Police Killings, Racial Bias, and Law Enforcement Reform in the US

Introduction

The recent police killings and other forms of abuse of authority by law enforcers in the US reinforce the critical and long-demanded need for policy reforms in the nation — a need that has too frequently been disregarded. While some attempts on the part of authorities at dealing with these issues have enjoyed a certain degree of success, others have proven unsuccessful. The issue of poor law enforcement relations with communities and police abuse of authority continues to acutely plague several communities across the country. The incidents at Baltimore and Baton Rouge highlight the urgent need to tackle this problem. Though all cases — Ferguson, New York, Baltimore, Baton Rouge, and Minneapolis, to name a few — are unique, they are characterized by one highly disturbing similarity: implicit racial prejudice and unwarranted use of official force against Black Americans, especially Black men. The incidents underline the extremely acute racial disparities existing in the context of police-civilian interactions. Just as alarming are the incidents of supposedly disturbed civilians attacking law enforcement officials, partly with an aim to retaliate or take revenge (Sánchez-Garzoli, 2016).

The Problem of Police Violence and Racial Disparities

The recent violent acts witnessed by the nation come during a period of economic stagnation and worsening inequality, with polarizing rhetoric overwhelming the US and giving rise to an atmosphere that is unconducive to reconciliation or problem resolution. This rhetoric, coupled with the growing trend of stigmatizing reasonable and nonviolent protest, is dangerous. The violent events occurring of late ought to open avenues for addressing structural problems that have long plagued the nation. Racial prejudice, unwarranted use of force, injustice meted out to Black Americans, marginalized populations' distrust in authority, and the extremely high accessibility of high-caliber weapons are urgent issues requiring immediate focus (Sánchez-Garzoli, 2016).

Case Study: The Fatal Shooting of Walter Scott

Michael Slager's — a former police officer's — fatal shooting of fifty-year-old Black American civilian Walter L. Scott on April 4, 2015, is one landmark case of a police-civilian interaction going terribly wrong. On that day, Scott's automobile was stopped by North Charleston Police Department (South Carolina) officer Slager, a White American, who noticed a faulty taillight. The police car's dashcam video records a fairly ordinary verbal exchange between the two, followed by Slager returning to the patrol car and Scott getting out of his own vehicle and fleeing the scene. Slager is shown pursuing the fleeing civilian on foot; the two allegedly struggled over Slager's Taser on a grassy lot adjoining a muffler shop. A bystander who began filming the incident captured the officer firing at the civilian, a subsequent tussle, something falling to the ground, and the civilian's attempt at fleeing (Cook, 2015).

When Scott's back was turned, Slager — standing stationary and upright — fired at Scott eight times. Several shots found their mark, and Scott fell to the ground face down. Slager approached the fallen man, handcuffed him, and contacted dispatch claiming the man was "down" and had taken his Taser. Less than two minutes later, he re-contacted dispatch claiming the man was not responding and had suffered multiple injuries. Scott died at the scene (Cook, 2015).

United States District Judge David Norton sentenced Slager to twenty years in prison in December 2017, finding him guilty of the second-degree murder of Walter Scott. The sentence was welcomed by Scott's family and potentially marked a key milestone as the nation grapples with a series of law enforcement shootings typically involving unarmed Black men. Scott's killing was unwarranted — a fact Slager himself acknowledged. The sentence may give pause to any police officer considering shooting at someone needlessly, and it may also embolden district judges, attorneys, and police chiefs to make just decisions when presented with similar cases. Some police departments may likewise be inspired to make their personnel training programs more rigorous. Slager had pulled Scott over for a faulty taillight. Scott, who had outstanding child support payments, ran. The officer caught up, a brief struggle ensued, Scott broke free, and Slager shot him from behind. Of the eight shots fired, five hit their mark. Slager then planted the Taser — over which they had allegedly fought — beside Scott's dead body (The Observer editorial board, 2017).

It is clear that race, or more precisely the implicit racial bias of law enforcement officials, plays a role in such incidents. According to The Guardian, the number of Black Americans dying at the hands of law enforcement officers is more than twice the number of White Americans killed by police. Additionally, according to ProPublica, from 2010 to 2012, Black teenagers were twenty-one times more likely to die at the hands of police than White teenagers. All law enforcement shootings have their own distinctive circumstances; the details of Slager's case clearly justify his sentence. Though it cannot necessarily serve as a beacon of hope for unrelated cases, it may be regarded as a defining moment that raised awareness of police accountability. Increased accountability and more effective training ought to result from it, so that law enforcers and communities can work toward the mutual objective of trusting one another (The Observer editorial board, 2017).

Conclusion

The Slager case is a disturbing example of law enforcement violence against an unarmed Black civilian. Another deeply troubling aspect of the case is that, had it not been for the bystander who witnessed and recorded the incident, Slager would likely have continued his career as a police officer. Feidin Santana, a barber by profession, had the presence of mind and the courage to record the shooting on his smartphone and then share the footage with authorities. Santana may be considered the unsung protagonist of this tragic story. It should not require the lucky presence of an alert bystander to ensure law enforcement accountability for serious misconduct. While the vast majority of police officers are brave and honorable individuals and most law enforcement shootings are justifiable, even one unjustified killing is one too many. In America, officer convictions for unwarranted use of lethal force remain extremely rare; this underscores the urgent need to devise and implement strong, effective policy to combat police brutality (The Observer editorial board, 2017).