Police brutality is a difficult concept to define because police officers hold a very unique position in American society. The New Jersey State website claims “Law enforcement officers should use only the amount of force necessary to mitigate an incident, make an arrest, or protect themselves or others from harm.” No other people in the United States, including non-police members of the armed force have the authority. Police officers may also legally physically use reasonable force to stop and apprehend criminal suspects and are given broad discretion in determining what force is reasonable. Police brutality is “the use of excessive and/or unnecessary force by police when dealing with civilians.” While people claim there is a war on cops, the facts do not support this claim; not only are there already enhanced punishments for offenders who assault or kill police officers, but also police officers who use violence against unarmed and non-violent suspects rarely face criminal punishment for their actions.
Police officers are indicted in fewer than 1% of killings, but the indictment rate for civilians involved in a killing is 90% (US Department of Justice). After collecting this data, it is noticeable that police officers are being very well cared for by the United States Government. In 2015, research found that 1,307 people have died due to an encounter with police, which also means that 13 of those deaths have found a police officer guilty of murder. According to the Asbury Park Press, New Jersey has spent more than $42 million this decade to cover-up deaths, physical abuses and sexual misconduct at the hands of cops. A two-year investigation by the Asbury Park Press found the abuse of police leaving a staggering toll of at least 19 dead, 131 injured, 7 sexual misconducts, plus dozens of other offenses ranging from false arrest to harassment.
So far, there have been too many lives lost to police killings. In most cases, it isn’t because an individual police officer is negative against any specific person. It is because officers perform the way they are trained to perform. American police officers are among the best-trained in the world, but what they are trained to do is part of the problem. Teaching officers when it is appropriate to use force and which options are best suited for different situations can only be achieved through training. Use of force training must be accompanied by clear and concise details from the police department.
Nowadays, police training takes place in the academy, where the concept of officer safety is so heavily emphasized that it takes on almost religious significance. Rookie officers are taught what is widely known as the “first rule of law enforcement”: An officer’s overriding goal every day is to go home at the end of each shift. Cops live in a hostile world. They learn that every encounter, every individual is a potential threat. They always have to be on their guard because, as cops often say, “complacency kills.”
If police departments wanted to change the methods of training, officers should be trained in how to assess a threat as well as how to counter a threat. This can all be done in a classroom setting beginning with instruction on policy. Scenario based instruction can be used to show the officers how to be more efficient in the line of duty. Scenarios involving all types of force must be worked diligently so that the officer is comfortable with each option and when the specific option should be used. The practical training should also be completed in an environment that allows officers to become comfortable with all types of force. In scenarios involving the use of deadly force, tools such as simulated ammunitions and paint firing weapons should be used to simulate gunfire. These tools expose the officer to what it is like to be shot at, as well as what it is like to fire a weapon at a suspect.
The public relies on officials and politicians to give explanation to situations of police brutality. When these officials fail to meet the needs of the public with reassurance and comforting words, the response can be extreme. In 2000, after the police killing of Patrick Dorismond, an unarmed citizen in New York that year, Mayor Giuliani responded by verbally criticizing the victim of his hoodlum status in defense of the police officer who shot him. Enraged New Yorkers proceeded to engage in a near riot following the victim’s funeral. The public expects a certain amount of sympathy from politicians and officials in unfortunate situations of excessive force and brutality.
Also, a sad story of a twelve year old boy by the name of Tamir Rice was shot and killed on November 23rd, 2014. Tamir Rice was reported of having a real gun while he was at a park in Cleveland, OH. Video shows that within seconds of the police arriving on scene, rookie police officer Timothy Loehmann had already opened fire before following protocol. After Tamir Rice fell to the ground, police immediately realized that the gun carried by Tamir Rice was completely fake and unusable. Had the police officers made any attempt to apprehend Tamir Rice, his life would have been saved. Two years prior to being employed as a police officer, Loehmann struggled to complete his firearms qualification training, records show. “He could not follow simple directions, could not communicate clear thoughts nor recollections, and his handgun performance was dismal,” a 2012 memo from Jim Polak, deputy chief of the Independence Police Department, reads.
The immediate response by some, though not all police officers, was to criticize the Black Lives Matter movement and to respond with the Blue Lives Matter logo. Although the Blue Lives Matter movement is still active today, it is almost never the topic of discussion due to our social media filled society. This outburst has changed the view and trust of all people of all races towards police throughout the entire United States. The cities with high police brutality rates, such as New York City, NY, Chicago, IL, and Flint, MI, have citizens who claim themselves as “anti-police” that commit “revenge-deaths” in response to the deaths of people from police brutality. This domino effect causes police departments to spend millions of tax dollars to recruit more officers and also upgrade their utilities to become accustomed to the dangers of the city.
In a place like Flint, MI, the city or the state is only able to provide a legal minimum staff and equipment. Famine and bankruptcy has taken control of everything along with the water crisis. Also, the amount of people greatly surpasses what the police department can control on a daily basis. Now at the same time, crime rates rise because of low police activity meanwhile the remaining police activity becomes strict in attempting to control the citizens. This is fused with police brutality causing extreme tension within the city and loss of trust for the police. People that are wishing for a peaceful place to live will unfortunately not experience peace anytime soon.
Does the fact that police officers are not facing an increased risk of death mean that blue lives should not matter? Of course not. However, if one looks at existing laws and policies, it becomes clear that blue lives already matter. Not only have states consistently sought to improve the protective gear and weapons that police officers use, many states have enacted enhancement statutes that increase the severity of assault charges if the victim of the assault is an on-duty police officer. What has not been done is increase the amount of diligent work towards police officers assessing or countering threats. Another solution to the current police brutality problem would be to enact similar enhancement statutes that would increase the severity of charges if the actor was a police officer engaging in police brutality. Finally, the Justice Department needs to look into acknowledging the difficulties of local police departments and investigate their own officers to bring federal charges against officers who have violated a citizen’s civil rights through the use of police brutality.