Various researches have been conducted on police brutality both locally and internationally and its devastating effect to the society. Before proceeding further with this topic, the term Police brutality has been defined as the use of excessive force more than is required to achieve a lawful police function when dealing with civilians. Police brutality exists in two forms: physical and nonphysical. Police officers use teargas canisters, peeper sprays and guns with the aim of intimidating or deliberately hurting people. Physical forms include killing and causing bodily harm through assaults, sexual assaults and unwarranted arrests. Nonphysical forms of police brutality include verbal abuse (Ortiz p126)
Police officers may use force that they perceive as useful and reasonable to carry out their duties. Whether the force is seen as excess entirely depends on the reason. The manner in which a civilian responds to an officer’s request also dictates the manner in which the officer will react. Therefore, it is necessary for the law enforcers to actually confine a civilian who is armed, committed a violent crime or physically refused arrest. The law enforcers can use excessive force when they have confirmed that the individual pose an immediate danger to them. If an individual is combative, police are supposed to use alternative means to achieve their goal and not use it as an excuse to assault a civilian. Therefore, any legal accusation for excessive force must be based on any injury resulting from the excessive force (Geller, William, and Hans p27).
Police brutality in the form of false arrest arises when police officers take one into custody without any arrest permit and without credible reason. A police officer would have to have a credible reason if indeed they witnessed a person carry out a crime or had a hunch that a particular person was about to carry out an offense for the arrest to be valid. The practicality of the police’s certainty is hinged on data accessible at the time of arrest. This also applies when the officer is wrong. When the police officers lack information obtained at the time of arrest, the individual taken to custody can be allowed to false arrest claims (Collins, Allyson, and Cynthia p 97).
Due to the rise of insecurity issues such as terrorism and school violence, most governments have increased police’s authority over the civilians. Hence, police officers may inquire for identifications and may also check for ammunitions at entrances of learning institutions and other public places so as to ensure security. Increasing police power may often lead to police brutality as they tend to go beyond their jurisdiction which often leads to unwarranted searches of civilian’s homes. Increasing police authority often leads to biased searches which is a form of police brutality (Geller, William, and Hans p57).
Ignoring the rights of pretrial detainees is another form of police brutality. Even if a law enforcer have a justifiable reason for arresting someone, the detainee still has a legal claim for any injury that occurs in detention. At a detention facility, police officers have complete supervision over the detainee. Hence, they have a duty to ensure all the needs of the detainee are met and also protect him from other violent prisoners. (Collins, and Cynthia p 89).
There are certain factors that contribute police brutality, psychological factors are the main causes of police brutality. According to Collins and Cynthia some personality traits can be blamed for use of excessive force. Some habits easily contribute to police brutality. Examples of such habits are aggressiveness, anger, stress and easily irritated type of people. This habits may easily trigger police brutality (p44).
Another factor that leads to police brutality is the organizational factor. The policies and the atmosphere created by the police organizations are highly significant promoters of police brutality. For example; in the Rodney king assault in los Angeles, police division, used lawful means provided by the organization to handle the situation but the LAPD policies allowed officers complete control and discretion of what happen in the incident leaving room for police brutality. Therefore, organization play a major role in dictating whether the response of officers will be abusive or not .According to studies carried out in South Africa police brutalities that resulted from violent protests by the public were necessary as they were meant to cool down the violent protesters and bring about peace. The studies revealed that tactical response team and the combat crime unit cooperated with the public to cool down the rioting youths. These type of scenarios often tolerate police misdemeanor (Geller, William, and Hans p 120).
. Racial profiling contributes to police brutality despite it being illegal. It predetermines the guilt of someone based on their race .Latinos, black Americans and Asians are disproportionately affected. Racial profiling has contributed to police brutality in one way or another and hence a contributing factor (Geller, William, and Hans p 127).
