Still, the "con" side of police brutality is that: a) it harms the victim; b) it turns the community's perception of police to a negative; and c) it shows a lack of training and/or flawed hiring strategies by police departments. Meanwhile, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) reports that police are abusing the use of Taser stun guns; indeed, the NYCLU's research shows that in 60% of incidents in which Tasers were used, the incident "…did not meet the recommended criteria for such a weapon" (Harris, 2011)
¶ … Police Brutality There are certainly "cons" when discussing the problem of police brutality, but are there also positives ("pros") when those events occur? This paper points to the issue of police brutality from several viewpoints and critiques the literature. Police Brutality Cases on the rise since 9/11 Incidents in which police, prison guards or other law enforcement authorities have used "excessive force" or otherwise have violated civil rights "…have increased 25% from fiscal years 2001 to 2007 over the previous seven years" (Johnson, 2007)
The Literature on Police Use of Force -- the Officer's Perspective Meanwhile, is the perception of police brutality exaggerated -- or is that perception a correct one? A peer-reviewed article in the International Journal of Police Science & Management explains that while there is a presumption of "…widespread use of excessive force" when it comes to law enforcement officers in the U.S., this presumption "…may be overstated" (Pinizzotto, et al
The "pros" of police brutality One notorious incident involving police brutality has actually resulted in positive changes in the United States, according to Alicia Stewart, Identity Editor at CNN. The commission set up to investigate the Rodney King beating (the "Christopher Commission") reported that ten police chiefs from "large cities" noted "…police violence was not unique to Los Angeles," which opened up the issue for public discussion for perhaps the first time on a national level (Stewart, 2012)
Where, the court ruled that the police may not use deadly force in apprehending a suspect except when the following conditions exist, (with the court saying) "Unless it is necessary to prevent the escape and the officer has probable cause to believe that the suspect posses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officers or others." (Cole, 2007, pp
" Research shows that police perjury and police brutality are closely related as officers who commit brutality will most likely lie on the stand to prevent the possibility of a lawsuit or departmental charges. Criminal justice experts are divided over whether racial differences exist with respect to police use of force (Weisburd, et
Recording police brutality may become a crime soon in and of itself. A flood of Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and other posted videos and photographs depicting incidents of police brutality have outraged police and has led three states to make it illegal to record officers under surveillance laws (Owens, 2010)
Police Brutality in the South: Three Case Studies and Their Constitutional Effects Amnesty International has said that "Police brutality and use of excessive force has been one…systematic patterns of abuse across America, including "police beatings, unjustified shootings and the use of dangerous restraint techniques to subdue suspects.," (Lendman, 2010)
While the misdemeanor charges for not having a peddler's license and peddling in a prohibited area have been dropped, Mr. Drew is being prosecuted for illegal recording, a Class I felony punishable by 4 to 15 years in prison in Illinois (McElroy)
The remaining charge of resisting arrest without violence was they only charge that stuck. Evidentally asking an officer who runs up to you yelling at you to delete a constitutionally protected photo and then having the temerity to ask for his name and badge number constitutes resisting arrest (Miller, 2010)
" Present Cases Cases of police brutality which have recently occurred include the October 2003 case in Minneapolis. The case involves "two officers who are accused of using a plunger to sexually assault a man during a drug raid (Chanen, 2003)
" In 1991, five New York City officers were "indicted on murder charges in the February 5 death by suffocation of a 21-year-old Hispanic man suspected of car theft. The officers were accused of having hit, kicked and choked Federico Pereira while he lay face down and hog-tied - his wrists cuffed behind his back while another set of cuffs bound his hands to one ankle (Lacayo, 1991)
It is important to look at police brutality against Hispanics and African-Americans to gain a better understanding of this serious problem. History of Brutality The contrast between "law-abiding and lawless people is racialized, making the depreciation of liberty it legitimates equally racialized (Roberts, 1999)
" Past Cases There have been a number of past cases of police brutality against African-Americans and Hispanics. One case involved an "elderly African-American couple from Pennsylvania, Charles and Etta Carter, who were stopped by Maryland State Police on their 40th wedding anniversary (Taslitz, 2003)
Doctrines of Duty Care Failure Protecting Laws on Vehicular Pursuits and Police Brutality Title 42, Section 1983 of the United States Code, or the federal civil rights statute, officials of the state and local governments may be sued in they violate an individual's constitutional rights, such as the Fourth Amendment (Batterton, 2015; Dean, 1998; Rutledge, 2010)
News about police brutality, misconduct and shootings. Commentary and archival information about police brutality and misconduct from The New York Times.
Police brutality is one of several forms of police misconduct which involves undue violence by police members. Widespread police brutality exists in many countries ...
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After initiating a 45 minutes standoff with a sleeping couple, five police officers shot 20 rounds into the car — killing the parents. Police officers cannot be ...
Police brutality affects not only its immediate victims, but can undermine the community's trust in its police force.