Introduction The New Orleans Police Department is an organization that struggled long before Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August of 2005. Many residents feared the department and some would say that “the department was infected by a culture of discrimination, abuse, and lawlessness” (Ramsey, 2015). Beginning in the 1980’s, police brutality became a major issue in the city, which still continues now, almost 12 years later. During the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, it seemed that the situation was only worse.
In a viewpoint by Nicole Flatow titled “History Indicates Varied Results in Improving Police Brutality in America,” She believes that there has been little reforms regarding police brutality. Nicole argues for years, America has barely made any effort on improving the use of force by police officers. For example, victims such as Rodney King and Amadou Diallo, led to some reforms, but did not solve the violence of police brutality. With the beating of Rodney King that was captured on camera, it sparked massive outrage that led to a riot when the police officers received no charges. Because of the riots, it created a momentum for a reform of the police.
Furthermore, according to research conducted by the United States Department of Justice, communities with high levels of disorder possess a more negative outlook on the police (National Institute of Justice, 2003). With Flint being one of the more violent and dangerous towns in Michigan, this further decrease the trust in the police to act impartially and to protect them. This also reaffirms my changed perspective on the police in being appreciative for their incredible efforts and
In recent news we have seen massive riots following the killings of African American men by caucasian police officers. These all follow after one of the most prominent not guilty verdicts of the 21st century on the Rodney King beating. With these riots we see the words of Teju Cole begin to take life.
Police Brutality in Relation to the Ineffectiveness of Body Cameras. In their article, “Body Cameras Worn by Police are No ‘Safeguard of Truth,’ Experts Say”, Vivian Yee and Kirk Johnson emphasize on how body cameras are not effective enough to prevent police brutality against American citizens. A grand jury found out that innocent African American Men's’ rights are not being considered when they are been brutally beaten by the police. As a result, the grand jury’s solution to this problem was to create a law that forces police officers to wear body cameras when they are in the act of arresting their victims.
Police officers are entitled to care and protect the citizens of the country? In recent news, white male police officers have corrupted their use of power and used unnecessary, excessive force against African American males. Police brutality with African Americans resulted in the Walter Scott case, Michael Brown case, Trayvon Martin Case, and Eric Garner case. The following cases are referred to as racist to the public because of white male police officers are doing avoidable acts to African American males. The justifications induced rioting and protesting in the community of the African American males.
There have been numerous protests in Chicago right now about police brutality. After what happened last year with the police just randomly shooting fired with Michael Brown, Laquan McDonald, and many more, this got people angry and started to protest more heavily on the streets. What happened recently in Dallas, people were so furious with the police department that they stepped onto the Dan Ryan highway. If people have to go that extreme to send a message, the City of Chicago is doing something wrong. We can change this by police being more peaceful and not so forceful if the victim didn’t do or say anything yet.
At what point does enforcing a law with physical or verbal force turn to abuse or just simply go to far? This muddy subject means many different things to many different people. Is it the point when even after someone is captured the beating continues? Police brutality is considered to take place when someone in law enforcement is over enforcing a law or using excessive force? This can come in the form of verbal or physical abuse.
Robert Davis, a retired elementary school teacher from New Orleans (Who was 64!), was arrested and brutally beaten by police on suspicion of public intoxication. On the night of Oct. 9, 2005, just a little over a month after Hurricane Katrina, Davis returned to New Orleans to check on his family’s property and went to a gas station to buy cigarettes. There, he was attacked by four police officers who said he was “Belligerent and resisted arrest by not allowing them to handcuff him.” The beatings were videotaped by somebody that worked for a newspaper, who was also assaulted that night. The officers were either fired or suspended for their involvement, but many of the charges against them were deleted.
The truth is no one regardless of race deserves to be mistreated by the police. The reality is that citizens did not merely prefer to live in neighborhoods with poverty-stricken housing arrangements, underperforming schools, substructures that are collapsing by the minute, few grocery stores that provide healthy options, and proper medical care. There were many factors that shaped those neighborhoods such as white departure, the black breakout of wealthier black citizens, no investment within the community, slack business loaning systems and government strategies that are allocating groundwork and public transport to certain parts of cities and not others locations. The people that are living in those communities, even at times stuck in those communities make decisions that are not the best for them or those connected to them. These decisions are made within that environment for the sake of survival.
N.W.A.- Fuck tha Police was made because police officers forced the group to lay face down in the street with guns to their heads. In the 80’s police brutality was at high, and young African American teens were there target.
With cameras and video recording devices more easily accessible, documentation of these incidents has become more frequent. Racial profiling is not a new terminology, yet it is something that occurs daily in the United States, becoming almost a normality. Law enforcement is meant to create a sense of security and safety, yet there seems to be a growing mistrust and anti-cop mentality, especially among minorities. Cases such as the infamous Rodney King scandal, or the most recent murder of Michael Brown, only give communities further reason to be wary of police. With numerous incidents of police misconduct and use of excessive force that results in the death of an innocent victim, you can no longer ignore this
This report is showing light to the communities’ response to police brutality particularly in the black communities and also their encounters with police officers. Police brutality is physical violence and great cruelty demonstrated by a police officer. Police brutality and misconduct have existed for many decades and it even has been broadcasted in news stories over America, but nothing has changed. It has happened predominantly to African Americans in lower-income states. Police officers are given slaps on the wrist for taking a life or injuring an innocent person.
I also believe that Jones gives good opinions on how to lower police brutality rates, not only in New York, but throughout the entire country. Website Grigsby Bates, Karen. “When LA Erupted In Anger: A Look Back At The Rodney King Riots.” NPR.org, National Public Radio, 26 Apr. 2017, www.npr.org/2017/04/26/524744989/when-la-erupted-in-anger-a-look-back-at-the-rodney-king-riots. • National Public Radio takes a look back 25 years after the Rodney King riots and explains the impact that they had on the United States.
An occurrence observed by the population of Los Angeles, California conveys the existence of racism and police brutality. According to The Polls-Trends: Racial Differences in Attitudes Toward the Police, “…three quarters of blacks, but only 38 percent of whites, continued to view police brutality as a common occurrence” (Tuch and Weitzer
