preview

Police Brutality And The Civil Liberties Essay

Decent Essays

Police corruption has been a problem to varying degrees since the beginning of organized policing. The United States was forged in the fires of an abusive government. It is not so surprising then that the concept of police brutality so offends the American psyche, on such a deep level. As citizens we entrust our police with immense power to act in our best interest. With this power comes the responsibility for its use to be judicial and fair for all people. Police power is confined by the constitution, federal, state, and local law, which clearly defines the expected behavior of agents appointed on our behalf. However, with such great power there is bound to be abuse. When police make minor incursions into our civil liberties, it is easy to accept the mistakes as long as justice is served. There are, of course, instances when a small group of police act in ways that shocks the conscience of every American Citizen. Instances where the incursion on our civil liberties is so unjust, it damages the public’s relationship with their protectors for generations. Once such case is the system corruption of the Chicago Police Department’s Special Operations Section. Now over ten years removed for the original acts the public is still trying to come to terms with the atrocities committed; and the courts are still dealing out punishments to those who violated the public trust. Between 2003 and 2006 at least 12 members of Chicago Police Department’s (CPD) Special Operations

Get Access