Why Do We Need Police Brutality?

Police Brutality is defined as the use of excessive or unnecessary force by police when dealing with civilians. What the dictionary does not state is that lives are lost, families are ripped apart, and innocent people are killed every year. Officers are made to enforce the law, and protect the citizens from harmful situations, not to use force indiscriminately in situations that could be managed in many other ways. The topic of police brutality needs to be brought up more as a situation that needs to be fixed and addressed by the public and government-like figures. Many of the police brutality reports have said to be based a lot on race. In new York alone 80% of the documented cases were in Black and Latino parts of the city. “Racial minorities-
mostly Blacks and Latinos- who are targeted the most.” [Stewart 45] with these groups being excluded and more prone to officers being ‘frightened’ of them, puts them in situations where they have to protect themselves or else be killed by the officers. In many cases the civilian gets killed if they make a physical threat towards the police while trying to protect themselves. African Americans are seen to be a threat towards some White police officers and causes officers to act out of impulsivity. “In such cases, excessive force is used because of a mistake in judgement.” [Stewart 19] an officer made a point in an interview. Another point made by judges and juries from the article “Making Race Salient: Trayvon Martin and Implicit Bias in a Not Yet Post-Racial Society” states “Judges and juries are often unaware that implicit racial bias can influence their perceptions of threat, danger, and suspicion in cases involving minority defendants and victims.” [Lee 2013] Cases have also shown it is virtually impossible for Black males to reach adulthood without being treated unfair by officers, meaning non-physical and physical abuse from them. Dealing with police officers, young African American males are often taught growing up how to deal with different situations if they get pulled over, including myself as a woman. Males are not the only ones getting killed by police. “Nearly 60 percent of unarmed black females are killed by police during their time of interaction”, this is from a women study finds from “the Source” [Everding 2018]. Parents teach their teenagers things like, putting both hands on the wheel when you get pulled over, when they ask for your License and Registration make sure to voice your movements, and to keep a calm and steady voice when addressing or speaking to the officer. This is all caused of police violence towards citizens who seem to be a threat to officers, which has led to causing deaths. The parents are afraid and fear for their children. Even then after teaching these procedures, hundreds of people are killed every year by police seeming to think they are reaching for a gun in their glove compartment or under their seat. Officers in this situation are misguided and do this from judgement. Police that carry armed weapons like guns are not the only thing putting other people in danger. More than 225,000 officers are carrying Tasers according to a 2011 report. These too have long term effects and are abused. If the standard procedures are not followed through and the person is disobeying the officers, the next step is to use a nightstick or Taser. According to one Denver police officer using a Taser is “one hundred percent more humane.” But what he failed to understand was that there are effects from getting stung by a Taser. The Taser barbs are designed to stick to skin and clothing tightly which makes it even harder to get out the skin and then the need for the emergency room is even greater. Using a Taser might be better to use for Non-Lethal purposes, but they are able to cause everlasting effects on people. Being stung by one can disrupt the brain function and can impair the ability to process information and the ability to remember things. It can also cause a cardiac arrhythmia in a healthy heart. Many need treatments for minor cuts and scrapes, but there are also at least 6 cases of deaths caused from head injuries when the person falls after the hit. Going along with police brutality, a policemen’s line of work is not to kill innocent people.
They are responsible for enforcing the laws and making sure citizens are protected like, giving speeding tickets, parking tickets and enforcing the law. Hurting the innocent and ripping apart families and teenagers are not a part of their line of work. This makes some citizens question their humanity. The officer is allowed to use force on someone and is taught procedures to follow that insures they do not mistreat their power. There are 5 general levels of force they are allowed to use, each with a different scenario. In the first case they may request license or I.D, next comes a firm verbal response or a firm grip on the shoulder or arm of the person causing resistance. If the suspect is noncompliance, officers are allowed to go into headlocks, wristlocks, or fingerholds. Force against the officer gets the effect of hitting or kicking from the police or even pepper spray, or Taser guns. The last step is Lethal force, this is only used if the suspect in hold is threatening the life of the police in any way. In no way of any sort are the police allowed to use a weapon
indiscriminately. Using a weapon indiscriminately is not the top of chain of police violence on citizens. Approximately 13,000 people are attacked by police dogs wrongfully. Even though these dogs are trained to attack people once given a certain command, lots of officers abuse this power and may send the dog off to attack even without any physical show of threat towards the officer. Because the dogs are able to jump, bite, and tackle, people have faced affects from the abuse of dogs. Some have lost eyes, ears, and even noses in the process of getting mauled. Even head traumas can occur if the human falls too hard in the process. Police violence is not all caused by people threatening the police. Protestors are usually key leaders to the public being the enemy. Even in peaceful protests, police officers will guard and circle around the protestors keeping them from being able to escape. Famous cases like the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown, started the famous protest “Black Lives Matter.” August. 9th of 2014 Brown was walking to his home in Ferguson Missouri when an officer looking for a suspect that matched his description shot 12 bullets at Michael. 6 ended up hitting him, and the final one hit and killed him. Acts like this have caused major backlash from the people which has resulted in protests nationwide. If these protestors do not follow orders force will be put in following the levels of power the police have. Still, they will abuse this power. Many are injured during this. Innocent protestors are tackled, physically picked up by the police, and even body slammed into the ground. Most of these, like being beat by a nightstick can cause head injuries and internal bleeding. Even now there are things we can do to help prevent Police Brutality.
Officers can be required to take more training then they are now. Going through trials to see how they deal in stressful situations that will make them think irrationally can be a good start. “Bad” officers must be fired, they could be toxic and dangerous. Officers can be required to earn 4-year degrees. Statistics have shown that people with longer school degrees have a clearer mindset and can think better in different situations using problem solving skills. More women officers can be a big help also. Statistics say they are more professional, less brutal, and just as effective. Women now only make up, if any, 12% of the police force. Not only making changes to the way police are trained will help, but changes from the people who have the power to make those changes will also help. People like community organizers can speak up. State Governments like the district attorneys, judges and mayors can have a say. The President of the United States can address the situation and even the Federal Bureau of
Investigation. In oppose to officers doing the wrong thing, police do what they have to do to protect their community. Even though some people do not think this is the right thing to do by the citizens, policemen are trained to protect their cities and do right by them. Which can mean killing anyone who seems to be a threat, or actually shows threat towards them. To some, people believe that the government is keeping hidden information from the public about the killings, and actual news stories on what happened and who approached who. Brutality and violence amongst police is a wide spread problem. Weapons are being used indiscriminately, non-lethal weapons are causing damage, and even dogs are being told to attack when there is no real threat. Reports from cases like this and the case of Trayvon Martin, and Michael Brown, need to be seen as a bigger problem in today’s society instead of just being seen in headlines like, “Another black male killed by local police officer”. Change can happen and will make the community more safe instead of civilians fearing the people they need to go to in times of need.