The Monster And The Police

-By definition the term police brutality is “applied in the context of causing physical harm, it may also involve psychological harm through the use of intimidation tactics beyond the scope of officially sanctioned police procedure.” In today’s society we have police known as riot police, who are known throughout the world to use extreme force. Statistics show almost every time the riot police are involved in crowd control, there is at least one fatality and multiple injured. This is why I believe this is one of the most important issues in the World today. Police are there to protect us but from April 2009 to June 2010 in the United States there were 5986 reports of misconduct from police officers. Police brutality has today’s citizens doubting the police department, and how they go about their arrest. Police brutality is an everyday occurrence, especially in cities where there are large communities of Blacks, Latinos and Asians.

Police brutality is a social problem faced in many communities around the world. Focusing on North America, the problems and central focuses on police brutality stem from racism and the excessive abuse of power. Police brutality is defined as unmerited, excessive and aggressive abuse, police brutality is a phenomenon that causes irreparable harm to its victims. The abuse may be physical or psychological, and the victims can feel the effects of this abuse for a lifetime. These effects include not only physical wounds, but also psychological ones. In some cases, the community also experiences the impact of police brutality on its victims. (Angel, CopBlock.org)

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.

From the disturbing beating of Rodney King to the horrific death of Malice Green to the shooting of Michael Brown shows there is a consistent problem with police brutality and the exertion of force used. Police brutality seems to be a rising issue again with the occurrence of the Michael Brown shooting and the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement making sure that any form of police brutality should not be swept under the rug. Action has been taken in some cities around the country for dealing with police brutality, such as police reform, which requires the retraining of hundreds of officers. There has also been talk and use of police body cameras that would record interactions between officers and the public to clear up any discrepancies in police/witness reports. To look at the effects and causation of police brutality we will be analyzing the media’s role, the sociological and psychological aspects of officers who administer the beating, and the timing of when these beatings/killings occurred.

“ Police brutality refers to force used by law enforcement officers that is excessive and/or unnecessary in dealing with civilians. Excessive use of force means more than is needed in a given situation. It may include physical injury…” ( "Police Brutality and Race."). In the book. through pages 19-23, describes an incident that happened between a police officer and a young black male. Rashad was wrongfully accused of shoplifting and assulting a white woman. The white lady stubbles over rashad which causes him to drop his bag of chips next to his bag, this caused the owner of the shop to think that rashad was shoplifting. So, the local police officer took action and handcuffed him. The police officer was hurting Rashad and he moved, Guzzo (the police officer) believes that rashad was resisting and throw him on the ground which results in a broken nose and cracked ribs. The authors purpose is to show the readers about a fictional situation that often occurs in real life. This can cause an effect on readers by showing them how racist some police officers can be. Along with that how stereotypes can often ruin and harm many lives. Many readers can relate to seeing something, that they wished they didn’t, and not knowing what to do after. “.... but i spent most of the night still stuck on the sidewalk outside Jerry’s, me heart pumping fiercely in my throat, and when someone

The history of police brutality goes way back, even into the 1800’s. Back then it was said to be aimed at the poor labor workers. Workers would go on strike, such as the Great Railroad strike of 1877, the Pullman Strike of 1894, or the Lawrence Textile strike of 1912. Police would brutally beat the strikers to get them to stop. As a part of their revolt, labor workers that were participating in the strike would beat the police officers(“Law”).

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.

Over the recent years, police have been one of the organizations to be associated with the largest cases of misconduct. Police brutality can be termed as the process of misuse and abuse of authority by the police. The rising cases of police brutality are causing more harm to the public, compared to the actions perpetrated by real criminals. Although police claim that it’s sometimes necessary to curb crime, the process is illegal and police officers should be charged just like any other criminal offender. It should be the responsibility of the justice system to establish effective strategies to deal with the rising illegal activities in order to restore public trust in the law

Police brutality is in the spotlight these days. With new technology such as cell phones and the internet, we can barely go online without seeing something new in the headlines about the violence being perpetrated about the forces protecting our cities. In a radio interview for NPR on April 30, 2015 titled “’Baltimore Sun’ Probe Exposes ‘Disturbing Pattern’ of Police Brutality”, Renee Montagne interviews Mark Puente, who was assigned to research police brutality through the years. This interview speaks the facts about relevant issue of police brutality with visceral accounts that are credible and eye-opening into the actions of America’s ‘men in uniform’ through the years.

