Police Brutality And The United States

Police brutality is one of the most serious and divisive human rights violations in the United States and it occurs in every community. The job of a police officer is to maintain public order, prevent, and detect crime. They are engaged in a dangerous and stressful occupation that can involve violent situations that must be controlled. In many of these confrontations with the public it may become necessary for the police to administer force to take control of a situation. Sometimes this force takes the form of hand to hand combat with a suspect who resists being arrested. Not all police officers in communities are good cops. At least once a year the news is covering a story about a person

It feels as if nothing has changed about police brutality over the years. The usual cycle is that juries acquit the police, cops get their jobs back, and brutality happens again. One of the most broadcasted cases of police brutality, was the beating of Rodney King. On the night of March 2, 1991, a bystander named George Holiday, videotaped the moment when five officers used excess force on an African American man named Rodney King, beating him with batons as he struggled on the ground. Also, it was recorded that an officer stomped on King’s shoulder causing his head to hit hard against the asphalt. Holiday sent the videotape to a local TV station and soon sent shock waves around the world, catapulting police brutality and race relations in the United States to center stage. Most viewers who watched the tape revealed the brutal and senseless beating of a hopeless drunk. After debating for seven days over the fate of the officers, on April 29, 1992, the clerk announced the final verdict, the five officers were not guilty.

Police abuse has remained one of the most serious human rights violation in the United States. It is the use of excessive and unnecessary force by police when dealing with civilians. The past decade has introduced us to a new wave of police brutality. With technology and media emerging, the people become more aware every day about inhumane behavior against innocent citizens. With the proper research, the opportunity to seek reasoning behind police brutality can lead to a cogent effort to end or significantly decrease misconducts committed by law enforcers.

Over the years United States has witnessed a substantial increase in police brutality, it is one of the most common and serious violation of the human rights and it happens more often than we care to know in our communities, ranging from verbal to physical abuse in which usually an innocent person results injured as police officers lay their called justice upon the alleged criminals.

Police officers are expected to serve and protect the people of the United States, however, in many cases police officers have abused their power and force. Police brutality has always been an issue in the United States, especially in the 60’s, where African Americans were not treated equally. A number of laws have been passed since then that protect every American from discrimination and racial profiling, but there are still cases of racial profiling by the police that seem to occur every year. Therefore, police brutality is a problem that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

This research paper is an overview of police brutality in the United States. The paper covers what police brutality is and the definition. The information about police brutality is expanded about what is reasonable and excessive use of force an officer can use. Information is included about the thoughts of what the citizens feel about police brutality. Among the white and black population there is a major difference between their thoughts of police brutality. The black population feels that they are effected by police brutality more than white folks. In addition, the paper touches on what needs to be done about the police brutality across the nation, and if the issue can be stopped. The paper examines court cases involving police brutality including the media buzzed case of Rodney King. The case is further examined and includes the community’s reaction to the beating of Rodney King. Another case is covering Frank Jude Jr. severely beaten by police officers at an off duty police officer’s party.

King was then drug from his car and was beaten with metal batons and stomped on by three police officers while their supervisor watched. This act was unknowingly be recorded by amateur cameraman, George Holliday. Polls taken shortly after the incident showed that over 90% of Los Angeles residents who saw the videotape believed that the police used excessive force in arresting King (“LAPD (King Beating)). Even with the video evidence, after a three month trial, a predominantly white jury acquitted all officers of all

Everyday, there is a new developing story about someone being harassed or even killed by the police. Police brutality has been a recurring situation for years, in many cases justice has not been served due to the police taking advantage of the power they have been granted. Some officers believe that they are above the law. Paul Butler, a former federal prosecutor and a law professor at Georgetown University Law Center stated “ If we prosecutors asked the officer too many questions about how he obtained evidence (...) , he would catch an attitude. “Don’t treat me like a suspect” communicated that officer’s belief that he didn’t have to follow the same rules as the citizens he serves and protects.” I personally witness the authority abusing their

My topic will be about police brutality and how it effects everyone but especially the African American community. First I would like to get into how in America we have been having some problems for decades regarding police brutality, for example lately over last 3 to 5 years we have been seeing people with camera catching police shooting unarmed African Americans, yet when the officer gets to court they never get convicted rarely do you ever see police officers ever get convicted when they shoot at unarmed citizens. Another thing I feel that the problem is from how African Americans where treated as slaves in the 1800s those evil acts that happened to me is the cause of the problems that we are having, I believe some police see blacks

Police brutality remains one of the most serious and divisive human rights violations in the United States. The excessive use of force by police officers persists because of overwhelming barriers to accountability. This fact makes it possible for officers who commit human rights violations to escape due punishment and often to repeat their offenses. Police or public officials greet each new report of brutality with denials or explain that the act was an aberration, while the administrative and criminal systems that should deter these abuses by holding officers accountable instead virtually guarantee them impunity (Williams 45).

