Police Brutality - Research Paper Example

Police Brutality Most Americans believe that law enforcement authority is to protect the society and ensure peace prevails. However, it is heartbreaking for them since the law enforcers’ attention is law enforcement, arrest of individuals breaking the law and issue of warrant of arrest. Increasing cases of dead Americans from the hands of police are caused by the above mentioned centered of attention by the police. Additionally, policing procedures have changed and acquired high military methods; the results are that law enforcers in the society kill Americans far more than terrorist. Police brutality in the U.S is relentless serious violation of human rights and nationwide problem. The problem is established as a custom by law enforcers in most parts of the U.S. However, the law enforcers in the U.S. are bound by law and obligated to respect human rights. Police brutality is violation of human rights, for this reason, the law enforcers responsible for brutality in any way should be held responsible for violation of human rights. An officer in the field can use excess of force to counter the suspect to comply with order. Force must be used by the police and it ranges from loud voice to a deadly force. However, force used by the officer must be reasonable and to certain extended. Police brutality is different, severe and sometimes deadly. Police brutality is risky to the citizen, the officer involve or the colleagues of the officer. A victim of police brutality can decide to retaliate, based on the inflicted by the officers; as a result, the officers will be in danger (Dempsey and Forst, 2013). According to Human Rights Watch (1998), there are quite a number of cases involving police shooting of civilians. There are also reports of brutal beatings, fatal choking and violent physical treatment of civilians thought to violate the law. This happens in most parts of the U.S., however, the justices department, senior police officers and city official are turning a blind eye on such cases. Additionally, the department of justice together with police superiors do not make a move to punish or restrain officers on such events. In addition, small group of officers known to engage in brutal treatment of civilians may be forwarded to the justice department. However, because of poor investigation relating to the issues of brutality and protection they get from other officers, such group will continue with the same behaviour. Alternatively, the complainant encounters serious obstacles when he or she tries to seek justices in every step he makes. As pointed earlier above, the reluctance of the law enforcers, such as federal persecutors who should be helping the victim seek justice. As a result, police brutality increases due to barriers encountered by the victims when they try to seek justice. In addition, the officers engaging on such heinous act escape justice and continue with the same abusive behaviour. A study by Rucke (n.d.), points out that approximately 5000 Americans have died due to police brutality since September, 9/11. Close to 1,000 Americans die in the hands of brutal officers every year. The data presented by the author is almost similar with the number of combatants killed in the Iraq war. The numbers of Americans who have died because of severe treatment by police officers are similar to soldiers dying in Iraq. Racial discrimination or use of racial language is considered as one of the causes of police brutality. Racial or ethnic minorities consider harassment, restriction, or degradation as offensive practices against them. Holmes and Smith (2008) explain that law enforcers use such practices against a certain group of people in the society. Males primarily from minority groups are likely to be subjected to thorough interrogation once they are suspected. Researchers argue that the main object of police brutality is racial discrimination. Close to 89% of reported cases of police brutalities were African-American and Hispanic victims between 1990 and 1994. The case of Rodney King is one of many that involve police brutality. The Case of Rodney King King Rodney was beaten severely by L.A.P.D officers after he resisted arrest and engaging on physical fight with the police. Rodney and his friends were arrested after a long chase by the L.A officers. Once the officers caught him and his friends, Rodney refuse to step out of the car but later complied. He, however, fought with one of the officers but was shot down with a taser gun. Once on the ground, the L.A. officers kicked and wiped Rodney with batons. It was a coincidence that one American private citizen was recording what was happening with a camcorder. Video tape recorded in was circulated throughout the U.S. and across the world. King Rodney suffered multiple injuries including brain damage, a broken leg, facial bruises, kidney damage and skull fractures. The officers who were involved were charged but three of them were acquitted. The result sparked serious riots that have never occurred before in Los Angeles. This was not before the video tape recorded was sold to the media houses where it was played for a number of times. The tape sparked racial tension and anti-police sentiments across the U.S. The officers who were involved in the incident of Rodney were accused of crime. The case went to trial, however, after a year, the three officers were released after the verdict was reached by the white jurors. Unsatisfied with the case, African-American went to streets rioting, looting property, engaging on running battles with the police and burning down buildings (Kennedy, 2012). The case of Rodney received more attention more than other cases that had occurred prior to his case. Rodney’s case was quite irrefutable due to the existence ofa video tape that was presented as evidence to the justice department. Additionally, the public was already aware of what had happen and were causing serious damage to public