Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Police Brutality: Have We Punished the wrong Individuals?

By Christine Jackson


Today, society as a whole has a tendency to outline most actions taken or completed by police officers as forms of brutality. To fully understand the implication of the word, one should take a look at the beginnings, of said word. The word brutality comes from the Latin word Brutus, which means brute. Brutality would be the act of all of the above. When breaking down the word as such, it starts to take on a far more serious tone, probably even frightening, when applied to some of the simple circumstances that occur today. Is it just what we listen to in the news and in the paper or is their a real issue here that must be taken seriously? Do the police possess a choice or are there some particular instances when a more forceful action must be taken in opposition to some of these criminals.

Some critics see the majority of police actions as being vicious, bordering on brutal. How can they use such terminology to decide the numerous males and ladies that risk their lives every day for the safety of everyone, regardless of race, sex, or orientation? These males and ladies have undergone substantial training, physical and mental, as well as psychological. A number of what they have had to endure, to fulfill a position doing a thankless task with little pay and very few benefits, may well have toughened them up, but they are still human. They make errors in judgment calls the same as anybody else. Some calls are solely based on survival and how do we as citizen's judge something similar to this when we have never been confronted with this kind of raw evil.

Frequently, some of the verbal, and too often bodily, abuse they need to persevere all through the course of a normal day would border on the definition of brutal; however, society forgets these instances. They find it easier rather to judge them by certain standards, however ignore what is carried out incorrect against them. Maybe it is the lack of support for police officers and the jobs they are doing, that we, as a society, are forcing them to cut any emotional ties they once had for their work, and making it almost essential for them to react as strongly to any situation because they are able. With little or no assistance, they're virtually left on their own to survive in a world that most people don't even understand exists.

Instead of applauding their achievements, we openly criticize their actions and decisions, only helping to further the dislike, distrust, and disrespect of police officers everywhere. They and their households often feel ostracized from normal society, and sometimes resort to forming their own 'societies or families'. Perhaps it is time we take a step back and look at the terms us so freely use in opposition to them, and in all certainty understands what's being implied at any given time. Labeling them as brutal is hinting they're no better than animals -- would you call on your animals to handle automobile accidents, homicide calls, or domestic situations? Of course they are not. Laugh at the idea, but that is in fact what's being stated.

We might just possess the definition of 'police brutality' down to an exact science, but are we pointing our fingers at the right perpetrators? Police officers suffer daily, through all types of abuse, and they're expected to maintain an expert attitude whatsoever occasions, whilst wiping spit from their faces, or enduring a string of obscenities from a simple traffic stop. What then is this called? I say it falls under the label of 'police brutality' only it is being done to them, not by them. If we want a change, it's to begin with us. Show support of the police officers, stick to the laws and take a stand against those that do incorrect. They guard us with their lives -- the least we are able to do is support them during ours.






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