VOILENCE BY THE POLICE: THE PROBLEM, THE CAUSE
AND POSSIBE SOLUTIONS
There are many controversies surrounding police officers and their counterparts around the country. Many would say that they are here to protect and serve the community but others would say that these officers are using their badge to violate the same laws they are sworn to protect. Even though police officers put their lives on the line each day it serves as little conciliation to those who have either experienced or witnessed some sort of police brutality. In recent years the relationship between the police department and the communities across the U.S are strained because of the many wide spread media events resulting in the allegations and in most cases deaths of minorities that is believed to be caused by racial profiling and discrimination against minority groups. However these incidents are often down played and in most cases and sometimes never tried or even brought to trial for that matter. It is believed that there is a coalition between the judicial system and the police department in which serves as a reminder of how corruption plays a major role in law enforcement. As an example we will look at many cases and how it relates to this topic from both sides of the opposition regarding the problem, the cause and what possible solutions can be rendered to ensure a better relationship between the two parties. For example let’s take a look at the the shooting of Michael Brown occurred on August 9, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Brown, an 18-year-old black man, was fatally shot by Darren Wilson, 28, a white Ferguson police officer. The disputed circumstances of the shooting and the resultant protests and civil unrest received considerable attention in the U.S. and abroad, and sparked a vigorous debate about law enforcement's relationship with African-Americans, and police use of force doctrine in Missouri and nationwide. The shooting sparked unrest in Ferguson. Protests, both peaceful and violent, along with vandalism and looting, continued for more than a week, resulting in night curfews. The response of area police agencies in dealing with the protests received significant criticism from the media and politicians. There were concerns over insensitivity, tactics and a militarized response. Missouri Governor Jay Nixon ordered local police organizations to cede much of their authority to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
On November 24, 2014, it was announced that the St. Louis County grand jury had decided not to indict Wilson. On March 4, 2015, the U. S. Department of Justice cleared Wilson of civil rights violations in the shooting, finding that witnesses who corroborated his account were credible while those who incriminated him were not,[9][10] and that according to the evidence, Wilson shot Michael Brown in self-defense. (wikipedia.org). Also On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner died in Staten Island, New York City, after a police officer put him in a chokehold for 15 seconds. The New York City Medical Examiner's Office concluded that Garner died partly as a result of the chokehold. New York City Police Department (NYPD) policy prohibits the use of chokeholds, and the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association (PBA), a NYPD police union, said that the officer did not use a chokehold. On December 3, 2014, a grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo. The event stirred public protests and rallies with charges of police brutality. As of December 28, 2014, at least 50 demonstrations had been held nationwide specifically for Garner while hundreds of demonstrations against general police brutality counted Garner as a focal point. The Justice Department announced an independent federal investigation. Both of these cases and many after sparked a wide range of skepticism that help bring to light one of the US. long unresolved issues in which believed to have stemmed from the age of the civil rights movement. As a result this had many families
