Examples Of Police Brutality

Police Brutality or Legitimate Police Force? In the “Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement,” retired police officer and law enforcement author Vincent Henry defines the term police brutality as the “excessive, illegitimate, and/or illegal use of force by a police officer or a group of police officers upon one or more civilians.” Henry explains how police brutality is a complex issue in today’s society, and in order to understand it, one must be able to differentiate legitimate and illegitimate use of police force. Henry identifies this distinguishing factor as the “appropriateness and reasonableness of the quality and degree of force police use in light of the specific circumstances involved.” If an officer uses an inappropriate or unreasonable amount of force towards a civilian, it is considered police brutality. Henry points out that police officers experience a wide range of situations and factors that can influence the amount of force used, which is why
When police officers step outside these guidelines for appropriateness and reasonableness, they are using illegitimate force and therefore, partaking in an act of police brutality. An example of police brutality is given in Buzzfeed and ABC news articles written by Claudia Koerner and Enjoli Francis, respectively. Both articles cover an event in which a Washington DC Police Officer held a woman off the ground and pinned her against the patrol car. Statements from the victim are given in both articles, specifically stating her opinion that “it’s harassment, any way you look at it, it’s harassment.” In the ABC video covering this story, former FBI agent Brad Garrett acknowledges that “the way the officer handles her is odd and definitely unconventional,” but states that “without knowing the circumstances as to why he had her in that position, you can’t be critical of him until you know more.” Further exemplifying that police brutality is a subjective concept that is