Police Brutality. Is it increasing Is the Media Making It more then it is - Research Paper Example

Several injuries and deaths have been recorded by the use of police powers in the form of chemical sprays, restraints, electro shock, dogs, and guns etc. More over a term “POLICE BRUTALITY” is best used to explain the above mentioned acts. It can be defined more precisely as: “Police brutality is the ill or irresponsible use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially in the form of verbal attacks and psychological threatening by a police officer or police” (Dudley, 1991) The term “Police brutality” was coined 1st time in 1893 in THE NEW YORK TIMES, described an incident of beating of a civilian by a police officer.

Modern police system was based on the developments in 17th and 18th century in France (Dudley, 1991) Brutality cases’ were seemed to be raised with labor strikes, such as “steel strike 1919”, “Great Railroad Strike 1877”, “Pullman Strike 1894” etc. (Rofleff, 1999). It is important to note that, it is understood that police brutality targets people, belonging to a less effective, powerless groups like (poor, disabled etc.). Police brutality has its root in many countries. Police brutality includes acts like (Racial Profiling, political repression, sexual abuse, false arrest etc.). In Indonesia, police targets Islamic extremists; they are either killed or captured.

On august 30th 2010, police officers in Central Sulawesi province opened fire into a crowd of people which was claiming and protesting against the local man’s death, 34 people were injured and 5 killed (Rofleff, 1999). In People’s Republic of China, several “police harassment cases” have been reported by foreign journalists. In Russia, it is claimed by the Human Rights activists that “tortured techniques are used by police to gather false or wrong information from the arresters etc.

There are mainly two reasons, 1st is concerned with individual’s acts (psychological state) and 2nd is dealt with the system and organizational practices of the police departments. Police brutality is greatly concerned with the approach one individual has, that is it is mostly done by the bad officers or cops who are likely to use powers over others or one who wants to suppress others on behalf of powers. It is also a justified argument that police work does attract those individuals who are fond of use of powers and to threat others.

Researchers develop basically 5 unique types of officers, which are: “personality disorders, previous traumatic job-related experience, young inexperience and macho officers, officers with personal problems and officers who are not perfect with their patrol styles” (Gerdes, 2004). Some examples like personal disrespect that is when officers are disrespected by anyone. The officers annoys and to please his ego he can do something which is a crime in front of law , also there is a situation of racial profiling, so the officer is likely to charge crimes on individual of particular class or race wrongly which is counted as brutality (Dudley, 1991).

On the other hand system and organization has its own impact, it is assumed or theorized that excessive powers’ use by some officers is being taught by the more higher or experienced officers to the younger ones. Some young police officers when enter the force comes in direct link with group of officers and experience a re-socialization process. Many officers think that their training is just a “