The Police Force Is Justified

The militarization of the police is becoming more and more prevalent issue in our society. There are positives and negatives to this issue, but in my opinion it is a negative occurrence. Excessive use of force further divides police and community, which eventually may lead to severe consequences that may be irreparable.

Rise of the Warrior Cop, by Radley Balko, centers around police in the United States and how it has gone through militarization throughout the years. Militarization is a process in which the police departments take on tactics that are similar to the tactics used by the military. Police forces were initially made to make our environment a safer place to live in. In this book, Balko explains how that has changed. Practices of policing first began when people would get hired, unofficially, to keep slaves under control and catch them if they try to run away. These people were sometimes known as slave catchers. Soon it evolved into formal policing, allowing police to catch criminals and make the neighborhood safe. However, today it is not so much about catching criminals; it involves a lot of violence and Balko questions whether this is even constitutional. In his writing, Balko brings awareness to the horrible tactics police are using in today’s society and how we could fix it.

Historically there has been conflict between the american police force and members of minority groups. In recent years this conflict has moved into the eye of the public, through the media attention given to events like Ferguson. Outrage and unrest ensued and the backlash from these events were felt all over the US if not internationally. The result of these events lead to politicians and the police pledging reforms to improve the relations between law enforcement and members of minority groups. However many still believe that nothing has changed and that law enforcement is still more likely to use excessive force when dealing with members of those minority groups. Research has started to be conducted on this issue and many try to find solutions. This paper will provide a literary review of the current literature regarding this topic and will further provide some ways in which the relationship between law enforcement and the public can be improved.

Recently, there has been much in the media about clashes between African Americans and the police. Two such cases, being the shootings of Michael Brown and Laquan McDonald - both incidents resulting in public outrage. These cases result in questions about racial profiling by police. Through research, it is clear that African Americans are the target of racial bias by many police departments in the United States; in order to remedy this situation, law enforcement agencies need to (and are beginning to) undergo scrutiny on their interactions with the public and, additionally must receive training on diversity.

Now, to put this in perspective we need to look at the recent events of Ferguson, Missouri. 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot six times and killed by police officer Darren Wilson. The shooting sparked civil unrest in the community and resulted in protests, rioting, vandalism, and other such responses. In reaction to the social outcry and protest response, the police force took to militarized procedure to contain the civilians. On August 11, 2014 the local police stations outfitted

To some Negroes police have come to symbolize white power, white racism and white repression. And the fact is that many police do reflect and express these white attitudes,” the Kerner Commission declared. “The atmosphere of hostility and cynicism is reinforced by a widespread belief among Negroes in the existence of police brutality and in a ‘double standard’ of justice and protection — one for Negroes and one for whites.” The words sound remarkably modern, considering the protesters in Ferguson that chanted as they marched down West Florissant Avenue, “Who do you serve? Who do you protect?”

In the aftermath of the Ferguson riots, FBI Director James Comey delivered a truly socially conscious speech, “The Hard Truths: Law Enforcement and Race.” Comey said, “At many points in American history, law enforcement enforced the status quo, a status quo that was often brutally unfair to disfavored groups.” He pointed out that police vans are still referred to as “paddy wagons,” a direct and bigoted slight towards Irish Americans. “The Irish had tough times, but little compares to the experience on our soil of black Americans,” added Comey.

For decades, civilian deaths caused by police have been a reason for concern in the United States. However, the police are not entirely to blame for their image after these events. Media plays a crucial role in how the public view law enforcement. More often than not, people form their views and opinions of police based off of what they hear and see from others; mainly the media. Stories told by press make up a small percentage of actual events. For example, an African American being shot is more likely to become a big story, even though Caucasians have actually been shot more. The media should release all information they received in as unbiased a manner as possible, to allow the public to form their own opinions. Although white privilege

Militarization of the police is an arising public concern over the past recent years. Society has tried to comprehend the concept of militarizing the police. The public is terrified of the idea of what militarizing the police can mean for America. According to US Senator Elizabeth Warren “This is America, not a war zone,” she felt the need to express her thoughts because of the outrage that were occurring in Ferguson. Citizens feels as though militarizing the police will cause more insecurities and less confidence that were already so little in the police force. Media footage of events such as Ferguson and Baltimore have negatively influence the public opinion on supporting militarization of police. People believe police officers use