property. Excessive force by the officers earlier on the African-American men, women and children were denied justice. The fact is that the evidence of the victims of police brutality was often contradicted by the officers and denied justice. The existence of a video of Rodney’s brutality by the police officers did not mark the end of police brutality. Additionally, the jurors argued that the video tape did not cover the whole event that occurred when Rodney was brutally beaten. The jurors were only whites who seem to favor the officers far more than Rodney. The officers involved were acquitted on grounds that the evidence was insufficient (Jewell, 2003). The Case of Abner Louima Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant was arrested by a police officer after an incident in one of New York's nightclubs. According to Abner, two of the police officers who made the arrest took him to the men’s room on arrival to the station, stripping him of his trousers and beat him up with toilet plunger. They also shoved the plunger into his rectum and mouth. The victim screamed at the top of his voice asking the officers to stop what they were doing. He was later taken to hospital where he underwent surgery to repair punctured intestines. During the incident at the police station, the officers were beating him up while shouting racial slurs at the victim. The incident of Abner is no different from the case of Rodney King. Additionally, despite the move by the government to enact laws to curb cases of police brutality, police brutalities are still on. Abner Louima’s incident occurred in 1997 in New York approximately 6 years after the case of Rodney. The two cases and many other not mentioned here have raised so many questions on whether the law enforcers use race as a factor of decision making (Siegel, 2009). The two cases above clearly shows that racial discrimination was more involved in leading to the officers inflicting serious injuries on the victims. Additionally, a study by Siegel (2009) shows that African-Americans are likely to encounter police barriers and searched far more than the White Americans. Racial discrimination is one of the factors that contribute to police brutality. However, more research must be conducted by the heads of police department regarding the issue of police brutality. Some researchers point out that a lack of transparency in the agency is one of the factors that promote police brutality. Studies show that little has been done to understand the root cause of police brutality. Clear understanding of police brutality can assist is curbing high prevalence rate of the behaviour in the U.S. The leader of the department must address the cause of police brutality in order to reduce the conflict between citizens and the police. Misuse of force by law enforcers must be addressed by the leader so as to increase public confidence in the police. They also need to conduct an investigation regarding the issues of brutality by the officers on his or her department. The leader can do this by utilizing the data of complaints received from the victims of police brutality. As noted earlier above, police brutality can continue or increase on ignorance of the complaints by the victims. Additionally, it is also noted from the study that senior officers are not taking any legal action against junior officers found to have engaged in police brutality. As a result, the use of force on the citizens continues despite the cries from the victims (Human Rights Watch, 1998). Police brutality can only be reduced by an effort by the leaders of police forces to judge subordinates who perpetrate abusive behaviour. Police chiefs must also hold accountable the senior officers found to have ignored cases of police brutality by officers on their commands. The leaders together with human rights watch agencies must work together to rectify some of the bills that protect law enforcers. Studies show that police officers found to have violated human rights often get away because of protection by police unions. Police officers are protected by the laws enacted by the unions. However, with help of both police chiefs and human rights watch agencies, such bills can be readdressed to protect both the citizens and the police officers. Police brutality can also be reduced by introducing training programs in the police force that with regard to consequences of use of force against the citizens. Training programs can be done with help and coordination of the police chiefs (Human Rights Watch, 1998). Conclusion Police brutality is a serious abuse of human rights in the U.S. that has existed for a long time. The justice department and human rights activists have found it hard to address the problem of police brutality. Some have suggested that the root cause of the problem is racial discrimination and has to be addressed. However, based on the study, it is noted that police brutality exists within the organization. The prevalence rate of brutality by law enforcers can be reduced by the heads of police force organization. References Dempsey, J. and Forst, L. (2013). An Introduction to Policing. New York: Cengage Learning. Holmes, M., D. and Smith, B., W. (2008). Race and Police Brutality: Roots of an Urban Dilemma. New York: SUNY Press. Human Rights Watch. (1998). Shielded from Justice: Police Brutality and Accountability in the United States. Washington DC: Human Rights Watch. Jewell, S. (2003). Survival of the African American Family: The Institutional Impact of U.S. Social Policy. U.S.A.: Greenwood Publishing Group. Kennedy, H. (2012, June). Rodney King, Whose Beating By Cops Sparked The L.A. Riots, Found Dead In Pool. NY Daily News. Retrieved from < http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/rodney-king-found-dead-pool-report-article-1.1097209 > Rucke, K. (n.d). US Police Have Killed Over 5,000 Civilians Since 9/11. Retrieved from Siegel, L. (2009). Introduction to Criminal Justice. California: Cengage Learning. Read More