the officer why he was pulled over. Then the cop asked Blue, Tyrone 's dad, to step out the car so he stepped out the car and the officer searched him. After that Blue tried to take off his jacket but the officer thought he had a gun and pulled out his weapon and shot Blue in his face in front of his 10 year old son. Blue was rushed to the hospital he was in critical condition, Blue died later that night. Police shouldn’t be able to get away with police brutality because officers are responsible

That much brutality contradicts police service and its expectations, giving the community a lack of trust towards them. Many policemen react when to a situation rather than following

32 percent of black people killed by police this year were unarmed, compared to 15 percent of white people and 25 percent of Hispanic and Latino people. Police brutality has a been a topic that you have seen through the news lately. This has been a constant problem, especially with minorities. A bunch of innocent minorities has died because of police brutality, People such as Eric Garner, Michael Brown, and etc. These people have accused of doing something that they were really not doing. Police brutality is a growing problem in America and it is has taken a bunch of innocent lives.

“I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!” These were the last words of Eric Garner, a middle-aged African American man. Garner died at the hands of multiple police officers who were trying to restrain him for selling cigarettes. These sorts of images are showcased on television way too often. To the point that some people feel helpless, they know that they alone do not have the power to overthrow the superiority of an officer. So they have really no choice but watch the tragedy unfold. Also fear that if they interfere, that they may be the next victim. “I am most struck by the behavior of the EMTs, who stood along with the police and did nothing as they watched Eric Garner die” (Williams 10). Although some people deny that police brutality is a problem, recent studies and events (such as the one listed above) prove that ultra-aggressive police officers, militarization of police agencies, and the effects of racism have increased police brutality.

Police brutality has been a major issue since slavery. In slavery people, mainly whites, were able to do anything to black people without having to deal without dealing with the consequences. Families were destroyed, people died, babies were killed, and many unknown factors still to this day that will never be known. When slavery was abolished, it did not end right away. It took several years and still is not abolished if you look at in a political way. People of power, mainly white, were not happy that a black person could be seen as equals. This is the main reason why they feel it is okay to lash out at black people. There are several major issues that are causing and epidemic in The United States. However, the main issue that seems to be the most discussed is about police brutality in the black community. “Police brutality is the use of excessive and/or unnecessary force by police when dealing with civilians. “Excessive use of force” means a force well beyond what would be necessary in order to handle a situation. Police brutality can be present in a number of ways. The most obvious form of police brutality is a physical form. Police officers can use nerve gas, batons, pepper spray, and guns in order to physically intimidate or even intentionally hurt civilians. Police brutality can also take the form of false arrests, verbal abuse, psychological intimidation, sexual abuse, police corruption, racial profiling, political repression and the improper use of Tasers”

The National Institute of Justice states that “Law enforcement officers should use only the amount of force necessary to mitigate an incident, make an arrest, or protect themselves or others from harm. The levels, or continuum, of force police use include basic verbal and physical restraint, less-lethal force, and lethal force” (2015 para. 7). In the book “How Police Justify the use of Deadly Force” states three different circumstances that gives a police officer the right to use their gun for lethal force. When in danger to protect his own life, when in need to protect other lives, and to stop a violent felony or prevent a prisoner from escaping. It also states the officer can only result to the gun after all other techniques have been used (1984 pg.144).

First, it is crucial to note that police brutality is not synonymous to racism against a particular group. However, there is a stigma that police often racially profile a specific African Americans. In February 2015, two cases of police brutality did not involve African Americans; instead the two victims were a Hispanic shot and killed in Washington State and an Indian-American severely paralyzed in Alabama. Even with this considered, of late, a majority of police brutality cases have involved minorities and specifically African American males. Cases such as Michael Brown and Freddie Gray have sparked a cultural uprising. These trigger event inspired the protests and riots against police brutality demonstrating collective action and physical violence, but the idea of police brutality is much larger than these individual cases, since it is a reoccurring cycle.

As of September 1, 2015, in the United States police officers have killed 776 people and 161 of those people were unarmed at the time of their death (MintPress). There have been too many incidents where police officers have injured or killed someone that could have been prevented. Using maximum force with a suspect has become a routine in many confrontations. Officers have not been given the proper training to deal with individuals and how to handle them without using a weapon. If they were given more training on how to deal with situations resulting in using a weapon to stop an individual during certain scenarios police brutality situations would decrease, lives would be saved, and police would get their good reputation back. However, police departments would have to spend more money on re-training. Some people agree with police brutality and think that a civilian deserved their punishment, which is not right because no one deserves to be beaten or killed. Situations involving police brutality have been increasing throughout the years, which is a problem that must to be solved.

The brutality of the police force has been a long worldwide problem, but especially between the years of 2012-2016. Black people are being unjustly beaten and shot in plain sight for doing nothing while being unarmed. Journal of African American Studies “Blacks are viewed as deserving of harsh treatment in the criminal justice system” (482). “Black males with more “Afrocentric” features may receive longer sentences than blacks with less Afrocentric features like lighter skin and straighter hair”(482). Nowadays it is important to know about the police force. It’s important to know our rights as citizens and be careful around cops. Not everybody is good, but not everybody is bad also. In The New York Amsterdam News 21 people were killed by Chicago police in 2008. Entire families were being attacked. They believe it’s because of their skin color and how they are different. The year of racism started off with the world seeing the police murder of Oscar Grant. “The media have pushed people away from hearing the issue of police brutality, and it has fallen off of the radar screen.”(2) “You can’t give in. They will try to make an example out of you, try to break your spirit!”(2) African Americans say do not trust the cops with anything. “They will ruin you.”(2)

Police Brutality has increased over the years. This issue has been spreading around the nation and worldwide. The police officers are hurting more people than the actual criminals that are roaming the streets. Some officers may have personal problems that distract them from their work, which could be a cause to why there is a massive increase in police brutality. Even if the police