Police Brutality Argumentative Essay

Body cameras can hold police officers accountable for their actions, both the good and the bad. “Continuously wearing body cameras would hold police accountable for their appropriate, and inappropriate, conduct” (Buam). Also when the citizens make accusations they could pull the video from the camera and see whether the police officer did what they said they did or not. “Video recorded by body cams protect any false accusations, misconduct, or abuse

The United States of America has many horrible police officers. This has created a stereotype that all police officers are terrible. One of the main reasons police officers have been target lately is, because many innocent people are harassed by them daily. There are multiple ways to classify these police officers as horrible being, but police brutality, corruption, and how they handle violent protest are three of many classifications.

Police brutality is the lavish physical assault or verbal assault during police procedures which can involve interrogating or apprehending a suspect. Police brutality originated from the labor worker strikes in the 1800’s through the 1900’s. The violent brutal act of these officers usually formed around the lower socioeconomic class. Since then police brutality has hit an all-time high in the 21st century. In New York alone there has been reportedly over 72 police brutality reports some reports even ended in the deaf of a citizen. There’s been claim of police officers violently choking citizens at traffics stops and beating citizen up in public. There’s been new technology such as body cameras which are used by most police but not all.

“There have been other high-profile instances of officers not turning on cameras. One officer involved in the shooting of a 22-year-old black man in the small city of Saratoga Springs, Utah, in September didn't turn on his body camera. A second officer involved in the incident had no camera” (Jackson). Body Cameras could help officers make their jobs easier by keeping civilians more civil. Body Cameras would help show if they unnecessary force against civilians. The more use of body cameras would help improve behaviors of officers who are using excessive force for no

Although I should know by now, I cannot help but think that there has been an overwhelming amount of police brutality in recent years. Police brutality can be defined as, when a police officer uses more force than necessary. This issue has spread throughout the United States of America, and is putting the lives of our citizens in great danger. Police brutality is not only physical, but it can also be verbal attacks; and, in most cases, it is caused by false arrest and racial profiling due to police corruption. Police brutality has been and continues to be a major concern in society and it is used very loosely to any and all forms of police misconduct. Whereas, in reality, excessive force of police misconduct is what defines police brutality. The jobs of a police officer are too calmly resolve public disturbance and disputes. Police officers are supposed to protect citizens; instead they are hurting and using excessive force. It is not right and it is unjust for a police officer to hurt a citizen due to an assumption without any actual proof of criminal activity.

The cameras are very small portable devices, it’s the size and length of a cigarette stick. The camera is attached to the police officers uniform and sits in a pocket. Usually police officers are required to wear this body camera while they are on duty. The cameras record everything that happens between officers and civilians. The Rialto Police Department was the first to actually use and wear the body cameras in 2012. They did a yearlong study to see the impact of police relations by wearing body cameras. One officer wasn’t feeling too good about this idea because he thought the cameras would be to punish them instead of helping them out. “During the first year after the cameras were introduced, the use of force by police officers reportedly declined 60% and complaints from citizens against law enforcement officers decreased 88%.” This was a yearlong study in which 54 officers had to

By wearing the body camera it should make the officer second guess any misconduct as well as protect the officer. These cameras will

Throughout history, there has been very few careers that require such a high degree of an ethical standard such as the one required for law enforcement. There is, however, a multitude of careers that require the dedication and heart such as required for a police member. Where this dedication and heart differs relies solely on the difference in the job. Officers are required to be aware of their surroundings nearly all the time as if something were to happen they would be required to navigate through the situation successfully. Somebody such as a CEO for a multimillion dollar company would not require this same quality due to the fact it is not part of their job description and the only individual that he/she needs to be worried about is themselves. However, in today’s society, and with media being an ever growing aspect, some police officers have decided on their own personal way to handle justice. So unfortunately, this small percentage of police contract a huge amount of negative eyes to the profession. This small number of individuals bring a negative view to the police department as a whole and for this cause an issue in the public’s eye. Regardless of what many individuals believe, many of the police officers decide on the ethical side of the job and are hardworking professionals who seek out to just serve the public. However, being an African American male myself the main issue I have and want to combat is the punishment officers should face if

