Questions on Racism in Law Enforcement
INTRODUCTION
Human beings are incredibly unique and individualized beings. No two people are the same, even identical twins. That diversity is expressed in our genders, socioeconomic status, style, politics, philosophies, and, of course, ethnicity and race. That latter is as aspect that continues to be at the center of ethical and equality debates. The average American generally prefers to believe that with the exception of hate organizations, like the Ku Klux Klan, racism is predominately something of the past and not something that is an active part of our modern societal paradigm. Unfortunately, that is simply not true. Racism is alive and kicking in the modern era as surely as it ever has. How can it be so predominant and yet remain unseen to so many? That is because modern racism is not simply a matter of discriminatory attitudes in the workplace or the shouting of racial slurs; modern racism is much more insidious because it has been institutionalized and melded into many of the American policies and laws, as well as, the enforcement of those laws. The criminal justice system has long been accused of having racially biased policies and approached to law enforcement and the court system. One of the places that it has recently come under a great deal of scrutiny and criticism are upon the police that patrol the streets. The shooting death of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African American male, in Ferguson Missouri, by a Caucasian police officer has become a social “storm of the century” and brought a great deal of attention and ethical questions regarding the teen’s death (Simmons, 2014). Ultimately, the Michael Brown shooting case in Ferguson led to greater racial divide with the community; it did not cause the racial tensions in the location, but, in fact, brought to light a tensions and biases that had existed for a long time.
BACKGROUND
Michael Brown, on the evening of August 9, 2014, and a friend, another African American, were walking down the center of the street. When Officer Darren Wilson saw them and he initially approached them to encourage them to get out of the street. However, the officer recognized Michael Brown from the suspect description in regards to a robbery and minor assault of a convenience store owner. Brown stole a box of cigars having a value of about $50. When Officer Wilson insisted that the two young men would be detained, Brown reached into the Officer’s patrol car and fought with the officer over control of the Officer’s firearm. After discharging the weapon the vehicle, Brown released the weapon and fled, as did his companions (Tobin, DeMarche & et. al., 2014). Officer Wilson then chased Michael Brown a distance from the initial location, where the tragic conclusion to this story would take place. In a stand-off the Officer and the Brown faced off, the details of the events continue to remain in question to many; Officer Wilson fired multiple shots into Michael Brown’s body, ending his life (Kalin, 2014).
The mixed perceptions, via reports and media, both telecast and online, led to two distinct sides of the issue that many felt were racially motivated. While the events and outcome of the events of that night were known and accepted, many of the details of the story vary depending on whom you ask (PBS, 2014). Some believed the version that Michael Brown was, in fact, attempting to surrender to the officer, with his hands raised in compliance, when Officer Wilson preceded to shoot him in cold-blood a number of times. Other witnesses reports a different interpretation of events, they argue that Michael Brown was attempting to intimidate and charged the officer leaving him no choice but to fire to defend himself; several of the shots were intended to wound, not kill. The two sides of the issue awaited the verdict of the Grand Jury to determine whether or not Officer Wilson would be considered justified in the shooting or not based on the evidence of the police investigation and Medical Examiner’s reports (Cassell, 2014).
At this time many Ferguson residents were engaging in nonviolent protests to show support for the Brown family, however, other protestors from other states arrived ready and prepared to encourage violence and to participate in any mayhem that ensued; their presence had little to do with Michael Brown, they were using him as an excuse. When the verdict was announced, Officer Darren Wilson was within his rights to fire on Michael Brown and the incident was justified; therefore Wilson would not face any charges or jail time (Simmons, 2014).The city of Ferguson erupted into violence, breaking windows, looting store and wreaking havoc all over the city. This forced law enforcement to prepare for the possible rioting and, even, felt it necessary to call in the military support of the National Guard. Since the night of the shooting and the Grand Jury verdict, new evidence has been revealed and myths been dispelled, but the case has continued to be debated and discussed and has drawn attention to the racial tensions that have existed for a long time in Ferguson, but, also, in police forces are across the country.
