Police Force Essay

570 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Medias influence on public opinion

The use of force by police officers is a problem and will be until the media focuses their effort on the training of police officers. What they mean by use of force Phillips (2015) defined “as using more force than required to gain compliance in an incident”. Gross (2016) pointed out “a series of shootings has started a national debate about the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers”. This is starting to get the conversation back going with the series of shooting being all over the media and discussed in the upcoming presidential election. The main aspect of this is the disproportionate use of force by police officers in regard to the race of the individuals in the incidents.
Chaney and Robertson (2015) pointed out “media characterizations of violent criminals as Black has been deeply etched in the psyche of many viewers”. The media is what shapes our society and how we get our information points us in the direction they want you to go. Every news station or website has their own bias and agenda because their job is to get views regardless of what they say. If the story bleeds it leads and the use of force by police officers has been covered more that lately for the …show more content…

A police officer should not have to shoot a suspect at least three times with their gun in the terms of deadly force in subduing a suspect. Chaney and Robertson (2015) emphasized “Black lives matter, the rallying cry of the new movement against racist police violence, which has been embraced by people of different races across America with the shooting of suspects”. This new movement has been starting chapter all across America to get people to hear about the movement and what ways to help minimize the incidents. This is a problem that will not go away soon and the mentality of a police officer has changed from being a guardian to being a warrior (Stoughton

Show More
Related

  • Police Brutality Essay

    777 Words  | 2 Pages

    Police Brutality                  Police work is dangerous.  Sometimes police put in situations that excessive force is needed.  But, because some officers use these extreme measures in situations when it is not, police brutality should be addressed. The use of excessive force may or may not be large problem, but it should be looked into by both the police and the public.                  For those people who feel racism is not a factor in causing the use of excessive force, here is a startling fact.  In Tampa Bay, Florida, five men died while in the custody of the

    Read More

  • Essay On Police Brutality In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1233 Words  | 3 Pages

    Over the years, our nation has witnessed countless cases of police brutality. It has developed into a controversial topic between communities. For instance, deindustrialization is the removal or reduction of manufacturing capability or activity can lead to more crimes when people are laid off. Police officers are faced with many threatening situations day-to-day gripping them to make split second decisions; either to expect the worst or hope for the best. The police are given the authority to take any citizen away for their action that can ruin their lives. With that kind of power comes great responsibility, which is one main concern with the amount of discretion officers have is when to use lethal force. The use of excessive force might or

    Read More

  • Police Experience Essay

    826 Words  | 2 Pages

    On Tuesday, September 23rd, I had the opportunity to do a ride along with the Takoma Park police department. My ride along was quite interesting. I rode with Officer Carl, a twenty-six-year-old officer who has been with the police department for six months. During the ride along we engaged in so many conversations concerning his work routine, and some the important things to be aware of as a police officer. Officer Carl and I were about the same age group so I felt much comfortable talking to him. Before I went for the ride along I had a different perspective about police work, I thought police work was much amusing and entertaining, but after the ride along with Officer Carl, I have realized that there is much more to police work and it often

    Read More

  • The Problem Of Police Brutality In The Media

    1705 Words  | 4 Pages

    One large factor that fuels police brutality is the media. The media is constantly showing the world what police officers are doing wrong. The book “The Politics of Force: Media and the Construction of Police Brutality”, is a book where author Regina Lawrence does an extensive study on how the media ties in with the formation of police brutality. Lawrence analyzed more than 500 incidents of police use-of-force covered by the New York Times and in the Los Angeles Times from the year 1981 to 1991. Lawrence informs readers of the structural and cultural forces that both shape the news and define when police use excessive force. Lawrence claims that police brutality incidents occur in greater numbers than those that are reported. She also explores how media is obtained to the public can see a new perspective on policing policies. Journalists decide whether one story makes it to the news if the issues and events need light shone upon them. If it were not for the media, many issues and events would go undocumented, as police and elected officials would rather leave them unexposed. Lawrence also shows how a news event involving the police can become a tool for isolated social groups to gain access to the

