Police excessive force against racial minorities in America

Excessive Force by Police

Many people are familiar with the cases of Abner Louima and Rodney King, two famous examples of police brutality. The death of Amadou Diallo in New York is another example covered extensively in the media. However, for every case of police brutality that receives media coverage, many more go unnoticed.

This paper argues that police brutality is far from an aberation, covered in the media only in extreme cases. Instead, this paper maintains that the police brutality is a growing problem.

The first part of this paper looks at data regarding the police use of extreme force, especially among racial minorities. The second part then examines why these abuses continue. In the last part, this paper looks at the role of the media, and the reasons behind selective media coverage.

A national pattern

Far from being aberrations, the cases of Louima and Diallo are part of a national pattern of excessive force. The late 1990s saw several more cases that did not garner as much press coverage. In 1998, for example, a thirteen-year-old named Timothy Wilson was fatally shot after six officers chased the boy for weaving and reckless driving. In 2000, Louisville, Kentucky residents erupted in protest after an unarmed black man suspected of auto theft was chased by two police officers, and shot 22 times and killed. A similar case happened in Houston in 1998, resulting in the death of unarmed Mexican national Pedro Oregon. (Novick 1999).

These last three cases have much in common. First, they did not happen in major cities. King was a resident of Los Angeles, while Louima and Diallo were residents of New York City.

In contrast, Louisville, Houston and Kansas City are not considered large media markets. Thus, similar shootings in smaller markets do not garner as much national attention.

Another similar thread is that the shootings involved members of racial minorities. Police officers contend that excessive force in less than 1% of contacts with civilians and suspects. Contrary to these statistics, however, blacks perceive excessive force as a problem. A further survey conducted by NBC News found that 43% of black respondents had little confidence on the police in the matter of "not using excessive force on suspects" (cited in Weitzer 1999).

Many members of various minority groups feel that they are unfairly targeted, especially with regard to the use of excessive force and the differences that white and black residents ascribe to these incidents. In many cases, such as the cases of Wilson and Oregon, the incidents are sparked by non-violent offenses.

In addition to fatal shootings, many police officers are also resorting to the use of TASER or stun guns, in situations which were previously resolved without the use of force. Statistics from the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Florida, for example, show a stunning increase in the use of TASERS. In 2000, there were only three reported uses of TASER guns. A mere two years later, that figure jumped to 295 (Amnesty International 2005).

Media ownership

Mainstream media is in a strong position to influence public opinion on many issues, such as police brutality. However, as discussed in this paper, many mainstream and local media outlets do not adequately cover these issues. Furthermore, in many cases, coverage is slanted to make police less culpable for their behavior.

The case of Tyisha Miller, a young black woman killed by police in Riverside, California, is a stunning example. Police were called in to aid an unconscious Miller, who was sitting in the passenger seat of a car. The officers opened fire when Miller supposedly reached for a weapon. Investigations later stated that the officers were guilty of "errors in judgment" (Novick 1999).

The local coverage of the case in the Riverside Press Enterprise, however, portrayed Miller as the clear villain of the incident. The opening paragraph portrayed her as a "teen" and a "street tough" dressed in "gangbanger clothes." There was no mention of her name or her gender. Such coverage served to dehumanize her and to play down the use of excessive force by police in this instance (Novick 1999).

Similarly, many media outlets question the motives of community leaders who call attention to police brutality. Leaders such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are often portrayed as opportunists, who use the tragedies for their own political ends. Many reports are slanted towards their way of speaking and their manner, rather than the substance of their speeches regarding police brutality.

In summary, police brutality remains a national problem. Media coverage of such events only occur in the most extreme and well-publicized cases, while ignoring those that occur outside large media markets. Often coverage is slanted to favor police and at times, to dehumanize the victims. Until these factors are addressed, it is likely that the use of excessive force by police officers will continue to be a problem.