DISSCUSSION
There are many who feel that Officer Wilson initially stopped Michael Brown not because he identified him from a police description, but because he was a young black male. After, they argue, that a young black male is perceived by law enforcement to already be guilty or “up to something,” and that he chased Brown down as an act of vengeance for Brown fighting over his sidearm and standing off with the officer. However, other witnesses differ in their testimony, saying that Brown refused to submit to the multiple requests by the officer to stand-down and surrender. Brown, much more physically intimidating than the Officer’s, continued, according to Officer Wilson and a number of the same witnesses, and charged the officer aggressively and appeared to be doing anything but surrendering. After the riots diminished and Ferguson began to get over the events of August 9th and the social outbursts that followed, discussion over the facts, implications and long-term effects of the Michael Brown death at the hands of a white police officer were still being debated (Cassel, 2014). There are a number of myths that were adopted and truths that were overlooked by many. Wilson’s gun was struggled over, Brown was responsible for the robbery at the convenience store and his wounds are not consistent with someone in a submissive “hands-up” position, but of someone in a charging body posture. As a member of law-enforcement a police officer has the right to detain someone, especially if they are a possible committer of crimes and fighting over a policeman’s gun is foolish, to say the least, therefore Michael Brown was not simply as innocent victim (Alcindor, 2014). However, the greatest problem stems from why Officer Wilson originally stopped Michael Brown, the fact that deadly force was used and whether or not either of these acts was racially motivated?
The reality is that, while the Michael Brown case resulted in a justifiable verdict in favor of Officer Wilson, who left the police force shortly after that verdict, but it did open up a conversation that seems to be verifying that there is, unfortunately, a great deal of racial bias hidden under the layers of policy and procedure in law enforcement in Ferguson (PBS, 2014).For a long time there had been disparities between police presence, number of arrests and number of violent interactions with the police involving African American suspects detained by police. In fairness, not all police officers are racist or bring racial mentalities with them into the workplace. The problem is that racism has, as mentioned, become institutionalized, it interwoven into the world view of law enforcement. Intentionally or unintentionally, the racism identified in law enforcement is nothing new (Puryear, 2014). We see it many of the laws and policies in the criminal justice system. For example, Caucasians convicted of cocaine use receive a less strict sentence than African Americans receive for similar drugs. We see it in the process of “racial profiling,” which represents the concept of basing the crimes of an individual or group of individuals as a means for judging an entire demographic, or, in this case, racial group (Apuzzo, 2014).This means that when police officers see three African American teens walking down one side of the street and a group of three Caucasian teens walking down the others side; officer would be most likely assume that that African American teens are more likely to be up to “no good.” This assumption sets up the basis of a stereotype and that stereotyping inevitably leads to racism in the perspective of law enforcement. That said this has caused racism to become part of the training and outlook on the world law enforcement all too often has. There are many examples of this growing and imbedded problem between law enforcement and people of color.
In Florida, on February 26 of 2012, Treyvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American youth was walking home from the store through a local neighborhood. He was identified by George Zimmerman, a local resident, as a suspicious person and threat to the community, so he armed himself with a handgun and followed the teen. This ultimately results in a fight between the two, where George Zimmerman shot and killed the teen. The problem with this case is that Zimmerman used racial bias as a mean to determine the teens “threat level.” It was not that he was suspicious, it was not that he did anything illegal, or that he was a stranger in the neighborhood, it was because he was a black person and is therefore automatically suspicious, doing something illegal and did not belong in this neighborhood (Boule, 2014).Despite these element the court still saw fit to justify Zimmerman’s action as a form of self-defense, even though he sought out Martin, when he could simply have not followed him and, most importantly, Zimmerman is not a member of law enforcement, just a “concerned citizen.” This is highlighted proof of racial disparity that is present in the justice system as a whole.
When Michael Brown died at the hands of a law enforcement officer many people in Ferguson believed that it might not have happened as it had if Brown and been another race other than African American. It drew attention to racial problems that have existed for many, many years within their community. The case caused many to research the facts regarding Ferguson’s crime rates and arrest statistics, as well as, looking into the ins-and-out of the Ferguson Police Department. A great many disparities have been identified. The number of arrests involving African Americans is much higher than any other racial demographic by large number (Apuzzo, 2014).That led many reviewers to find that the police spend more time focusing on the crimes being committed among the African American community and ignoring the crimes committed by others. In other words, crime statistics can only include crimes that are caught by police. If the police in Ferguson focus all of their attention on African Americans then they are not being as vigil concerning the crimes of non-black suspects. However, Michael Brown’s case did not just draw attention to inequalities in the Ferguson Police Department, but to the issues of racism in law enforcement in other parts of the country as well.