    Read More

  • Police Brutality: A Stain on American Society

    782 Words  | 2 Pages

    In America, police brutality affects and victimizes people of color mentally and socially. Social injustice has become a major issue, which involved the principle of white supremacy vs minorities. The current police brutality that has been occurring is culturally disconnecting ethnicities from one another. According to Cincinnati Police Chief Jeffrey Blackwell, “…the cultural disconnect is very real; you have the weight of generations of abuse on African Americans,” (Flatow, 2016). For example, over the past four years, there have been countless acts of police brutality. The three key deaths of Eric Garner, Philando Castile, and Alton Sterling have become the face of police brutality in the year 2016. People knew that it was unequal treatment of black people by police in the United States and they made it known by creating #BlackLivesMatter.

    Read More

  • Police Brutality is a Criminal Act

    1671 Words  | 4 Pages

    Police brutality is a very real problem that many Americans face today. The police carry an enormous burden each day. Police work is very stressful and involves many violent and dangerous situations. In many confrontations the police are put in a position in which they may have to use force to control the situation. There are different levels of force and the situation dictates the level use most of the time. The police have very strict rules about police use force and the manner in which they use it. In this paper I will try to explain the many different reason the police cross the line, and the many different people that this type of behavior effects. There are thousands of reports each year of assaults and ill treatment against officers who use excessive force and violate the human rights of their victims. In some cases the police have injured and even killed people through the use of excessive force and brutal treatment. The use of excessive force is a criminal act and I will try and explore the many different factors involved in these situations.

    Read More

  • Research Paper On Police Brutality

    1919 Words  | 4 Pages

    Police misconduct is as rampant as ever in America, and it has become a fixture of the news cycle. Police brutality is the use of any force exceeding that reasonably necessary to accomplish a lawful police purpose. The media is inevitably drawn toward tales of conflict, hence why there are so many crime and police stories on the news. Despite the increasing frequency of misbehaving cops, many Americans still maintain a high respect for the man in uniform. Still, police misconduct is a systemic problem, not just an anecdotal one. Here are some reasons why it is a problem. First, many departments do not provide adequate training in nonviolent solutions. With this, police are unfamiliar with what to

    Read More

  • Essay On Police Shootings

    1605 Words  | 4 Pages

    Police shootings occur all over the world but are a huge problem within the United States. We continue to hear more and more about them. These shootings are making headlines. Front page news it seems almost weekly. All the shootings go one of two ways. Either a Police Officer has been shot or a Police Officer has shot a citizen, but either way the final result is death. Whether an Officer has been shot or an Officer has shot someone these cases seem to be related to one thing, fear. People in today’s society feel as though they can’t trust Police Officers as they are there to hurt and kill them. And Police Officers feel as though they are in danger of doing their everyday duties because people see them as the “bad guys” and want to hurt or kill them. Yes, police brutality and racism still exist, but not all cops are bad. Yes there are still bad citizens in this world that want to kill and harm others, but not all citizens are bad. People seem to react to these shootings by rioting quickly after a police officer has shot and killed someone without

    Read More

  • Preventing Police Brutality in Canada

    2183 Words  | 5 Pages

    Firstly, even after government advancement, the integration of a democratic society, and a greatly improved justice system, individuals still feel threatened by police officers. When police training was created, and guidelines/ penalties were and laid out, they were expected to have a large impact on minimizing incidences of excessive police force. Yet, this is not the case. It is often said that prevention is better than cure, this statement can be applied to police brutality by preventing it befor...

    Read More

  • Police Brutality - Racism, Racial Profiling, Prejudice

    1514 Words  | 4 Pages

    Over the years, this country has witnessed many cases of police brutality. It has become a controversial topic among communities that have seen police brutality take place in front of their homes. Officers are faced with many threatening situations everyday forcing them to make split second decisions and to expect the worst and hope for the best. Police officers are given the power to take any citizens rights away and even their lives. With that kind of power comes responsibility, that’s one major concern with the amount of discretion officers have is when to use force or when to use lethal force. The use of excessive force may or not be a large predicament but should be viewed by both the police and the community.

