The civil suit surrounding the alleged beating of a black family (including a woman pregnant with triplets and a five year old) has been dismissed, but the family is appealing the dismissal. I'm working with them to raise awareness about their particular case, but I have long been worried about the endemic nature of police brutality. Every few months or so, a case appears somewhere in the country where police officers are videotaped (or otherwise accused of) beating (and sometimes killing) an unarmed civilian. These cases vary in terms of egregiousness, but sometimes have involved up to forty-one shots fired at an unarmed citizen. This state of affairs is intolerable and I sincerely believe if there was greater community control over the investigation of police brutality incidents, the number of fatal incidents would decrease to zero. The presence of the Internal Affairs Department (here and in other cities) is clearly not a deterrent to these incidents recurring continually, nor is the presence of the Office of Police Complaints, which offers mediation as an option but not the option of termination of the officer's employment if he is determined to be guilty of offenses. I believe a citizen board with the authority to fire police officers found guilty of misconduct is the necessary tool to sharply curtail police brutality in urban communities (or the creation of an internal affairs department completely separate from the police department, so political pressure within the department is neither assumed by the public to exist or present in reality). The unresolved nature of cases like these and the perception by large segments of our population that the police act above and beyond the law hampers the harmonious police-community relations necessary for crime prevention to be most successful. I salute the hardworking officers of the Metropolitan Police Department for their efforts to reduce crime (particularly violent crime) across the board in the District over the past decade, but it is time to work towards a revolutionary solution to the problem of police brutality.
(Photo from 10-42Adam on Flickr)
Alan, I support you cause 100%. That is the best solution for us as a community, a state, and a country. Thank You for your hard work and consideration for the community.
ReplyDeleteWell said Alan; I have long felt the same sentiments you've expressed. Please keep up the good work, and continue to be a voice for the community; it does not go unnoticed.
ReplyDeleteVery well stated. Firing should definitely be one of the outcomes in cases such as these, but that protect your own behavior that has plagued the justice system from the beginning is a hindrance.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI just read your post on Police Brutality and we here in Seattle have come to learn a lot about that unfortunately within the last year.
ReplyDeleteYour idea of a citizen review board reminded me of what we have here, The Office of Professional Accountability, which investigates complaints about police misconduct and the office is headed by a civilian. Just thought I would mention that in case it seemed like a good fit for suggestions to incorporate into your platform.
Here is more info: http://www.seattle.gov/police/opa/
Who really is policeing the police? Many of them have numerous assualt charges against them. If a police officers is accused of violence over and over again why keep them on the payroll. Eventually they will cost DC more than they are work. Wake up, listen to your citizens complaints and take them seriously. Police Officers do lie as cameras are uncovering that today.
ReplyDelete