Police Brutality Research Paper

The Tennessee vs. Garner case in 1985 reiterated the unlawful nature of deadly force when used by law enforcement officers. A few years later, the justification of excessive force transpired during the Graham vs. Connor case in 1989. In this case, the concept of "reasonableness" was explored when a police officer followed a man’s car because of personal suspicions. Berry Graham was handcuffed and questioned. In the midst of the arrest, Graham experienced discomfort due to his diabetic condition. He simultaneously acquired several cuts and bruises because of the excessive force being used on him. His pleas were ignored, and he proceeded to file a lawsuit claiming that the force that had been used on him violated his fourteenth amendment rights regarding unreasonable searches and seizures. The court justified the practicality of the case and declared that the officer’s force was appropriate regarding the circumstances of the situation. This decision emphasized the powers that law enforcement officers have regarding the amount of force they must use to execute their duties.

Police and Law enforcement have been protecting the public for a long time. Especially in the United States of America, "first American police department was established in Boston in 1838" (Nodjimbadem 3). Since the first establishment of a police department to enforce law and order in the United States things have changes over time. This change over time can allow people, ideas and other things good or bad to enter which could lead to excessive and violent force or appropriate and pleasant force dealing with Police Brutality. The idea of Police Brutality stems from the brutal policing victims received.

When officers uses more force than necessary to subdue citizens they use what they call excessive force. Excessive use of force is not defined by any specific action, but rather evaluated on a case.When a citizen is fleeing from a scene and resisting arrest. Tracking a suspected would likely be considered a use of reasonable of force. If the officer is tracking a fleeing suspect and then beating him/her savagely that would very well be considered excessive use of force. However it does depend on the situation of the officer and the suspectes. There is also a difference between police brutality and excessive use of force. The difference of excessive force and police brutality is not all police brutality involves excessive uses of force. In

Police shouldn’t be able to get away with police brutality because innocent civilians are getting shot and dying from police brutality. Some people might even say that police brutality is more likely to happen against African-Americans. Dilascio also states, “When an alleged incident of police brutality comes to light, it generally falls into one of two categories...the incident is isolated, and stems from a single decision that is later called into question (such as when an officer shoots a suspect that is later discovered to be unarmed)”(Dilascio). This quote states that when a officer shoot an innocent man or woman that is later recognized to be unarmed is called to question and is later handled in court. Also when the incident is handled in court sometimes the incident isn’t handled correctly. According to the black lives matter movement, “The Black Lives Matter movement seeks to highlight police brutality against African Americans and argues that police are more likely to use excessive and even lethal force when confronting black suspects”(Police). This quote is self explanatory, but it explains how police officers are

To be clear, using excessive force is wrong. No one should have the thought about just beating someone up for the fun of it. But if the situation calls for force to protect me or anyone else, then a police officer should use all means necessary to stop the situation. The most common ways that police use force at their

Police work is a dangerous job, and police are more than likely to be put into situations when excessive force is needed. But, sometimes police use excessive force for their own personal reasons, such as, racism. The issue of police officers using excessive force may or may not be of great concern, but it should be looked into by both the police and the public. Because some officers use excessive force in situations when it is not needed, police brutality should be addressed.

Law enforcement has been helpful to the world in the past, though there have been cases where the police used too much of their power. Police brutality is known by the excessive force used on individuals that is unnecessary as law enforcement. Police brutality is prevalent a lot more than it has been in the previous years. In the past police used excessive force when it was necessary, but now in the society we live in police are overstepping boundaries. The police these days act as if they are above the law, and they have the ability to do whatever they desire Police brutality should be monitored so that civilians are protected, and so the police responsible for the wrong doings are punished for their crimes.

Within the past decade there have been several accounts of fatal police shootings. Law enforcement deems deadly force as a justifiable homicide. Not all cases are investigated in its entirety. Stricter laws on police officers should be forced to prevent riots, senseless killings and promote equality.

Whenever a law enforcement officer places an individual under arrest or is involved in a deadly force scenario the officer has used some degree of force. The incidents where an office has to make a split second decision and use physical force to control a situation is known as “Use of Force.” The use of force varies as situations present themselves to the officer and they must decide what level of force is necessary to control the situation. Often the use of force is subject to much debate and not a year goes by without some media coverage of some law enforcement officer accused of using excessive force. In dozens of studies of police use of force there is no single,

Police brutality is one of the most serious and divisive human rights violations in the United States and it occurs in every community. The job of a police officer is to maintain public order, prevent, and detect crime. They are engaged in a dangerous and stressful occupation that can involve violent situations that must be controlled. In many of these confrontations with the public it may become necessary for the police to administer force to take control of a situation. Sometimes this force takes the form of hand to hand combat with a suspect who resists being arrested. Not all police officers in communities are good cops. At least once a year the news is covering a story about a person

When it comes to police brutality the definition may different from person to person so therefore it is important to identify whether it comes from a public or police point of view (Otu, 2006). The one definition that all citizens seem to agree on is that “police brutality is “any practice that degrades their state, restricts their freedom, annoys or harasses them, or that uses physical force is police brutality” (Otu, 2006). Police officers should know when they are willfully and wrongfully using too much force and exceed their boundaries. According to the law police brutality falls under an intentional tort, which is “an act that is committed for the purpose of injuring another person and that requires some sanction, either criminal, or civil, as deterrence” (Otu,

Excessive force being used by officers has been an ongoing issue since law enforcement was created. During the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, it has been made aware that minorities were a target for the law enforcement of that time. The 1967 murder cases of “Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner against the sheriffs of Neshoba and Lauderdale County” at that time was huge seeing as everyone involved in the case got off without any charges (Wynter). After years have gone by and the 41st anniversary of their deaths has happened, someone was convicted. All this time, no one would speak up against the police of these counties in fear of being brutally murdered just like the three men that was in their care. The injustice of it did not make sense

Although I should know by now, I cannot help but think that there has been an overwhelming amount of police brutality in recent years. Police brutality can be defined as, when a police officer uses more force than necessary. This issue has spread throughout the United States of America, and is putting the lives of our citizens in great danger. Police brutality is not only physical, but it can also be verbal attacks; and, in most cases, it is caused by false arrest and racial profiling due to police corruption. Police brutality has been and continues to be a major concern in society and it is used very loosely to any and all forms of police misconduct. Whereas, in reality, excessive force of police misconduct is what defines police brutality. The jobs of a police officer are too calmly resolve public disturbance and disputes. Police officers are supposed to protect citizens; instead they are hurting and using excessive force. It is not right and it is unjust for a police officer to hurt a citizen due to an assumption without any actual proof of criminal activity.

There is a widespread and persistent problem of police brutality across the United States. Thousands of individual complaints about police abuse are reported each year and local authorities pay out millions of dollars to victims in damages after lawsuits. Police officers have beaten and shot unresisting suspects; they have misused batons, chemical sprays, and electro-shock weapons; they have injured or killed people by placing them in dangerous restraint holds.

Allegations of police brutality by the U.S. police departments have been on the rise for the past two decades. The use of excessive force by police officers beyond what is considered necessary is not a new fact to the world. Many of these encounters with civilians have been unjustified because the majority ultimately ends in death. The police involve the use of weapons such as batons, Tasers, pepper spray, or guns. This may also include false arrests, psychological trauma, and verbal abuse. Some individuals will state they are just doing their job, but others argue these cases can be traced back to poor training and policies. Every police officer has the right to protect himself and the community, but they should be able to discern when to use reasonable or excessive force on the civilian depending on the situation at hand.