Most recently another tragic story that is receiving and should receive a great deal of public attention, took place approximately 2 weeks ago. On April 4th, in South Carolina, a police officer, Michael T, Slegger, fired multiple rounds and the fleeing Walter L. Scott, an African American, killing him at the scene. What makes this case so disturbing is the video taken by a witness tells a very different story of what transpired in comparison to officer reports. The officer claimed that Mr. Scott fled his vehicle during a routine traffic stop for a broken tail light. He may have owed unpaid child support and was trying to avoid arrest, which is why he ran from police. The officer said that he used his stun gun on Mr. Scott, but it has little effect and that Mr. Scott had actually taken the tasar from him. The officer then fired his gun 8 times at the fleeing Mr. Scott who died shortly after, despite CPR efforts to save his life. However, the video shows that the officer shot the man when he was more than 20 feet away and did not appear or have anything in his possession. In fact, after the shooting, Officer Slegger is seen bringing the stun gun over to Mr. Scott’s body and dropping it in the vicinity. Slegger cuffs the unconscious Mr. Scott and even after other officers arrive no CPR was ever seen being administered. After reviewing the events Slegger was charged with murder for using deadly force in an unjustifiable way (Schmidt & Apuzzo, 2015). Was this event racially influenced? It is very likely he may have assumed than Mr. Scott’s fleeing being a sign of his guilt in a far more serious crime, statistically speaking that fits the stereotype, and therefore made him a greater threat. In reality Mr. Scott was a non-violent offender who was 20 years the officer’s senior fleeing the officer and posing no real threat to anyone, especially the officer pursuing him. So Ferguson has opened up the problem for consideration in many other American locales.
Michael Brown’s case may continue to be discussed within the legal realms for many years to come, however, on a social level greater efforts need to be taken to resolve the apparent disparities. It has brought a great deal concern around the use of deadly force and when that approach is deemed severe enough to be warranted and applied. People place faith in the police that they will use the authority they are given seriously and will use it wisely, however the racial disparities in Ferguson has proven that that may not always be true. Michael Brown did commit a crime when he “strong-armed” the convenience store clerk and stole cigars. Michael Brown did make an effort to take the officers firearm and failed, which increased the nature of his crime. He ran from the police and may have refused to surrender. It is also true that Officer Wilson chose to chase Brown on his own and face off with the much larger teen (Kalin, 2014). Had Wilson waited for backup, then this case may have ended very differently; after all he may no longer have felt that his life was threatened. Had he waited then deadly force would not have been necessary. The said reality is that an 18-year-old boy is dead for the initial crime of stealing less than a $100 worth of merchandise; similarly Mr. Scott died over a broken tail light and potentially, unpaid child support. Neither of these crimes warranted a death sentence. However, when we give police the right to use their guns as they see fit then that is exactly what ultimately occurs and it seems to be happening among police officers and the people of color who share their communities (Griffith, 2012). With Michael Brown’s death citizens of Ferguson and well as people across the country were forced to confront the racism that has long existed, there is little doubt that it will take a long time for this town to recover and repair the flaws that are clearly present in the law enforcement.
ISSUES
How does Ferguson, and all law enforcement agencies alike, recover from these long standing racial disparities? Reform, reform, and more reform that is how the issues are solved and resolutions reached. There is a need to reform the training policies and procedures that future officers of the law would undergo. Greater investigation and updating on policies that eliminates the disparities from the environment all together are also called for. Racial profiling must be eliminated as a reliable police investigation tool from here on out. Assuming that all members of a race will behave exactly the same in all scenarios and will all commit crimes innately is pure racism and it diminishes the value of justice for all that this country is supposed to be founded upon (Simmons, 2014). Greater measures must be taken to enforce stricter rules and limitation where resorting to lethal force will be deemed justified. Finally, one of the greatest tools is more closely monitoring of officers to validate their actions as surely as those of suspects and the general public they may interact with are meeting the standards of ethical upstanding and racially equality that should be expected of them. However, the hardest thing to change will be the foundation of racism that is still hiding under the surface in the United States. Organization, politicians, government offices, law enforcement, and the general public all very much want to pretend that racism and discriminations, in general, no longer hold any sway over America today. You cannot expect to change something that many are not willing to admit that exists (Boule, 2014). There is no shame in admitting there is a problem and attempting to find solutions, but there is shame in not addressing a problem because it is easier to ignore it. This is true in Ferguson and it is true in every American state, city, town and a community that one can name.
