This country is in a period of great transition. Our outlook on certain aspects of life has changed forever. One of the most noteworthy events of the past two years was the released footage of the murder of George Floyd by law enforcement. This tragedy influenced massive movements to change the nature of law enforcement.
But some of the problems found in the police find their origins decades in the past. These issues find their roots in the racial tensions that plagued our country throughout the first few centuries of its existence. Despite the decades that have passed since racial reform has taken place, there still remains a racial tension that permeates parts of our society.
This tension has been highlighted by different moments of police brutality that have popped up over the past few years. Due to the light that has been shed on these incidents, we can begin to work towards change in order to ensure these tragedies do not continue to take place. In order to know what must be done, we must look back on what caused these problems in our society.
The misconduct by police has reached abysmal heights in the past few years, with more than a thousand police killings each year. According to Statiscia in the U.S. there have been, “a total (of) 429 civilians … shot, 88 of whom were Black, as of June 4, 2020. In 2018, there were 996 fatal police shootings, and in 2019 increased to 1004.” These facts are hard to hear, but the truth is that corruption in the police force is a harsh reality.
This just goes to further highlight the change that is so sorely needed in our society. In 2019, a research team of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University published a report titled “Risk of being killed by police use-of-force in the U.S. by age, race/ethnicity, and sex.”, in which they stated “African American men were about 2 ½ times more likely than white men to be killed by police. Men of color face a non-trivial lifetime risk of being killed by police.”
Based on statistics like this, there is no denying the existence of discrimination in the police force. The idea that massive portions of the youth of America have to grow up with the knowledge that those sworn to protect them could use excessive force against them is horrific.
The fear that permeates throughout much of America shows exactly why action must be taken. According to research published by The Washington Post, they concluded that “although half of the people shot by police are white, black Americans are shot at a disproportionate rate. They account for just 13 percent of the U.S. population, but more than a quarter of police shooting victims.
The disparity is even more pronounced among unarmed victims, of whom more than a third are black.” These statistics paint a disturbing picture of American society. Efforts have been made to reduce force by police officers by implementing major policy changes at the federal level. Despite different tactics by the government to improve oversight, training, and officer wellness, very little change has taken place.
Most changes have taken place at a local level, as “with around 18,000 police departments nationwide, that response has been fragmented and inconsistent (National Sources of Law Enforcement Employment Data, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2016).
To make matters worse, the United States has been negligent in the process of prosecuting officers in cases of police abuse. Some federal statutes have been passed to combat willful violations of civil rights, but it has done little to stem the tide.
The brutality exerted by portions of the police force is unacceptable and has led to much of the population losing faith in law enforcement. Since 2016, the share of Americans who say police use the right amount of force, treat racial and ethnic groups equally, and hold officers accountable for misconduct has declined substantially, according to the Pew Research Center (Majority of Public Favors Giving Civilians the Power to Sue Officers for Misconduct, 2020).
The simple fact is that more than 56 years since the civil rights act of 1964, if you are of an ethnicity other than white, then any interaction with police is to be avoided at all costs. Systematic racism has persevered throughout the decades and shows no signs of slowing down unless we take action against it. In order to combat these faults in our society, there are many steps we as Americans can take.
While we cannot change the past, we can work hand in hand to create a better future for us and the generations that will follow. There are many shortcomings in federal law, which do not permit patterns in practice lawsuits. To simplify the meaning of this, it means victims cannot testify or file a lawsuit against the police for systematic instances of discriminatory activities.
For this reason, action against police racism must be fought at a local level. While I don’t condone violent protests, shedding light on the problems that plague law enforcement is needed in order to start change. One of the simplest things we can campaign for is federal oversight in law enforcement.
According to Vice Investigation, “departments that went through federal investigations and subsequently adopted new policies saw police shootings fall between 27% and 35%.” By implementing federal involvement in all instances of police misconduct, it would deter the use of excessive force.
Intervention by the general population may not have an immediate effect, but actions by only a small group of people can make a massive difference. Just by simply spotlighting a problem, one person can shed light on a dark corner of law enforcement.
While it may feel like change cannot be reached through the actions of a few, each individual person plays a valuable role in the fight against police brutality. In the words of Malcolm X shortly before he was assassinated, “if someone puts their hands on you make sure they never put their hands on anybody else again.”
I view this quote not as a call to arms, but as a call for peace. In order to honor the many who have passed due to police discrimination, we must each take the time to raise awareness and fight for the equality that is cruelly denied to so many.
Works Cited
Department, Published by Statista Research, and Nov 2. “People Shot to Death by U.S. Police, by Race 2020.” Statista, 2 Nov. 2020, www.statista.com/statistics/585152/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-race/.
Edwards, Frank, et al. “Risk of Being Killed by Police Use of Force in the United States by Age, Race– Ethnicity, and Sex.” PNAS, National Academy of Sciences, 20 Aug. 2019, www.pnas.org/content/116/34/16793.
Rodriguez, Joshua. “Fatal Force: Police Shootings Database.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 22 Jan. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/investigations/police-shootings-database/.
Office of Justice Programs. “National Sources of Law Enforcement Employment Data.” Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), 2016, www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail.
Shallow, Ryan. “Majority of Public Favors Giving Civilians the Power to Sue Police Officers for Misconduct.” Pew Research Center – U.S. Politics & Policy, Pew Research Center, 20 Aug. 2020, www.pewresearch.org/politics/2020/07/09/majority-of-public-favors-giving-civilians-the-power-to-sue-police-officers-for-misconduct/.
National Police Foundation. “Readings on Police Use of Deadly Force.” National Police Foundation, 12 Aug. 2015, www.policefoundation.org/publication/readings-on-police-use-of-deadly-force/.
