We live in a world of mass communication where information is thrust upon us via internet, television, and print. In this day and age, the media has an immense impact on the general public’s view of practically everything. In some cases, the media can cause a complete change in the attitude of the general public. One major shift in viewpoint that has occurred recently due to stories published in the media is the opinion of the general public regarding law enforcement. Public perception of police in Miami has shifted from a once highly respected profession to resentment and mistrust during the last several decades. This is due to endless negative media coverage of police misconduct and negative portrayals of even justifiable uses of force. The
“Frequent exposure to media reports of police abuse or corruption is a strong predictor of perceptions of misconduct and supports the belief that is common.” (France-Respers 1). But unfortunately, it also brings me disheartened feelings. Recently, I was on twitter and I stumbled across a video of a young white male who was roughly about twenty to twenty-five years of age who was being handled so aggressively by about six officers while he was NOT resisting.
of 2003 and “The Burden of Bad Ideas: How Modern Intellectuals Misshape Our Society” of 2000 contain ideas similar to those expressed in “The War on Cops.” The powerful stance Mac Donald takes on certain themes expressed throughout “The War on Cops” direct the reader’s understanding towards the flaws of America’s governmental systems, revealing the backstory and complexity of racism and criminal justice behind our “war on cops.” To begin, Mac Donald notes one of the many shortcomings of the Obama administration, of which she addresses frequently throughout the book. She criticizes the acknowledgements of police racism and the bias in the criminal justice system made by President Barack Obama on national television, stating “In doing so, he
When talking about the ongoing controversy and public debate on the outlook of police and community relationship a message or headline or even a video that is posted online involving an officer and an individual is going to be overflowed with every opinionated, negativity there is to say about how unprofessional the officer
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
Racism, along with a prevailing American ideology of individualism and limited government, helps explain why white citizens and legislators give so much support to controversial police shooters and aggressive police tactics and so little to criminal sand poor people.” (Hirschfield). Many Americans believe that police shootings are due to lack of the police officers knowledge and skill. Clearly, the shootings are due to a ongoing problem of racism in our country and not simply police skill. This could change people’s opinions around this topic because it provides the real reason why there so many shootings.
When it comes to the topic of police reform, many agree that our country is long overdue for it, however the questions is how exactly do we, as a nation, go about changing one of the most rigid power structures that exist in the country. While some believe that reform must come from within the individually flawed police departments, others argue that the entire criminal justice system needs an overhaul. An analysis of Ta-Nehisi Coates essay “The Myth of Police Reform” reveals that the complex issues of police shootings of minors (especially African Americans) and how difficult it may be to change these problems. In “The Myth of Police Reform” the author exemplifies the use of logos, ethos and pathos therefore making the argument effective.
Local political control afforded police the chance to enhance populace being reactive to narrow requests. This also amplified police misconduct. In the nineteenth century the majority of police departments in the United States mirrored the circumstances contiguous to municipal agencies. The police became a significant element in the corrupt opinionated political sectors. Officers brought into the force were “hired and promoted solely on the basis of political loyalties and payoffs” (Sherman, 1974) .
Lately in the United States, one hears of a new act of violence either by police or against police, fairly often. It seems to be reported far more these days, but is it occurring more now than in recent years? With the amount of technology we as a society now hold, where nearly everyone has a device on them at all times that is able to record video, police can always expected to be filmed while on the job or making an arrest. The amount of violence being covered on news media, tends to lead to anti-police sentiment which then also, in some instances, makes police targets of violence themselves. Either way peace and trust needs to be gained on both sides of the badge, and this is an issue that needs to be resolved.
The media makes the severity of the situation much worse. In some instances, a situation is represented in way that conveys a case as deceptive. Police misconduct, in this situation, is preposterously distorted. For example, the scene one sees on television may be completely inaccurate. In the article Unpacking Public Attitudes to the Police: Contrasting Perceptions of Misconduct with Traditional Measures of Satisfaction, Miller states, “…research found that people's fear of crime was related to crime content in the newspapers they read…”( 6).
For example, more than 10,000 complaints of police brutality was filed in Chicago between 2002 and 2014 (Police Brutality Statistics). It shocks me to see that the people that are supposed to be protecting us aren’t, instead hurting us. If we can’t trust our law enforcement to protect us, who will? Another thing that upsets is
Police and media relations are mutually beneficial when the police receive a positive image from the media’s reporting of their actions and, in return, the media receives information in a timely manner, thereby providing them with increased ratings. Criticism develops as the public begins to see that the police may not be as effective as the media portrays them to be. The media tends to play both sides of the fence with regard to the way in which they portray police in television crime dramas and how they are portrayed in daily news articles. This brings about criticism from the public when police are shown to be ineffective or incompetent, which then causes law enforcement to lose the public’s favorable view.
Reviewing the ins and outs of my local police department I have gained a new found respect for the men and women who protect and serve us daily. Police officers are often scrutinized and not given the credit they deserve. I have always thanked officers, and had a sense of gratitude for all they do for our community. In the media lately all we here about is the bad situations that happen between officers and civilians; we do not see the daily tasks and countless hours they spend trying to better their community. Statistics show a rising in officers being killed in the line of duty; shooting deaths of law enforcement officers spiked 78 percent in the first half of 2016 compared to last year, including an alarming increase in ambush-style assaults (foxnews.com).
This journal article examines whether a citizen’s individual perception of racial tension, or that of an entire community, leads to a negative attitude toward law enforcement (McNeeley & Grothoff, 2016). Telephone surveys were used in Seattle, Washington, in neighborhoods where there were large proportions of minority residents. These surveys asked various questions, which ranged from gauging overall happiness with police duties, to asking if racial profiling was an issue inside neighborhoods (McNeeley & Grothoff, 2016). The research conducted contributed greatly to current knowledge on the topic, but limitations were also noted, as questions were not asked that could have altered the survey’s
Because there have been many recent incidents regarding police and the use of lethal force society has had many concerns.
Police try the best that they can every day to make the world a safer place. In the process, many question their methods and cover up it up as “misconduct.” Our opinions of police in America are heavily influenced by the news every day in such a negative way that for some it’s hard to even believe that they are there to help anymore; police are now viewed as the “villains” in certain parts of the world. We question if police use too much force when dealing with the public and the answer is that they do not. They are put in difficult situations and given weapons that should be used in the army rather than on your average citizen.