The Causes Of Police Brutality

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)

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.

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.

Over the past five centuries, black people have endured violence in many different ways. Today, police officers use deadly, excessive force that leads to inexcusable assaults, beatings and shootings. This demonstrates the governmentТs role in initiating and prolonging racial suppression and provides the explanation for police brutality to become a federal crime(Black Radical Congress, 3). In history, racist violence, police brutality, has been used to suppress the racial blacks and to preserve power and privileges for the white race. This was done for five primary purposes. First, it has forced black people into slavery or low wage situations. Secondly, to steal land and other resources. A 3-rd was to maintain social control. A fourth

Despite the important racial progresss our society has made since Emmett Till’s death, from the civil rights era, to present increase of police brutality has still left the Black/African American community in shadows of segregation. The second most recent shooting of teenager Michael Brown has left citizens in ongoing battles with law enforcement officers of Ferguson, Missouri. New Statement (2014) reports, Missouri police similarly attempted to retain control of the narrative, claiming Brown had stolen cigars, and then paying for them, and then claiming he was a bad child and attacked the officer who shot him” (New Statement, 21). Brown autopsy reveals he was gun less and shot six times. Police brutality is not solely about Ferguson, Emmett Till, or the civil rights movement, but it is simply about the history of capitalism and police brutality in America and having many forms of it.

Police brutality is a controversial issue that has recently been in the news, but seems to have always been an issue in America. Police brutality refers to the intentional use of verbal or physical attacks directed towards individuals by the police force that result in false arrests, sexual abuse, or death. (Dudley, William 13.) Most of these actions are linked to racial profiling: the targeting of individuals for suspicion of crime based solely on the individual’s race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin. (Dudley, William 13.) Statistics about how often racial profiling and police brutality occurs, movements such as Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter, and police reform efforts are just a few points as to why this topic is so controversial today.

Police brutality is becoming a trend in America. Tensions among the public and especially the African American community are rising due to the latest cases of police brutality. Many people believe that we have come far in this society but to be honest Racism is still a factor. The use of brutal and lethal force by some police officers leading to unnecessary deaths have African American parents on edge to send their children outside for anything. Law enforcement and people whom we trust with our lives are the very same to take it. Some people may want to argue that these cases such as the shooting of Michael brown and choking of Eric Garner are isolated incidents. Others would argue that the work of a police officer is too difficult and that sometimes an officer needs to use such force in order to enforce the law and protect him/herself while on duty. Law enforcement proclaims to feel threatened however what about the civilians who feel threatened of becoming the next target or victim of prey. The society is well aware that not all police commit these crimes and that we do still have law abiding officers. However, with the effort from everyone we can eradicate the bad apples and create a safer road for the officers and civilians.

Police brutality is not a new subject. It has been around for numerous years, and like most issues, has resurfaced to the public’s eyes. The recent events brought up the question: Does there need to be a reform in the system in the police system? In this year alone, there have been countless cases of individuals being harmed or even killed by police officers for reasons that continuously are not explained. What has people more attentive to this injustice are statistics showing that most victims in these police attacks happen to be African Americans and other minorities.

Justice has become nothing more than a word in American society. Badges allow militarized police officers to brutalize and kill unarmed citizens. Police brutality is not a new issue, it first appeared in 1872 when the Chicago Tribune reported the beating of a civilian by a police officer. Although police brutality has been present for decades, the severity has tremendously increased in the past twenty years. It is critical for citizens to become aware of the growing statistics and casualties of the epidemic. By educating Americans on the problem, it may lead to preventing further incidents.

Over the years, there has been a rise witnessed cases of hate crimes, either caused by police brutality and/or by our own government officials. It has become a controversial topic among black and white communities that have seen police brutality take place in front of their homes to their own families and friends which sometimes result in life being lost. In the article this demonstrates the government's role in "initiating and prolonging racial suppression and provides the explanation for police brutality to become a federal

"Acts of police brutality can also constitute torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. As such, they would be human rights violations under the Convention against Torture" ("Police Brutality"). Even though acts of police brutality are considered illegal, police and other law enforcement officers still commit the crime every day. These actions of brutality set an example for the public, which in turn increases racism and aggression. Those who have survived acts of extreme policing are left with mental and physical scars. They live in fear of the police; in fear of those whose job it is to serve and protect the public. The causes of police brutality are inadequate police training, corruption in the justice system, and racial profiling.

To ask this question with all the chaos going on with police brutality, there are some obvious reasons to answer it. A huge amount of people have lost and are continuing to lose trust in their police officers that are supposed to protect and serve. It is hard for a police officer to get a good reputation with what is going on and that is just something they have to deal with. Some people start assuming things right away and think they are going to either be mistreated or shot. For the officers, they just have to do their job without any of what is going on affect them in any way.

With all the war, police brutality, and violence in today’s world it is extremely easy to see why some people believe that humans are naturally violent. Pair that up with the fact that some of us like violent sports and video games like the National Football League (NFL), World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and Call of Duty (COD), you have an airtight case that we humans are naturally violent. However, through all this, I believe that us humans are not naturally violent.

Those of the minority group have been subjected, for a long time, to viciousness by those in law implementation in the United States. This sort of savagery is an immediate portrayal of police ruthlessness, which regularly prompts to death. Police fierceness has been an issue for a long time, and it remains a noteworthy worry for those of the minority group. In the course of recent hundreds of years, dark individuals have persevered savagery in a wide range of ways. Today, cops utilize lethal, over the top power that prompts unpardonable attacks, beatings and shootings.This shows the administration's part in starting and drawing out racial concealment and gives the clarification to police severity to wind up noticeably a government wrongdoing. Ever, bigot viciousness, police ruthlessness, has been utilized to smother the racial blacks and to save power and benefits for the white race. This was improved the situation five basic roles. To start with, it has constrained dark individuals into subjugation or low wage circumstances. Furthermore, to take arrive and different assets. A 3-rd was to keep up social control. A fourth reason for existing was to dispense with struggle in governmental issues, social life, and business. Finally, the fifth reason for existing was to join white individuals over the ethnic, class, and sexual orientation limits.

As recent incidents of police brutality plague our nation toward minority groups, especially that of African Americans, the question asked by many is if such deadly force necessary, and what other actions could have led to a better outcome? Although our primary thought is to blame police officers for death, we must realize that sometimes deadly action is necessary and anyone put in a similar situation would act the same way. According to the U.S Supreme Court in the 1985 case, Tennessee vs Garner, police force can only be used when, “[the] suspect is a significant threat to officer or others.” Later, in the case of Graham vs. Connor, the Supreme Court ruled that “officers who use force must be judged on the totality of circumstances and a standard of objective reasonableness. Force must be judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, rather than with the 20/20 vision of hindsight;” however, this does not excuse police brutality, and officers must face penalties for taking someone’s life. Cases such as, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, and Tamir Rice illustrate when police need to be punished for their actions and be held accountable for violence against citizens. Although clearly outlined for what would be a just reason for necessary force, many cases that involved police brutality can be blamed on tactics that relate to “broken windows” and a need for different policies and methods.