Police Brutality History
Police brutality is a phenomenon that has stood the test of time and it is the culprit to igniting many passionate debates across the United States. The term "police brutality" was in use in the United States as early as 1872, when the Chicago Tribune reported on the beating of a civilian under arrest at the Harrison Street Police Station (1872), and more recently when the CBS news reported that an officer was caught on video violently taking down a citizen (2017). The police have had an extensive history of abusing their powers. The topic of police brutality stays at the forefront of American public debate due to officers repeatedly using more force than necessary. However, with contemporary advancements in independent civilian review boards,
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the innovation of technology, and the increased consciousness of the public we can be optimistic that police brutality will decrease in the United States.
The various police agencies in the United States do not have the best track record for police brutality. It is stunning how much the police have abused their powers in the past. The police have caused so much terror to the people who they are supposed to protect and serve. The police have the ability to use force when necessary; however, they have to adhere to a certain use of force continuum. For instance, if the person of interest has no weapons and is being aggressive, the police are able to use their baton but not their handgun. Despite the use of force continuum, police officers often use more force than necessary. However, the force that the officer uses needs to be proportional and not an exaggeration. To begin with, we need a concise and accurate definition of police brutality to gauge our understanding when looking at different cases of it. Danilina best defined police brutality as: The use of excessive and/or unnecessary force by police when dealing with civilians. “Excessive use of force” means a force well beyond what would be necessary in order to handle a situation. Police brutality can be present in a number of ways. The most obvious form of police brutality is a physical form. Police officers can use nerve gas, batons, pepper spray, and guns in order to physically intimidate or even intentionally hurt civilians. Police brutality can also take the form of false arrests, verbal abuse, psychological intimidation, sexual abuse, police corruption, racial profiling, political repression and the improper use of Tasers.
Furthermore, we cannot possibly fathom what the future of police brutality will be without looking at its history; thus, we will begin our research by analyzing the most historic and influential cases of police brutality in the United States.
The most notable and intriguing example of police brutality in the past happened during the Birmingham campaign. The Birmingham campaign was a nonviolent civil rights movement that was led by Martin Luther King Jr. During the campaign, the Birmingham Police Department, led by Eugene "Bull" Connor, used high-pressure water hoses and police attack dogs on the children, students, and adult bystanders. The issue with the police using force was that the protestors were not being violent. The protestors were only attempting to bring attention and change to the discrimination and segregation of black people. Friedman and Richardson stated in their article that John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States, was sickened by the images of police brutality and fearful that without federal legislation the events of Birmingham would be repeated across the volatile south. Some scholars have credited the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to the Birmingham campaign and the negative publicity it received (2008:224). The negative publicity that the police received was the first of its kind in a way that it helped shape public policy. However, the influence of the media on public policy was microscopic during the Birmingham campaign compared to its current influence which has grown to include social media and movements such Black Lives Matter. In summary, the protests were successful and drew attention to the discrimination and segregation that was taking place in the South. Eugene Connor was also fired from his job and the movement spurred the Civil Rights Act of
1964.
the innovation of technology, and the increased consciousness of the public we can be optimistic that police brutality will decrease in the United States.
The various police agencies in the United States do not have the best track record for police brutality. It is stunning how much the police have abused their powers in the past. The police have caused so much terror to the people who they are supposed to protect and serve. The police have the ability to use force when necessary; however, they have to adhere to a certain use of force continuum. For instance, if the person of interest has no weapons and is being aggressive, the police are able to use their baton but not their handgun. Despite the use of force continuum, police officers often use more force than necessary. However, the force that the officer uses needs to be proportional and not an exaggeration. To begin with, we need a concise and accurate definition of police brutality to gauge our understanding when looking at different cases of it. Danilina best defined police brutality as: The use of excessive and/or unnecessary force by police when dealing with civilians. “Excessive use of force” means a force well beyond what would be necessary in order to handle a situation. Police brutality can be present in a number of ways. The most obvious form of police brutality is a physical form. Police officers can use nerve gas, batons, pepper spray, and guns in order to physically intimidate or even intentionally hurt civilians. Police brutality can also take the form of false arrests, verbal abuse, psychological intimidation, sexual abuse, police corruption, racial profiling, political repression and the improper use of Tasers.
Furthermore, we cannot possibly fathom what the future of police brutality will be without looking at its history; thus, we will begin our research by analyzing the most historic and influential cases of police brutality in the United States.
The most notable and intriguing example of police brutality in the past happened during the Birmingham campaign. The Birmingham campaign was a nonviolent civil rights movement that was led by Martin Luther King Jr. During the campaign, the Birmingham Police Department, led by Eugene "Bull" Connor, used high-pressure water hoses and police attack dogs on the children, students, and adult bystanders. The issue with the police using force was that the protestors were not being violent. The protestors were only attempting to bring attention and change to the discrimination and segregation of black people. Friedman and Richardson stated in their article that John F. Kennedy, the President of the United States, was sickened by the images of police brutality and fearful that without federal legislation the events of Birmingham would be repeated across the volatile south. Some scholars have credited the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to the Birmingham campaign and the negative publicity it received (2008:224). The negative publicity that the police received was the first of its kind in a way that it helped shape public policy. However, the influence of the media on public policy was microscopic during the Birmingham campaign compared to its current influence which has grown to include social media and movements such Black Lives Matter. In summary, the protests were successful and drew attention to the discrimination and segregation that was taking place in the South. Eugene Connor was also fired from his job and the movement spurred the Civil Rights Act of
1964.