Reflection On Police Brutality

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.

This topic police brutality is so important to our because Police is brutality is so big right now and we cant people have innocent people in the streets getting shot for doing what they're supposed to be doing. Why we are talking about this is because we have to make a change and stop what is going on. Police have been targeting black lives and there a holding them at gunpoint and shooting them before they even get a trail or can go to court. We as in all of us shouldn't be scared to walk outside or they shouldn't be scared to see a police. Police are here to protect us and it feels like we are at war with them right now but there are supposed to protect us.

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 heated issue of police brutality and police officers violating civil rights has extensively covered media headlines for several years. Hundreds of people are killed every year by police officers, and many of these cases bring up issues of police brutality. More often than not, it is usually a white police officer and an african american offender encounter that sparks media attention. The shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri is just one of these cases that has caused a major divide in the United States. Michael Brown was fatally shot by Officer Wilson after an unfriendly encounter in the streets. Those who believe that Officer Wilson made the right decision in shooting Michael Brown, point to the fact that the grand jury chose not to indict him. Although Darren WIlson was not charged after the shooting of unarmed Michael Brown, some people believe that his actions were unlawful and he should have received some sort of punishment for his wrongdoing. Acknowledging all of the facts of the investigation, Officer Wilson did not act properly in the circumstances of the time.

John Lewis once said that “The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the American society." Racism has become a huge issue in people’s everyday life and not many may notice, but that’s because it’s been around for so long that it’s not new to anyone and it is the normal, when in reality that means it is so bad that not many people notice anymore. [African Americans experience racism in two main places their workplace and their education, and in a certain way, police brutality.]

The United States has a dark history of mistreating and racially profiling black Americans. Over the years, America has developed into one of the world’s most powerful countries; yet police brutality remains a monumental problem. Police brutality has transformed into such a hot topic, and when brought up in conversation, it sparks a debate. Nevertheless, the brutality should be talked about. Although many believe that the media pushes the narrative, that only African Americans are victims, police brutality stems from racial profiling and is an ever growing issue because stories show a painful pattern, lives are negatively affected, and the use of different solutions is utilized to expose the problem.

Ever since the case of Trayvon Martin being shot in 2013, dozens and dozens of cases of injustice have been brought up to the eyes of the media and the law. Lately, the majority of those cases have been about police brutality, and it’s taken such a strong effect on the public that movements have been born out of it, such as the BlackLivesMatter movement. The situation has reached a point to where President Obama stepped out and addressed the issue at hand. The central issue here isn’t only the barbaric tactics that law enforcement resorts to, but the fact that the power police officers have as enforcers of the law is and has been abused over and over.

On August 9, 2014, Unarmed 18 year-old Michael Brown’s life was taken by police officers. He was shot 7 times, the last shot to the back of his head is what took this young man’s life. He was a young unarmed black male. Just in 2014 over 1,000 people were killed at the hands of police officers. However, even though police say they are just doing their job, police should not be able to abuse their power, because more cases of police brutality are being captured on cell phones and innocent people are being killed.

Brutality, corruption, and misconduct in police, or people in high ranking organizations, can be backtracked all the way to early times. There was not a good way to keep record of these instances, but the earliest known case of police brutality happened on June 10, 1893 and was reported on by the New York Times. Officer McManus tried to subdue a suspect and when he the suspect did not comply, McManus used excessive force to subdue the man. This was seen and the New York Times was told and because of this, the officer lost his job of employment. Brutality is something that will never be resolved, and happens in different departments all around the United States. This is not something that has just been centered on the United States, there are cases around the world that happens however with different countries there are different rules and ways to subdue a suspect. While this will never be fully resolved, there is always room for improvement and with help from officers this can be reduced. Police brutality is a term that many officers try to avoid, because with this term usually there are repercussions that coexist. It is a term that is concise and to the point; in subduing a suspect there was force used that was unnecessary. Whether the suspect was harmed or not, or whether the arresting officer believes he used reasonable force, there is a correct way to subdue a suspect and also a wrong way. Police brutality and misconduct can be defined by the Santhanam Committee Report

With the current Spring Valley, South Carolina situation, this is perhaps a great time to address that police brutality does not, in any circumstance, exist. A few days ago, a video had surfaced the internet, showing a 15-year-old African American female being forcefully pulled out of a desk at school. After seeing this video, many concluded that the police officer was wrong for his actions, without listening to the facts first. As more videos arise, we begin to see the actual circumstances. In the full length videos, you are able to hear the teacher of the classroom asking the female student to leave after being disruptive in class. After refusing to leave, the teacher calls down to the office, requesting someone to come and escort the female from class. A police officer, who happens to be at the school as a resource officer at the time, enters the classroom and requests the female to leave class with him. After refusing, she is told that she will be forcefully removed if she does not comply. She once again refuses, which results in the forceful removal of the young woman.

There is an ongoing conversation on what it will take to reduce police brutality in this country. There have been many suggestions by politicians on the ways that it could possibly be reduced. One of the things that is constantly brought is the possibility of police officers nationwide wearing mounted cameras on them throughout the duration of their shifts. This technology comes with both its positive and negative benefits, but it seems to be the topic most commonly talked about. I believe that this technology goes deeper than simply ensuring police officers aren’t victimizing the public. I believe that this technology carries many more benefits along with it. Upon graduating with a degree in Criminal Justice here at IUPUI I would like to

“I'm telling these tears, ‘Go and fall away, fall away’ May the last one burn into flames”. This is from a line in Beyonce’s song Freedom saying; Rather than falling into despair, black women have formed The Black Lives Matter movement to take action on racism and abuse. Police brutality is not only a problem within The United States, but a global problem with six other countries participating including Europe, Africa, England, Amsterdam, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

I grew up in an urban environment and many times were faced with much adversity. I’ve seen depression, drug addiction, violence and police brutality. There are many past events that I’ll never forget so whenever I see or hear certain things I get emotional. The reason for getting emotional is because the connection to the past. According to “Black Rage in New Orleans” as “African Americans grew in the nation’s cities, it did not take long for white officers to develop an “us versus them” mentality as they encountered African Americans on a daily basis. Consequently, they were often ready to let African Americans know who was in charge by utilizing any and all methods of police repression. Consequently, the term police brutality was all encompassing to African Americans during the postwar period. It included police homicides; unlawful arrests; assaults; threatening and abusive language; the use of racial slurs”. For example, Eric Gardner, an American man from New York were choked to death by a New York police officer. New York Times report that he was shoved to the ground gasping for air, panicking “I can’t breathe”. Eric Gardner was a victim of police brutality and like many other victims didn’t get any justice for the murder. CNN leaked footage of Eric Gardner being murdered and after seeing it I got emotional. The connection of constantly seeing police brutality and nothing being done about it made me frustrated. Another example is the power of music and

The main objective of this research is to provide a better understanding of police brutality to students and scholars who are interested in the field. Moreover, this project will be able to provide the public with a better knowledge of the police department and the possibilities of solving such societal issues. Unfortunately, “the incidents of police violence that took place across the United States in 2014 and 2015 generated a national conversation about the nature of America's law enforcement” (Wang 2015, 1). Equality is the key to a better community. In today’s society, the mentality is that the lives of residents in the ghetto are not supposed to be valued. Policing and violence are only symptoms of this larger societal issue. Society needs

Police brutality has adverse effects on society in its entirety and, hence, there is need to stop these acts so as to improve cohesiveness and the observation of the law in society.