I believe that there is often a lack of accountability, as well as superiors to believe officers rather than those who may accuse officers of acting. “When Walter Scott fled from the North Charleston police, he was not merely fleeing Michael Thomas Slager, he was attempting to flee incarceration.” (Paragraph 2) While more training and body cameras may decrease the number of violent and deadly situations between police and suspects and they are not the solution to the problem. This flaw in the criminal justice system, Coastes argues, ultimately comes down to how often minors view police as a power, rather than an authority meant to protect. Many believe that our justice system is a fair one, based on the idea that one is innocent until proven guilty that all deserve a fair trial etc. However, why then do law enforcers often resort to deadly force with little hesitation? One reason is lack of responsibility, and lack of training but fixing that won’t completely reform the police state. They problem is in the way the criminal justice system exists often as a deadly force against those who commit crimes rather than as a force that attempts to help past or potential offender. “African Americans, for most of our history, have lived under the power of the criminal- justice system, not to authority.” (Paragraph
Problem-oriented policing, also known as operational strategies, have five core elements: preventive patrol, routine incident response, emergency response, criminal investigation, and problem solving. In addition to the five core strategies, there is also a lone ancillary operation strategy, support services. Law enforcement officers use this to help prevent crime by being pro-active and responding to calls. The first of the core operational strategies is the prevention patrol. Prevention patrol is an active response and most dominate operation of police strategy. It is used to deter people from committing criminal behavior, interrupt crimes that are in the process of being committed, and position police officers in positions for a fast response
The police force we all know has one main focus, to protect people and the property in which they stand. Patrolling the areas in which they are assigned to, they make sure civilians follow the law and they handle any breakage of the law as well. Our police force is supposed to make us feel safe wherever we are. They have undoubtedly done a great job in doing so. However, over the past couple of years, the police force has taken a toll for the worse. With topics such as police brutality and police militarization being bigger then it has ever been before, the amount of money the police actually have comes into question. What exactly do they spend all the money they do have on? Most of it goes towards unnecessary military equipment. Non-effective
Police officers have vowed their life to protect and serve. They risk their lives every day for their communities. As the last few years have sped past us, police officers have been very aggressive with the force they use when arresting a suspect, or even people in general. According to a Texas article on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, “police officers typically use force offensively rather than defensively and do so with at least some degree of premeditation.” (Gross,2013, page 167). Many police officers get off easily because they call it as self-defense, but it’s not. People being brutally beaten or killed, riots breaking out, mourning of neighborhoods, lawsuits against police departments all can be at stake of police officers using excessive force. This is part of the reason our country has been in an uproar. In the last few years’ police brutality has been at an all-time high. Because of it, movements have been started and protests have broken out. As most should know there has been a split in the diversity of the nation because of it.
Militarization of police is an important modern concern within the criminal justice discipline. Many argue that the formation of special units within the police department has greatly aided in this militarization of police. These special units, including the Bomb Squad and SWAT Team, may contribute to the increased police force across the United States. Proponents of the militarization believe that police should use what they find suitable to protect the community and themselves from danger. However, opponents maintain that the cost to supply units with equipment is extremely high and that by arming police with military weapons breaks police-community relations. In addition, adversaries claim that violence used by the police promotes violence in the community. As a result of escalated brutality, it is critical for police departments to gain the support of citizens to alter their perception of specialized police units. Nevertheless, with increased violence throughout the United States, it is crucial
There are numerous issues that deal with the American criminal justice system, but the two I found most prominant that occur on a daily basis is the abuse from police officers and clear racism shown by the American criminal justice system. To begin, racism as we know is a prejudice directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior. In the criminal justice system African Americans are directly targeted and punished in a higher more aggressive way, than say someone who is caucasian and committed the same exact crime. Racism is more often than not, the motive for official misconduct. There are examples of racism from every known region in the United States, spanning across centuries from slavery to
Something such as returning back to school was long gone and in my past goals. After a couple of years I never thought I would end up going back to school since everything that I wanted was going good and according to plan. However sometimes we are faced with tough situations where we must find other resources in order to improve and better ourselves. Going back to school was one of the most important and wise decisions that I have ever made.