    Read More

  • Police Brutality a Violation of Human Rights

    992 Words  | 2 Pages

    Police brutality is one of the most serious human rights violations in the United States and it occurs everywhere. The reason why I chose this topic is because police brutality happens all the time in the United States and still remains unrecognized by many. Additionally, the public should be knowledgeable about this topic because of how serious this crime can be and the serious outcomes that police brutality can have on other police officers and the public. The job of police officers is to maintain public order, prevent, and detect crimes. They are involved in very dangerous and stressful occupations that can involve violent situations that must be stopped and controlled by any means. In many confrontations with people, police may find it necessary to use excessive force to take control of a certain situation. Sometimes this makes an officer fight with a suspect who resists being arrested. Not all cops in communities are great cops. At least once a year, the news covers a story about a person being beat by an officer. The article “Minority Threat and Police Brutality: Determinants of Civil Rights Criminal Complaints in U.S. Municipalities” by Malcolm D. Holmes from the University of Wyoming, uses the conflict theory to explain why officers go after minorities sometimes causing police brutality. It explains the police’s tension with African American and Latino males. Those minorities are the ones that retaliate more against police officers which causes the officer to use violent force to defend themselves.

    Read More

  • Police Brutality And Racism Essay

    1138 Words  | 3 Pages

    Chaney and Robertson, (2013) stated that “The Department of Justice office of Civil Rights has investigated more than a dozen police departments in major cities across the country on allegations of racial discrimination or police brutality”. Police brutality is defined as the use of excessive physical force or verbal assault and psychological intimidation. White police officers who grew up in the south and were raised to see African Americans in a negative way have a lower opinion of them. However, not all white police officers are from the south, some say that police officers are just abusing their power. When we look at what is going on around the country, it appears racism plays a part in police brutality. Even during this new digital age, there are video cameras in police cars facing the front of the vehicle, but that still does not hinder police using excessive

    Read More

  • Police Chain Of Command Essay

    515 Words  | 2 Pages

    I believe the chain of command is important in a police agency for many reasons. It is a roadmap that shows the route within the organization that order would flow coming down through the organization or that requests flow going up the organization, like a two-way street. The chain of command also establishes formal lines of communication within the department for organizational purposes and it must be used by everyone to communicate formally. This will eliminate crucial departmental problems. For example, if the chief administrative level does not follow the chain of command downward and gives an order directly to the patrol officer, this could cause confusion. For example, the supervisory level might feel that it is alright to do the same thing sending information up the chain. The purpose of the chain of command is to show individuals who their bosses are, from the chief

    Read More

  • We Must Stop Police Brutality

    835 Words  | 2 Pages

    Police brutality is an act that often goes unnoticed by the vast majority of white Americans. This is the intentional use of “excessive force by an authority figure, which oftentimes ends with bruises, broken bones, bloodshed, and sometimes even death” (Harmon). While law-abiding citizens worry about protecting themselves from criminals, it has now been revealed that they must also keep an eye on those who are supposed to protect and serve. According to the National Police Academy, in the past year, there have been over 7,000 reports of police misconduct; fatalities have been linked to more than 400 of these cases (Gul). Police brutality is often triggered by disrespect towards the police officer.

    Read More

  • Police Psychology Essay

    2086 Words  | 5 Pages

    Police psychology is broadly defined as the application of psychological principles and methods to law enforcement. With the popularity of television shows like Criminal Minds and Law & Order: SVU, the job of a police psychologist has become more well known and even popular. As seen on these shows, a police psychologist can be helpful in profiling a criminal, but they also provide many other services to the members of a police department. Although the development of this field has a long history, police psychology as a separate entity is still relatively recent and growing. This intimate relationship between psychology and law enforcement can be traced back to almost a century ago.[1] It first developed out of a need for a variety of psychological services in the law enforcement field, including screening applicants and counseling during grief and stress situations. In the time that it has been around, it has proved to be a valuable resource for the law enforcement profession.

    Read More

More about Police Force Essay

Open Document