Police brutalities, wrong behavior and other misconduct by the police has caused the civilians to lose confidence and trust in the police as an institution that is responsible of ensuring their safety. It is very difficult to seek safety at the hands of brutal police officers .After a police officer is accused of an assault, the officer will probably be reassigned to desk duty and his weapon will be taken away from him. Any officer put on the spotlight for misconduct, either justly or falsely, it will be listed in their profile and this will further go to affect their career. When accused, a police officer will be subjected to internal investigations that will analyze his personality and character. If found guilty, the fate of the police officer will be determined by the police administrators. The discipline will be in accordance with the law. If found guilty, there is a high chance that he will be forced to resign from all his duties. This is one of the consequence that falls on an individual police officer who has been accused of police brutality (Ortiz p33)
The police department is also affected by misconduct of their officers. Police department in most countries tries to weed out police who have been accused of using excessive force in an attempt to stop police misconduct. The civilians and the media may not give consideration to such efforts by the department and may be more critical and investigate police behavior further. The head of the police department and officers directly under him are often blamed for other officer’s misconduct and might be forced to resign. The police department will have a challenging time trying to convince the people to help in investigations since the civilians have lost confidence in the police and their institution. Police department is affected by police brutality. Ortiz p71).
Effects of the police misconduct on the society is often overlooked and the emphasis mainly on the actual victims. Damages to the general public is harder to fix since the population is vast and one cannot reach every individual and get their point of view. Civilians generally blame the government and the police department every time they hear of police brutality. The media often contribute to the attitude of the public towards the police department as they sensationalize and exaggerate every story especially if gender, socioeconomic status and sexuality is a factor. This often leads to mistrust toward the police department as a whole. Mistrust causes the society to be less willing to contact police officers if anything threatens their security .Mistrust also results to violence toward the police which causes significant amount of doubt among people who have police officers as family members or friends. People will be offended if someone makes general comments about the police institution that are untrue in regards to their family members or friends. This will eventually divide the society. In short, the society is affected by police brutality. (Egharevba p 31).
One of the best ways to reduce police brutality is through legal ways provided in the constitution. If the police department keeps on being sued for police brutality it will force them to look into the issue. Every incident of brutality should be reported to the media and the government. Civilians pay taxes and hence contribute in paying the police their salaries therefore, they are entitled to good services and protection from harassment (Egharevba p56).
Another way through which police brutality can be reduced is through compulsory trainings. An analysis in Minneapolis showed that police over criminalized some races such as Latinos and black Americans .Justice training will reduce racial profiling. The police trainings should focus on how to eliminate biasness against marginalized people. Police and stereotypes. Officers should be responsible for consistent attendance of these trainings for as long as they are in office. These trainings will help institutionalize integrity in the police department and help rebuild relationship of the police with the community (Geller, William, and Hans p 90).
Police teams on patrol should reflect the community they serve .However, it is important that communities have a say on whoever is patrolling the neighborhood. Formal patrol groups should be made up of community members .This member will help the police learn social and political norms of the community. They will also give feedback on the progress of the police within the community (Egharevba p68).
Police brutality is a topic that affects everyone in the society from the government to the common civilians. This study is aimed at finding alternative ways through which it can be significantly reduced. It seeks to build a good relationship between police officers and civilians. The study will benefit law enforcers and inform them on the consequences of police brutality on their forthcoming career. The police department will be enlightened on effects of police brutality. Police organization will be informed on the advantages of constant training of their officers. Therefore this study is very helpful.
Works cited
Collins, Allyson, and Cynthia Brown. Shielded from Justice: Police Brutality and Accountability in the United States. New York: Human Rights Watch, 1998. Print.
Egharevba, Stephen. Police Brutality, Racial Profiling, and Discrimination in the Criminal Justice System. , 2016. Internet resource.
Geller, William A, and Hans Toch. Police Violence: Understanding and Controlling Police Abuse of Force. , 2005. Print.
Ortiz, Manuel A. "stop Resisting!” An Exploratory Study of Police Brutality and Its Impacts on Black and Latino Males, Their Communities, Mental Health and Healing. , 2016. Internet resource.