Thomas Hobbes describes his views on human nature and his ideal government in Leviathan. He believes human nature is antagonistic, and condemns man to a life of violence and misery without strong government. In contrast to animals, who are able to live together in a society without a coercive power, Hobbes believes that men are unable to coexist peacefully without a greater authority because they are confrontational by nature. “In the nature of man”, Hobbes says “there are three principal causes of quarrel: first, competition; secondly, diffidence, thirdly, glory” and then he goes on to list man’s primary aims for each being gain, safety and reputation (Hobbes, Leviathan, 13, 6).

Hobbes suggests three causes of the nature of man. First, competition; Second, Diffidence; third, glory. Human exercise violence first to gain their desire, and secondly to defend their gains, and lastly for one’s own reputation. On the ground that we are all in a state of war, Hobbes states, “In such conditions, there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain…no knowledge of the face of the earth, no account of time, no arts, no letters, NO SOCIETY, and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death…” (Leviathan, XIII). Therefore, the idea of justice or injustice cannot have a place in our society where there is no power.

1.There are many monsters in todays society. Depending on your stance on political issues, police officers may be considered to be the very monsters plaguing todays inner cities. However, I look at this with a different perspective, geared toward morals and ethics of what you should do when a police officer approaches you and how the media portrays these stories. In my opinion, the media is the root of all this evil and is truly one of the most devastating factors when considering if the police are at fault. The scariest part about it is the fact that most people are willing to believe what they see on television without digging deeper into the facts behind each case.

Police brutality is an old problem that has been around in this country for many years. Unfortunately, civilians have experienced it in their thousands, suffering varying degrees of damages, ranging from injuries or even loss of their lives at the hands of the brutal police. Even more disheartening is the fact that numerous officers in the American police force believe that their brutal and hostile tactics are contributing and giving justice to society, which is their basic role in the world (Vila and Morris 29). However, the

At first glance, Hobbes’ theory of rule within his artificial commonwealth appears deceptively simple: an omnipotent, totalitarian sovereign who compels absolute obedience through the use of terror, fear, and the constant threat of violence. Nothing illustrates this apparent simplicity more aptly than the common-held notion of the sovereign as the dispenser of cruel and malevolent punishment. However, upon closer examination of Hobbes’ views on the purpose and character of punishment, this one-dimensional understanding of sovereign rule becomes rather problematic.

There is a ceaseless struggle for control that is derived from human self-interest. Such desire becomes desperate ambition that drives the individual to heinous actions. Violence ensues and as the carnage occurs, only one thing can truly satisfy the hunger for dominance: a covenant made to unify varying interests under a common power. In Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury writes profoundly on the arrangement of legitimate government and the structure of society by calling to attention the constant vying for “power after power that ceaseth only in death” (Hobbes, 56). Through his depiction of human interactions, Hobbes claims that there is a perpetual longing for ease and protection, knowledge, and fame (Hobbes, 56-57). When desires are conflicting, Hobbes claims that there is fierce competition that results in irreconcilable relationships. As a consequence of their extreme animosity, the individuals engage in total warfare, and they share only the interest of “destroying or subduing one another” until their demands are satisfied (Hobbes, 58). The horrendous conflict can only be resolved by what Hobbes refers to as a “mutual covenant” in which individuals comply and “confer all their power and strength upon one man” (Hobbes, 62-63). The concept of creating a covenant that is willing to yield to a single sovereignty is further examined by the scholar Mark Peacock in his article “Obligation and Advantage in Hobbes’ Leviathan.” Peacock calls into question whether or not an