EFFECTS OF POLICE BRUTALITY

Q1

Judson Jefferies believes that police brutality is a major health issue. To begin with, the tragic shooting of Demetrius DuBose the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer is very impactful. In the 1960s more than 50% of the blacks were killed by the police despite the fact that the total population of the blacks was 10% (Jeffries, 1999). Police harassment against African-American has been witnessed over a period of time and it has continued to be a problem in America. The situation is referred to by Jeffries as an epidemic shows the sensitivity of the issue as many lives have been lost and many African American lives in fear (Jeffries, 1999).

 In most cases, citizens rely on the police for protection. However, the racist’s policemen have taken up the opportunity to unfairly kill the black citizens through unjust excuses. It is a worrying trend that the police unjustly kill the innocent civilians who have not committed any crime or wrong. It has become a common occurrence for the police to use excessive force, especially on the black males (Jeffries, 1999). It may be considered that the use of the word epidemic is in the extreme but it outlines the concern of police brutality that has been on the rise.

Q2

            Jefferies examines police brutality in urban areas and finds out that there has been a systematic pattern of response from the police where the blacks are the murder victims. For example, two police officers in San Diego fired shots to a young man as they were investigating a burglary where they claimed that they never had an option and they had to shoot as they feared for their lives (Jeffries, 1999). Ironically two police officers in Los Angeles gave the same justification in killing a woman through a response to the unpaid utility bill (Jeffries, 1999). The police officers also claimed that the woman has a knife in her hand and it was a defense move.

Jefferies has also identified that all the cases reported mostly involving the blacks were characterized by intimidation and harassment during an investigation and they were arrest on numerous accounts without having a substantial amount of evidence (Jeffries, 1999). The pattern of the blacks killing was mostly in the dispersed group of the blacks than other minority groups. The experiences of Louima, Rodney King, and Sinclair are similar in the hands of police. DuBose, Russ, Gammage and Folkes deaths were similar as they underwent torture and pain and were shot numerous times before they died (Jeffries, 1999).

Q3

According to Jeffries, the growing occurrences of the police murders serve the purpose of injustice to the black people. For many years the execution of DuBose is a loud resumption version of defense and justice (Jeffries, 1999). The occurrences signify a worrying trend of the blacks who are incorporated in the economic, social and political lives in America face a more hostile attitude towards them by the law enforcers. The growing occurrence also shows that the roots of racism go deeper as it stresses out the long-standing issue of the black community that can be traced back to the arrival of the blacks in the new world. The police officers are unapologetic despite being the ones on the wrong which was proved by the case of the USC students (Jeffries, 1999). Police brutality has been one sided especially towards the men of color.

 

 

Reference

Jeffries, J.L (1999). Police Brutality As A Major Public Health Issue: The Tragic Shooting Of Former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Demetrius DuBose