Imagine a family member being beaten to death by multiple police officers for looking suspicious or not pulling over in the car. Unfortunately these incidents are not uncommon in today’s society. Police brutality is a growing problem for people around the nation. Brutality is often and individual problem rather than a whole force of officers. Police are not obeying code and using excessive force, racial profiling is being used, and there are unspoken codes about not saying anything about injustices that happen.

the United States. For many decades, people in African American communities have been subjected to violence by those in the law enforcement in the United States. Many U.S. citizens defines if the law enforcements are performing their job correctly. Examples of police brutality in America are: unjustified shootings, and severe beatings are rough treatments that have contributed to the problem. Police brutality occurs in prisons, where the prisoners are mistreated, because it becomes case of authority. The fact of the matters is that most of the incidents go unreported or unnoticed. Police brutality have been unfortunately common towards many African Americans. On March 3, 1991, in California, Rodney King an African American, was pulled over after a high-speed chase. He was then stopped and beaten by four white police officers. In the article Racism Causes Police Brutality, the author Salim Muwakkil comments, "The troubled relationship between blacks and the police has erupted sporadically in violence: Most of the ‘long hot summer’ riots during the ‘60s were sparked by charges of police brutality” (2). The long hot summer were riots about race in 1967 that took place in many areas in the United States. These riots are in causes many African Americans in the cities be caught with and unending cycle of physical violence. Racism could be the cause of police brutality that happens in African American communities. A way to stop police brutality from occurring is by protesting at

Police brutality, more specifically, the systemic racism, discrimination, and disparities that pervade law enforcement and the judiciary system in the United States are the main social problems discussed in Olivia A. Cole's (2014) article concerning the state violence perpetrated by the police in America on Black lives. When one analyzes racism and police brutality from the conflict perspective, it becomes apparent that society continues to be held together by forceful acts of power and coercion for the benefit of the dominant group in power (Leon-Guerrero 2016). There are multiple social institutions that simultaneously create, regulate, and attempt to resolve the issues of police brutality and racism. The government and the politics which come with this institution are perhaps the most predominant instigator. The institution of law, mainly the Judiciary and Legislative systems, and of course, the media play a central role as well. The broad scope and influence these institutions have on society are what ultimately makes police brutality and racism a public issue rather than a personal trouble. One has to consider the magnitude of individuals who experience racism in America and those who perpetuate it as well. Labeling these issues as personal troubles would only serve to diminish the culpability of the abovementioned social institutions regarding their role concerning racism and police brutality.

It feels as if every other week the news is covering a story about communities protesting a police officer, who either beat a person or killed someone, and was not held accountable for it. Police brutality remains one of the most controversial and serious human rights violations in the United States. The excessive use of force by police officers even when a person is not resisting arrest, include insupportable shootings, rough treatment, fatal chokings, and severe beatings. Their superior power makes it possible for officers who commit human rights violations to escape punishment which often causes them to repeat their offenses. It is not acceptable to use excessive force on a person who is not resisting arrest let alone for that person to end up dead as a result of how an officer used more force than needed. It is important that we bring recognition to this subject because of how serious this crime is and the significant outcomes that it can have on other police officers and the public. An officers job is to maintain peace, detect, and prevent crimes. Yet, communities feel the opposite of safety when a police car drives up their street.

Numerous media outlets have reported police brutality over the last few decades, filling the news with shocking headlines. Civilians have made allegations against law enforcement for use of excessive force or unnecessary displays of power. Police have been rendered the responsibility of keeping the public safe and maintaining the order of the American infrastructure. Based on the scenario, it may be required that force be used to diffuse an escalating situation but there are others in where this same force is taken to the extreme (Study, 2003). People have experienced loss of life, injury, wrongful arrest, abuse and other atrocities by those within the law enforcement sector. Police officers have the goal of gaining compliance yet some lack the skill of doing so without causing harm to others. Many citizens feel defenseless against these persons being that they hold great authority within the legal system and possess the ability to destroy the lives of the innocent without question. Police brutality has proven to be a major problem within the United States and this issue needs active solutions. Two adjustments that would contribute to solving the injustice are changing the police procedures for stopping civilians and having officers wear cameras while on duty.