Throughout its’ history, the United States of America has had a military branch in order to protect the country from foreign enemies, dating back all the way to the Revolutionary War when the brave young Colonies declared independence from Great Britain. However, the first official domestic defense did not come until almost one hundred years later when the city of Boston established the first official American police force in 1838, followed by New York City in 1845 (Potter 1). Soon major cities all over the country followed in the footsteps of Boston and New York City. Police forces were seen as a positive presence in the United States when they were established; enforcing justice against the unjust. Law enforcement in the United States has been scrutinized from the beginning of its’ creation due to bad apples within police forces across the nation. The bad apples unfortunately were corrupting an organization that was supposed to be serving and protecting the people of the United States for approximately a couple hundred years. Fortunately, the evil and undue police within departments across the country were heavily outnumbered by the good cops in this country. The same is true today, but in recent history police brutality has been a widespread issue in the United States. Although police corruption and brutality is present in America today, the need for police is more apparent now than ever because police forces across the country as a whole are keeping the peace and are

In the most recent years the United States police forces has been growing as a whole. From local departments to federal agencies, law enforcement personnel have more equipment and weapons. Thanks to the high government budget it allows departments to equip their officers very well. The main concern with citizens is that heavily arming police makes them seem very militaristic. Police now have access to M4 and AR-15 style assault rifles, Kevlar body and head armor, and armored vehicles. Although many citizens believe that the police are over equipped with high tech gear, it is necessary for officer to have it for their own safety. Most people don’t understand that this type of gear allows officers to better handle close quarter combat and mass

Misinformed public opinion of police militarization is due to the fact of false facts brought to us in the forms of opinion pieces in newspapers, blogs, and forums. Some of these sources are claiming that there is a “war on terror” that has come home and it’s wreaking havoc on innocent American lives. The culprit is the militarization of the police.”(Kane, 2014) These claims of military weapons that are being used in wars over seas and are now being used for our local police departments are true, but the way that they are being portrayed is unrealistic. The reason the weapons are coming from the military is not to try and escalate police force; they are being used to be on the same level as the criminals. Criminal all around the world are accessing military weapons and if police officers, who

The war on drugs is what initially gave birth to the militarization of police in communities across America. Unfortunately, post 9/11 war on terror has strengthened the military persona. Innocent citizens including children have fallen victim to this new military of law enforcement in our homeland. With legislations and procedures like a capability in defense resources that allowed the Pentagon to transfer excess military equipment to police, local law enforcement agencies are using weapons found in the combat zone of foreign lands. Since our current President Obama has been in office police agencies have reportedly received over tens of thousands of assault rifles; and roughly 200,000 ammunition magazines; thousands of pieces of concealment and night-vision equipment; and hundreds of silencers, along with armored cars and military type aircraft. The result is that police agencies around the country possess the military-level equipment, turning officers who are supposed to fight crime and shelter communities into what appears to be an invading force of an army. Moreover, military-style police raids have increased in the past years (Apuzzo, 2014). When should protect and serve public safety and civil liberties out weight the badge?

November 17th, 2014. This is day significant because it marks one of the most blatant displays of power issued by the police force. In Ferguson, Missouri, martial law is declared by Governor Jay Nixon and police are given almost unlimited authority. They are equipped with military vehicles, military body armor and uniforms, they even possess military grade weapons. These are not things that you would normally use to help protecting the peace of a city. It was a demonstration of authority to show the people of the city that they will not tolerate any more violence. So I am going to ask and answer the question “Is Militarization of Police Necessary?” If you are still wondering what the answer is; it is not necessary and I’ll explain why in the following paragraphs.

Is there really a problem with today 's police? When the U.S. retreated back several years ago from waging constant battles in Iraq and Afghanistan, the mindset of war continues to remain unchanged. The current administration now hands out military surplus gear left and right, gearing local police officers to wage war in the neighborhood of America 's residents. Officers looked ready to fight a war, when donning their new police uniforms with a discreet black or camouflage pattern along with the latest and greatest military advancements in weapons and tactics. The level of tactical superiority provides only short term relief to the situation, but on the contrary creates a significant amount of long term problems in deteriorating public support of police. Through the public support of ending the 1033 program, change the culture of the police, and the need of community centered training. These steps guarantee the disseverment of police militarization due to the duty of the citizen to take the law into their own hand and account.