Police Brutality
Police officers should always speak with the truth, show their commitment, and bravery, and act as the law says to, but unfortunately not all who say to protect us actually do. We’ve come across many police brutality cases that have honestly shown the other side of some police officers. Their job as officers and as representatives of our country is to protect us not kill us. We live in a world where there’s a diversity of different kinds of races but that shouldn’t change the fact that we should feel protected instead of afraid. As citizens, we should feel safe that the police will handle a problem and fix it but instead we fear that our loved ones will get hurt instead of defended. As a community, we should come together to help one another and find a solution to this kind of problem. Police brutality has been a result of discrimination, excessive use of force, and innocent deaths.
One of many big issues as to why police brutality has been committed against innocent people is discrimination. We’ve let our inner ego and beliefs take control of what we see and think is correct to do without actually knowing the history behind it. During the past years many people have dealt and have history; especially black people, with being discriminated against unfairly. According to The Cincinnati Enquirer, by Max Lundberg, it states that “The lawsuits claim their races motivated Isaacs discipline decisions, and the city’s handling of the situation violated their 14th amendment rights and state employment law. Hill used the N-word while making an arrest after a fight in Westwood. He said, “That goddamn alcohol got you (N-word) out here acting stupid.” Not only did he call him something to be considered very offensive to a black man but insulted him together instead of handling things with respect as his job should consist. Many people have seen the N-word be something ok to say but don’t know the history or damage they’re acting doing in saying it. For instance, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer, by Max Lundberg, it states that “A few months later, in December, Barnette used the N-word to refer to a black woman as he arrested her.” The use of this word has been a form of discrimination because it’s seen to be only used to refer to black people. This isn’t the way people or even officers, who should be the ones setting an example of professionalism and respect, handle any situation. As human beings, we should all respect, care for, and treat each other equally.
Another cause of police brutality is the use of excessive force. Officers now have taken advantage of the power they have as the police to use their force in a brutal way toward innocent people. It’s caused much unfairness and harm to those who don’t mean any harm but to say their rights and sadly the officers have not respected that. According to Timesunion, by Kenneth Crowe, it states that “Relf was going out to his car on Oakwood Terrace, where he was visiting relatives when he was confronted by Elza, the German shepherd K-9 partner of Officer Justin Ashe. Frightened by the dog, Relf jumped on the hood of his car, and Elza bit down on his left knee, according to court papers. Relf was 50 years old at the time he was bitten.” This man was hurt by a dog who belonged to an officer who should have been defending a man in danger, not an innocent man who was just visiting his family. These types of dogs are trained to help and listen to their partner which in this case was Officer Justin Ashe. They should listen and obey their Officer which can be shown that the Officer must have given some sort of command to stop Relf from leaving without any proof to detain him. According to Timesunion, Kenneth Crowe, it states that “ It was the third time that Elza had bitten a non-suspect during a search or pursuit, according to the court papers.” This shows how not only was the dog not trained well enough to actually attack when there was a suspect trying to get away but also the control Officer Justin had. We all have rights that can be said to protect ourselves from injustices.
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Many innocent people have been killed due to injustices done by police officers. We’ve lost our loved ones that have been killed by police officers and have changed our perspective on them. Many people now see the police as our killers instead of our protectors. We seek to make a change and set an example to officers in how to actually solve a problem with no violence unless violence is made first. According to Coates, in “The Paranoid Style of American Policing”, states, “When Cooksey said that her son’s father should not have called the police when she says that they “ are supposed to serve and protect us and yet they take the lives,” she is saying that police in Chicago are police in name only” (101). This means that the police didn’t have any right to just come and shoot a teen who had issues which is why he was acting the way he was. Instead what was more correctly right to do was detain the teen and give him psychological help instead of just shooting him. The point of calling the police was for their help not to have resulted in killing someone with issues. According to Coates, in “The Paranoid Style of American Policing”, it states that, “When police can not adhere to the standards of the neighborhood, of citizens, or of parents, what are they beyond a bigger gun and sharper sword? By what right do they enforce their will, save force itself ?” (101). This shows how now people can really trust the police and don’t know in what position to stand in anymore. Should they trust that they’ll do their job or should they just wait and see the unexpected? It’s up to the world to see the injustices they're doing by allowing these things to happen and not finding a way to make it stop.
Now that we’ve discussed the causes of police brutality, it’s important to do something about it. More restricted rules regarding police power, but most importantly for our citizens to not be denied their rights. We should come together and come up with a solution to fix this issue. For instance, organizations that can help those who have experienced police brutality and be able to not stand alone in being able to defend themselves would be a huge help, along with groups that have had a bigger impact on police brutality and need psychological help would really help their case. It’s time for our voices to be heard without mattering our race or social status.
To conclude, all these causes have led up to the action of police brutality. In order for this to stop happening, we should unite as one. Love each other for who we are, no matter what color or our history is. Always be aware of our rights and be trained well to make the world a better place and not destroy it. Finally, not only protect our own kind but show what real professionalism, respect, and equality are.
Works Cited
- Coates, Ta-nehisi. “The Paranoid Style of American Policing”, 50 Essays. Print.
- Crowe, Kenneth. “Jury: Bite by police dog did not violate civil rights”, TimesUnion. Print.
- Lundberg, Max. “ Suit: Cincinnati cops who used racial slur claim they faced discriminatory punishment”, The Cincinnati Enquirer. Print.
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