Body cameras in policing are still new, but more and more agencies are beginning to implement this technology into their line of work. At first police officers were very hesitant to wear these body cameras because they were afraid they would infringe themselves and give away their own privacy. Later, as body cameras were beginning to see more use in the work place, officers began to realize that these very own body cameras that they once thought would only cause themselves harm would actual prove to be useful in a variety of situations. Some of these situations can be citizen complaints, to even backing up an officers use of force. Body cameras can be the one sole thing that can give

Body cameras are proven to make policemen act better while they’re are on duty. “Police officers "tend to behave a little better"(Kon, Body Cameras for Police Officers). if they know their behavior is being recorded on camera” stated author Tsin Yen Kon. Police will act better cause they know they are being “watched”. Just like when a student has a parent to sit in their class, they act very well, police do the same. Police will also act right, because they don’t want to lose their jobs or get fired because some careless mistake that they made while on camera. “When police officers are acutely aware that their behavior is being monitored (because they turn on the cameras), and when officers tell citizens that the cameras are recording their behavior, everyone behaves better” (Knickerbocker). Brad Knickerbocker, the author, explains how both sides of the camera, police, and criminal will have an effect on their behavior because they know that they are being watched, and recorded. When people know they are being watched, it is like they get scared, because they don't want anything to be used against them. Although cameras will make police act better, people will still think that police brutality will still happen.

"Relations between the police and minority groups are a continuing problem in many multiracial societies. Surveys consistently document racial differences in perceptions of the police, with minorities more likely than whites to harbor negative views." (Weitzer and Tuch, Race and Perceptions of Police Misconduct, 2004)

Cops wearing cameras might seem like the perfect idea, for all the logical reasons: The cameras have the potential to increase accountability, reduce complaints, and increase positive police and citizen interactions. However a lot of the assumptions about body-worn cameras are not true and there are some negative unattended side effects of body-worn cameras. Academics of Criminal Justice, at various universities and government organizations have recently studied body cameras, and have identified the misconceptions and potential consequences of having police use body-cams. If police departments in the United States are going to adopt the technology, then both law enforcement, government, citizens

One reason police officers should wear body cameras is to be able to use the videos as evidence. Many cases cannot be resolve due to lack of evidence and the death of citizens in the hands of police officers. Lately we had many incidents were citizens were killed by police officers, and there is not enough proof if this

different people, groups, and institutions influence policy decisions. Police brutality is influenced by many, such as our American political ideals of civil rights and liberties, the political process in terms of the media and our political institutions, one which the courts.

San Diego police need to make some changes to the police force. The most important one is about 1,000 watch officers with cameras to record their day. Officers in the city of Rialto in San Bernardino County have been wearing cameras since 2012. “Rialto Police Chief William A. Farrar, working with a Cambridge University scientist, discovered two major results: Complaints against his officers declined by 88 percent as well as Warren County Sheriff's Department started utilizing the cameras as a part of May 2014, Sheriff Martin Pace said when Armstrong declared he needed the cameras for every one of his officers.”(Hurley) Recording tools aren't only the most recent tool in police innovation, but they are getting to be a normal working system. “Video from such cameras can assume a part in protests and claims, however they can likewise be useful in court. Fewer complaints and calmer policing, said Farrago, would reduce lawsuits and expensive payouts.” (Hurley) This represents that the people in the cities with all the violence have seem to notice that body cameras might actually help and “Oakland Police Department Officer Dave Burke said “Oakland propelled the project in the 2009-2010 financial year. Officers have come to regard the cameras as a basic piece of their gear, an alternate sort of protective layer yet pretty much as basic as a shot confirmation vest. The cameras turn into a fundamental device. Everyone needs a camera,”(Prather) Burke said. Officers won't go on a mission without having one on them and lets say if one breaks they just come back and instead of getting new one they actually have someone else sub for them because they broke there's. This is important because with these videos being public they are obtainable by pretty much anyone and so the complaints will be lower because they will have everything on