Police Brutality Video Analysis

All cases of police brutality and corruption are very hard to read. In one case after 2.5 million views the video had technical difficulties and the public thought that social media was covering up what some officers can really do. In one case a young woman recorded her boyfriend getting shot in front of their daughter, in the video: “he was shot while reaching for his identification. The video went viral on Facebook and other social media platforms. Although the graphic video disappeared briefly after 2.5 million views, supposedly due to a technical glitch, it reappeared after public outcry and accusations that Facebook had purposely removed evidence of police officers killing African Americans” (Social Media 2). The content on the video may be hard to watch for some people,

however it is the truth and most people in low poverty have to go through that everyday because of their appearance. If the content is to hard to watch citizens should not complain to Facebook, or the person streaming the video, the complaint should be to the Law Enforcement. Witnesses should be able to record without being arrested.

“Social Media” explains more about the Alton Sterling shooting: “Another problem related to this relatively new phenomenon is police harassment of people who film police violence. Diamond Reynolds was handcuffed and held in police custody for eight hours after she filmed her boyfriend's death. She later said, ‘They took me to jail. They didn't feed me. They put me in a room and separated me from my child. They treated me like a prisoner.’ Abdullah Muflahi, who runs the Triple S Mart near where the Alton Sterling shooting took place, recorded part of the killing on his cellphone, and the incident was also recorded on the shop's surveillance camera. He too was arrested, his cellphone was confiscated without a warrant, and he was locked in the back of a police car for four hours. He has since filed a lawsuit against the police officers” (Social Media 3). Due to these controversial actions one may question if the officers are breaking citizens rights when they take their property. Also brings up our freedom to record the police in public places. Our county has always had police brutality and due to social media there is more

awareness. There has been police brutality going on for decades, now that technology is equipped there is an: “increase in police violence [and] is a product of the ubiquity of phone cameras and believes violence is the result of poor training and pay creating police forces that do not enjoy the respect of their communities” (Police Brutality 2). Police Brutality has not increased in the past few years, it just has caused more awareness due to phone cameras. In the past few years, police brutality has also been reported due to citizens recording themselves being assaulted.
Since officers are afraid of being charge for police brutality it has created the mentality to just cover up for other officers. Which brings up Rafael Perez well known for police corruption who stole three kilos of cocaine and confessed to more. One of most publicised cases of police corruption was in 1999 when: “...Rafael Perez, a police officer in the Los Angeles Police Department’s crime- and gangster-ridden Rampart Division, was arrested for stealing three kilos of cocaine that had been confiscated as evidence during an undercover drug deal” (Roleff 1). Rafael Perez was a corrupt cop who finally got caught after 3 plus years. He profited of confiscating drugs and selling them. Rafael Perez is a LAPD officer well known for being corrupt. Rafael shot someone and planted evidence and the person he shot was sent to prison. Perez was a dangerous man and a corrupt cop: “The highest profile crime Perez admitted to was shooting Javier Francisco Ovando in October 1996 and subsequently planting a gun on him to frame him for attacking him and his partner. Ovando, who was paralyzed by the shooting, was sentenced to twenty-three years in prison, but was released in September 1999 after Perez’s confession” (Roleff 1). After Perez was caught stealing drugs he confessed to many crimes he committed, one was framing Javier and getting him sentenced to 23 years. Javier spent three full long years he could have been a free citizen, but due to corruption he was locked away. Rafael also confessed to covering up unjustified murders, victim bled to death while officers created a story. One case perez was apart of was: “Perez told investigators that he helped cover up two other unjustified shootings by Rampart police officers, including one incident in which the victim bled to death while police officers delayed an ambulance’s arrival while they conferred on their cover up story” (Roleff 1). Too many people lose their lives to crime, which is why we have officers to protect us. There is no good outcome of having officers if too many of them are corrupt. In 1999 over 70 officers were investigated. City also paid out $40 million to settle lawsuits. A year later in 1999 the FBI investigated over 70 officers: “By 2003, the city had already paid $40 million to settle lawsuits” (Batten 2). Corruption cost millions of dollars to fix. The officers that are apart of the corruption should be the ones paying the debt.