Police Brutality Pervasive Problem or Rare Anomaly

Police Brutality: Pervasive Problem or Rare Anomaly? Police brutality, when it occurs may be one of the most significant violations of public trust. Police officers, those individuals taxed with protecting the public from danger, should never be in a situation where they pose a threat to the public. Furthermore, there is no question that police brutality occurs. Moreover, generally when there are allegations of police brutality, there has been some type of underlying violent incident. In addition, while issues of brutality may seem clear-cut to a disinterested observer, it is critical to keep in mind that law enforcement officers are not presented with textbook examples of the appropriate or inappropriate use of force, but real-life scenarios involving quick decisions. There are many arrest and non-arrest scenarios where officers need to use force to protect self or others; and the degree of force required may be greater than what a disinterested observer would assume because a huge percentage of detained criminals are under the influ ence of drugs at the time of their arrest and detention, which may increase pain resistance, decrease judgment, and enhance strength and/or energy. Another recurrent issue in debates about police brutality is that racial bias appears to be a motive behind police brutality. When one considers that minorities are disproportionately likely to be arrested and convicted of crimes, one would expect to find a disproportionate number of minoritiesShow MoreRelatedHow Police Departments Handle Brutality Allegations1888 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Police Brutality: Pervasive Problem or Rare Anomaly? There is no question that police brutality, when it occurs, is one of the most egregious violations of public trust that a public servant can commit. Police officers, those individuals taxed with protecting the public from danger, should never be in a situation where they pose a threat to the public. Furthermore, there is no question that police brutality occurs. Moreover, generally when there are allegations of police brutality, there has