There are many concerns for a working police officer in America. Officers can face several types of dangers while on duty. Most of the time when police officers sign up for their job they already have prior knowledge of the risk they may be taking. They represent the civil authority of the government. According to Rose Johnson, "The job of a police officer is risky, and officers incur a higher rate of illnesses and injury than the national average for other jobs. Officers spend a great deal of time working with criminals and dealing with threatening scenarios". Although officers in America face several types of dangers, it does not give the officer the right to engage in unlawful acts. Police officers who receive more education and training will more than likely interact with different minorities through his/her institution. Officers should be more diverse because they will not be very biased and it could help end the problem with racial profiling. Police officers should be randomly drug tested for the safety of the citizens.
In today's society, it is not uncommon for police officer misconduct, including brutality, to gain everyone's attention. When one officer shoots and kills a suspect, that officer is investigated in order to ensure there was no intentions to harm anyone but to try and keep the peace. Intentional harm to citizens is considered police brutality and can escalate into something more serious such as riots and protests. The kind of misconduct that some police take when arresting a suspect cannot be taken lightly to prevent any sort of riots or protests such as those after Rodney King as 50 people were killed and hundreds more were injured (Katel). Cases, as well as investigations after accusations, need to be dealt in a serious as
Minorities in the community have been subjected to violence by law enforcement in the United States for some time. This violence is called police brutality and it is unacceptable. The job of a police officer is to maintain public order, prevent, and detect crime. They are a part of a dangerous and stressful career that can involve risky situations that must be controlled. Sometimes police are put in situations that excessive force is needed. Some officers use these extreme measures in situations when it is not needed, police brutality should be addressed by testing police for for racial bias, require more training, and use body cameras.
In This American Life’s series, Cops See it Differently: Act One, Ira Glass narrates particular circumstances outlining the existing tensions between the Milwaukee Police Department and the Black community. He began his first segment by telling Lisa Mahone’s story of an officer that displayed unwarranted aggressive tactics towards her and her family during a routine traffic stop. The story gained national attention, and opposing opinions to whether the officer’s actions or Lisa’s behavior were more justified. Lisa’s story begs the question: who holds the police accountable for mistreatment of the law and the citizens he or she serves? Why do the police have full discretion, despite national mistrust and empirical proof of racial bias existing
Due to the recent finding of police brutality, most cases involved a white male police officer using force against a person of color. History will lead us to believe that race of an officer will be the number one contributing factor in the use of excessive force. As I stated above, in recent cases it has been a white male using force against a person of color. However, studying some research studies, it has shown that the no matter what the race is of the officer, it has no causal effect on the use of excessive force. What I mean by this is not all cases dealing with excessive force involves race. In addition, in a study about Widening the scope on complaints of police misconduct. Policing, “not all excessive force cases consist of a white
Police Brutality is an ongoing problem and existent concern in the United States and should be resolved immediately. Law enforcement must function as an element that consists of organized and civilized officers. The presence of police brutality is becoming more of an issue as society grows. The problem posed by the illegal exercise of police power is an ongoing reality for individuals of a disfavored race, class, or sexual orientation. Police brutality must be stopped so that police do not forget who they are serving – not themselves, but the public. This means that even the criminals, who are a part of the public, have certain rights, particularly, civil rights. Police brutality causes a major concern in today’s society in America and a resolution is imminent. These racial prejudices are rooted in America’s deep psyche to grasp its power, we must move American original sin, slavery, and its corollary the terrible fear transmitted from generation to generation of a revolt.
There are many pros and cons when it comes to the use of police force. The use of force is strictly a part of the job requirement of protecting and serving our community. It is the everyday battles that force police to make decisions that may seem a bit harsh at times. The use of force is only acceptable under certain circumstances and should only be used when absolutely needed. There are cases when civilians are saved by the use of police force, and there are cases when innocent people are hurt or even killed by the use of police force.
Many young people aspire to become police officers. However, not everyone is fit for the role as police work is extremely demanding both physically and mentally. In order to be effective in the job, a policeman should possess superb communication skills, extra-ordinary courage, excellent judgement, empathy, and a high degree of professionalism, to name a few.