SOLUTIONS
Michael Brown did break the law and should be punished appropriately for that. However, the death of a teenager is never going to be a positive thing under the umbrella of any situation. However, what is important is that scenarios like this must be avoided at all costs and if that means reforming the law enforcement foundation, then so be it. Under different racial mentalities perhaps the events of August 9, 2014 might have ended differently. Fortunately, the attention to the problem identified in the Michael Brown’s case is encouraging change and forcing many to reevaluate polices. Many more law enforcement agencies are embracing modern technology to monitor more closely the behavior, attitudes and actions of the officers the employ. Body cameras are one of the most recently implemented tools that require officers entire shifts be recorded, placing them under stricter overseeing and, ideally, forcing them to be on their best behaviors at all times (Puryear, 2014).The ideal goal being a world that is free of racially biased policies and mentalities, law enforcement that is able to successfully prevent crime and protect the public equally, regardless of race, creed and religions and, finally, and police forces that can again be trusted to do the right things unhindered by racial assumptions and stereotyped police work (Simmons, 2014).
CONCLUSION
The racial outbursts that swirled throughout Ferguson after the death of Michael Brown did not cause racial tensions, but only added the final straw to an already highly tense and racially imbalanced community. It brought attention to the problem that was clearly present in Ferguson, as well as, similar disparities occurring in other parts of the country. Michael Brown may not have been a saint, but he was a teenager, little more than a kid, and his story may help to prevent there from ever being other Michael Brown’s in the future. People of all races always have and always will break the law and commit crimes, in one way or another, both small and large. What needs to change is that too often African American offenders find themselves mistreated or treated unequally by law enforcement and the justice system, for committing the same crimes as their white counterparts. The law in American must be the same law for all of its citizens, if someone, of any race, is caught committing crimes that they should be appropriately and equally punished. Ferguson has lit a fuse that has inspired the need for change with diligence and willingness to reform and educate themselves, then change can occur and there is still a chance to live in an America that is truly equal and free for all of its citizens.
REFERENCES
Alcindor, Y. (2014, November 17). Ferguson shooting: Myths vs. facts. USA Today, 1. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/11/15/myths-and-facts-on-ferguson-shooting/19085451
Apuzzo, M. (2015, March 3). Ferguson police routinely violate rights of blacks, justice dept. finds. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/us/justice-department-finds-pattern-of-police-bias-and-excessive-force-in-ferguson.html?_r=0
Boule, J. (2014). The new racism. Slate Magazine, 1. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/09/the_new_racism_michael_brown_and_trayvon_martin_deny_it_exists_and_smear.html
Casell, P. (2014, November 26). The physical evidence in the michael brown case supported the officer [updated with dna evidence]. Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/11/28/the-physical-evidence-in-the-michael-brown-case-supported-the-officer/
Griffith, N. (2012). Racism in the criminal justice system. California Polytechnic State University , 1-34.
Kalin, C. (2014, November 25). 10 key facts ferguson grand jury discovered. CNS News, 1. Retrieved from http://www.cnsnews.com/mrctv-blog/curtis-kalin/10-key-facts-ferguson-grand-jury-discovered
Puryear Keita, G. (2014). Race, racism and law enforcement: A call to action. American Psychology Association-Monitor, 45(9), 55.
Schmidt, M.C. & Apuzzo, M. (2015, April 7), South Carolina Officer Is Charged With Murder of Walter Scott. New York Times. 1. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/08/us/south-carolina-officer-is-charged-with-murder-in-black-mans-death.html?_r=0
Simmons, K. C. (2014, September 19). Ferguson events highlight continued tensions between police and poor urban residents. The Huffington Post, 1. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kami-chavis-simmons/ferguson-events-highlight_b_5692699.html
Tobin, M., DeMarche, E. & et. al., (2014, August 15). Ferguson police say michael brown was suspect in robbery. Fox News, 1. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/08/15/ferguson-police-say-michael-brown-fit-description-strong-arm-robbery-suspect/
PBS. (2014, November 25). Ferguson reeling from the effects of grand jury decision. PBS. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/ferguson-reeling-effects-grand-jury-decision/
