Remember when the police department as a whole cared about the people they served? When police officers spoke out against corruption and participated in community activities within the neighborhoods they patrolled? It seems those days are gone and have been replaced with almost “random” killings by police, as if there were a lottery drawing, perhaps. Police killings are not the only problem for citizens in America concerning law enforcement. People of all races face brutality, police being less than truthful, or outright lying under oath, and law enforcement officers facing no criminal charges, or even acquittal.
Three cases that reflect the signs of the times are those of Eric Garner, Michael Brown, and Tamir Rice. Each case is unique in its own, but every last one of them ended in the same way-a person being murdered by the police. Black people are not the only ones being slain by police, however these stories seem to be a favorite subject of the media.
Law enforcement personnel seem to be policing the citizens they serve to “protect” in an unlawful crime control process. This control process is evidenced by police indiscriminately taking justice into their own hands, resulting in the death of a citizen, then later testifying that they were “in fear of their life”.
Part of the problem is the implicit brotherhood of the “Blue Shield” which sanctions the practice of policeman from implicating guilt among themselves, or incriminating their coworkers. This is evidenced by the video seen of Rodney King being savagely beaten for an excessive amount of time, while fellow police officers watched the scene, but never intervened on King’s behalf.
Additionally, during the Rodney King trial, all of the officers were tried for murder but were found not guilty of any crime, although it was evident to the world what transpired. Subsequently, the police officers were brought up on federal charges. In the cases of Garner, Brown, and Rice, federal charges were never filed.
As mentioned above, police are now seeming to stretch the truth regarding the circumstances of the victims harassed or killed, using the alibi, “I was in fear for my life.” This statement and numerous others are causing distrust for the police among those they serve
There are solutions to ultimately remedy the issues of police brutality and unwarranted killings.
First, any police officer who fires on, and kills an individual, with the use of multiple gun shots, should be tried for murder in the first degree and convicted. Multiple gunshot wounds are not normally required in order to detain a suspect. This punishment may seem harsh but as one who could conceivably be killed by a cop, this punishment is long overdue. Perhaps the thought of an officer to think, “Man, I might not see my family as a free man if I use excessive force,” may cause him or her to think twice.
The next element would be that the police officer who brutalized, or killed a citizen within their jurisdiction, not be allowed to have their case heard in another jurisdiction. In America, people make mistakes and the criminal justice system is in place to enforce retribution. However, an officer who kills a person in Long Beach, Ca. to be able to have their case heard in Anaheim, for example, is wrong. In the cases of Garner, Brown, and Rice, the media received and reported negative information regarding these victims. Little, if any, blame was shed on the police. If a community is to trust their police department, the ultimate responsibility lies with the chief. If that person is determined to defend his or her personnel, the consequences of their actions, while under their scrutiny should be subject to charges of accessory.
Another consideration is the use of “body-cams.” If it can be proved that white police officer intentionally shut off their body cam, and proceeded to kill an unarmed black “suspect,” there could be reason to suspect that the killing consisted of a “hate crime,” and should be treated as such.
The killing and victimizing of innocent people (no matter their race) is not a cop’s job. Their job is to protect innocent citizens from criminals. If an officer is among other officers while police brutality is taking place, those officers should be tried and convicted of accessory to the crime if they refuse to come forward with the truth. The penalties for lying regarding a situation should be harsh, and no officer, or their supervisor should be considered above the law. Lastly, if a cop is caught lying on a citizen they will spend five years to life depending on the nature of the lie. With these rules in place it would drastically minimize the police killing or “lying” on innocent people.
In conclusion, the police need to go back to those days of having respect for the people they serve. The respect of the people goes a long way towards the police in their ability to complete their jobs when needing assistance of those they serve. Police should have power, but not to the extent that they can do and say whatever they want, and not worry about the consequences. Punishment must come to any person, cop or citizen, if they cannot follow the rules.
