Introduction
The use of force by the police is an area that has come under considerable scrutiny for how the policy has been executed. Before the police department was granted the power to use force on unruly civilians, many people were concerned about what this could do and the kind of mechanisms that could be implemented to ensure that the police do not overstep their mandate. True to the fears of such thinkers, numerous reports of police violating their mandates have emerged throughout the history of law enforcement. Although the policy of the use of force by officers was initiated in good faith and has majorly worked for the good of all and the benefit of increased security for the civilians, implementation of these policies has been marked with controversy that has left many questions unanswered as opposed to solving challenges of security.
Policy Review
The Commission of Civil Rights in the US lays out the circumstances and conditions under which officers are allowed to use force on civilians. The commission defines the use of force is defined as the exertion of effort by the police in trying to compel incorporative subjects to follow the law (USCCR, 2018). Although the technical definition does not include aspects like drawing out pistols and asking the subject to surrender, some civilians prove to be problematic to the extent that they force the offices to resort to such measures.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The military personnel and officers are allowed to use the doctrines of the use of force. However, as a measure to prevent the abuse of this doctrine, such officers are only allowed to use this force while on duty (Blechman & Wittes, 1999). The principle aims to balance the need for security and the protection of ordinary civilians from potentially hazardous individuals. The rights of the suspects or intruders must also be respected, and they must receive the justice that every other citizen deserves, whenever civilians are injured during such processes, the most common claim for the officers in self-defence. Although some of these allegations are generally true, some officers have been known to use it as an excuse after committing the crime.
Many communities in the US have a fraught relationship with the officer in the US. Part of the reason for this indifference lies in the application and implementation of such policies in specific states. Some states and regions in the country have an imbalance in terms of the representation of officers concerning the population. For instance, some predominately black communities have white police officers with whom they are supposed to work (USCCR, 2018). Historically, cases of police brutality have been synonymous with the other instances of enforcing the law on the civilians. Whenever white officers are forced to handle African American civilians, there have been many cases of violence meted out on the civilians, and this has led to man instances of injustice.
Analysis
Allegations are criticizing some forms of the police force as discriminatory, unjustified and excessive. Neighbourhoods with high levels of crime and that have high levels of police presence have often found the excessive police presence as intimidating and discriminatory. Although many of them understand the essential role police officers play, not many of them feel at home with the idea of being targeted by the police because of the colour of their skin and other external characteristics.
The extended incidences of violence meted in the civilians by the police based on their race and orientation are much blamed for the increase in rates of protests and violence, for instance, the campaign that was dubbed "Black Lives Matter". This occurred after the death of a young boy called Treyvon Martin in the hands of offices of law enforcement.
Many departments and sectors of the police department have begun listening to the woes of the civilians and have started implementing strategies aimed at making the cities safer and better. Many of these departments have vowed to implement stringent measures with the view of checking the conduct of their police officers. Several officers have been impounded, and this has helped to uplift the image of the department of police officers (Blechman & Wittes, 1999). The Bill of Rights for the US Constitution guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms for both the police officers and their subjects.
Discussion
The rise in cases of police brutality is a sign of distrust between the police and the police officers. Moreover, this is also a case of increased criminal activity, and the police have every right to gain protection by the law from such individuals (Blechman & Wittes, 1999). However, any forms of protection that either the police or the civilians enjoy must be done within the confines of the law. The law is an essential tool that ensures order in the society. The observation of all the rules and rights of both the police and the civilians must be done within the confines of the law
The various organizations have emerged and are collectively calling for greater accountability and transparency on the part of the police. On the same note, police officers are calling for better data and research techniques that ensure accurate reportage of data concerning police-involved in issues of brutality against the civilians. Although the police indeed have a hand in the killing of some civilians, it is inaccurate to report the involvement of the police and leave out the hand of the civilians because many officers of law enforcement have been victims of biased judgment even when they were on the right side of the law concerning their efforts.
Assessment
Police officers serve to protect the communities and the civilians they serve. In all fairness, even police officers have the right to protection from their subjects in case they are armed (USCCR, 2018). The provisions of the laws of use of force on civilians are such that they strike a balance between protecting them from harm and self-defence. The police department plays an essential role in ensuring that civilians abide by the provisions of the law, and this is part of their work. However, the problematic inclination of some civilians makes their work impossible and hence the need for them to employ other alternative mechanisms to compel them to abide by the law. Indeed there have been many cases that directly implicate policemen, but these are intended for the good of the police force and the civilians as well (USCCR, 2018). The more the issue is politicized, however, the more integrity of the police continues to destroy. Harmonious interaction between the departments of law enforcement serves to improve integrity and efficiency in all fronts.
Conclusion
Overall, although the policy of the use of force by Police Officers was initiated in good faith and has majorly worked for the good of all and the benefit of increased security for the civilians, implementation of these policies has been marked with controversy that has left many questions unanswered as opposed to solving challenges of security. Ever civilian should be able to live, work and move around freely without the interference of the police and at the same time, the policemen should be able to perform their duties without interference from the rest of the community.
References
Blechman, B., & Wittes, T. (1999). Defining Moment: The Threat and Use of Force in American Foreign Policy. Political Science Quarterly, 114 (1), 1-30.
USCCR (2018). Police Use of Force: An Examination of Modern Policing Practices. Washington, DC: United States Commission on Civil Rights.
