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Jescaya Romero

Mr. Gardner

ENG 097-101

11/12/20

PUT AN END TO POLICE BRUTALITY!!!

Imagine knowing someone who has endured police brutality and getting the justice they

deserved. Nowadays that is rare to receive. A death is just a death until it is someone you know.

That woman/man that was shot and killed by police could be your mom, dad, brother, sister,

aunt, grandfather, etc. Death is unreversible and should not be taken lightly. Police brutality

should not be normalized as it is shown in the media. Officers need to be held accountable for

their actions just like citizens.

First and foremost, gun control within the police department should be stricter. The

number of police brutality incidents have been increasing throughout the years especially against

people of color. On the other hand, I understand police officers fear for their safety and must

think quickly in intense situations; however, does every police interaction have to result in

someone dying? Whether that be a police officer dying or a citizen. The world needs to change

and that starts with holding officers accountable for their actions and the lives they are taking. In

May 2020, the death of George Floyd caused outrage in communities worldwide especially in his

hometown. The four officers that were involved in his death were not charged until massive

protests took place globally. None of the officers were fired until people demanded that they are

fired. First officers weren’t charged as harsh: ”The announcement came more than a week after

Floyd was killed while in police custody in Minneapolis, sparking nationwide protests that call
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for the end to police violence against black citizens. Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee into

Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes, was previously charged with third-degree murder and

second-degree manslaughter. The new second-degree murder charge says he killed Floyd

"without intent" in the course of committing assault in the third degree”(CNN states). Yes,

officers need to be aggressive when dealing with uncompliant individuals, but if someone, like

Floyd, is already handcuffed and restrained. What is the need for several officers to apply

extreme force throughout his body? Why would someone press their knee into someone’s neck?

Knowing that is how someone breathes and can not breathe if their neck is being chocked and

pressed down. There is a video of Floyd saying: “I can’t breathe officer”. The pain in his voice is

sickening. To think that another human being doesn’t have the decency to treat someone like a

human being. Not mention these officers almost got away with lower charges than they should

have is not right at all. The simple fact that in order to get a fair sentencing a community needs to

protest. George and his family deserved justice.

Furthermore, as CBS news mentions how police have killed an excessive number of

Black individuals: “Police in the U.S. killed 164 Black people in the first 8 months of 2020.”

How does this statistic not worry anyone? Some will say police had valid reasoning behind the

deaths of individuals. Some may say that Black people are the ones at fault because they start

more problems than any other group. That number is no excuse for killing individuals. The

people in custody of police should be treated with more care and given professional help. Not

everyone is sane and have mental health issues. Officers are given a job to protect, not to destroy,

and murder innocent people. Like Breonna Taylor, a young Black woman who was murdered by

police in her sleep. She did not stand a chance or even given a fight to live. CNN has mentioned

that she had warrants for her boyfriend: “Taylor was in bed with her boyfriend…Walker was
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unharmed, but Taylor was shot multiple times and died in the shooting.” Two unarmed young

individuals were harmed by police and fatally ended one of their lives. Police were there to

search for drugs because of multiple warrants. They were just protecting themselves. They did

not know what lied behind those closed doors.

Lastly, more African Americans are known to be harmed and not even have weapons on

them. Why is that? Is it because they are known to have more weapons than the majority? Do

they look more threatening? As US news mentions how more black people have been targeted

and killed were weaponless: “About 17% of the black people who died as a result of police harm

were unarmed, a larger share than any other racial group”. Everyone knows police officers are

armed and ready to shoot at any moment as they whip out their guns. Have you heard of the

show ‘COPS’? Have you seen how aggressive and forceful they are on that show? They do not

seem to care about anyone else but themselves. On the other hand, they are trying to do their job

and protect concerned citizens. They are trying to keep the peace around the world. But are they

keeping the peace or creating the emotional deaths and trauma?

In addition, it has been very clear in social media that minorities fear for their safety. The

Detroit Free Press covers a story about a young black man who was trying to inform police that

the autistic kid was not dangerous. Knowing how to stay calm with police encounters. Kinsey

did what thought was best in this situation and raised both his hands in the air:” Kinsey imagined

that “as long as I’ve got my hands up, they’re not going to shoot me. This is what I’m thinking.”

‘’Wow, was I wrong,” he told a television station.” The black man who was a therapist and

worked with autistic individuals was only trying to get the patient who wandered away from the

building. How is that no matter what a minority does to avoid a deadly outcome with police it

still ends terrible? Officers should have been penalized for shooting an innocent individual. They
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should have had time off with no pay or fired depending on the damage they caused. On the

other hand, from an officer’s perspective it could have been a confusing situation. The officers

on the scene did not know what was happening and who was being the aggressor. So, they were

just trying to deescalate the situation and get the individuals who were causing a disturbance in

custody. Yet, the unarmed black man was compliant with officers and didn’t show any reason to

be aggressive with was still shot despite his calm actions. This just proves that no matter how

you approach an officer and are a minority. There is a possibility that you will be shot. Citizens

should not have to worry about going out into the world and afraid that an officer will kill them.

Police brutality is real, and officers need to be held accountable.

What if that was your family member that’s head was thrown to the ground, shot at, or

killed? And there was no justice for them! You would be infuriated. The Detroit Press also

mentioned how Kinsey compared a white individual to a black individual and how encounters

with the police would be extremely different: “I see incidents with a white person with a gun on

their hip and … they don’t pull their gun. They pull their Taser to calm them down,” said Travis

Haynes, 35, of Orlando, who is black.” Just to make things clear a white man with a gun is more

likely to get tased to prevent any altercations, but a black man who is doesn’t have a gun is more

likely to be shot. They aren’t being fair when evaluating situations. Why can’t everyone be tased

at first? Then if actions escalate then gun shots are necessary. Why does only one specific group

of people get tased and the other get shot at? Is one life more valuable than another?

Additionally, it’s clear that there is a trend when it comes to who is being hurt in police brutality:

“Additionally, the rate of fatal police shootings among Black Americans was much higher than

that for any other ethnicity, standing at 32 fatal shootings per million of the population as of

October 2020.” This is not a coincidence. Police are obviously profiling certain groups. 32
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million people is way too high. In contrast, police cannot control who they come into contact

with and who is disobeying the law. But is violence necessary? Can’t police officers listen to

citizens and not continue the cycle of violence? Police should be setting an example for the

societies around us. They are leaders and should give respect if they want respect. That is the

only way people will be more submissive and in control. There will be less retaliation and hatred

towards police officers.

In conclusion, police brutality should not be a common thing. Citizens should not fear authority

based on their skin color. There is a common understanding that officers want respect, but need

to know how to properly demonstrate that without excessive force. In the world today, everyone

knows that there can be uncompliant citizens who will need extra pressure applied to in severe

situations and officers should know when to do so. As a whole society we need to understand

that officers are human beings too. Compassion needs to be shown on both sides. When referring

to both sides I mean the victims of police brutality/protesters and the police force. Police officers

and their superior chief should be held accountable for using excessive force and given harsher

punishments besides a slap on the wrist.

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Work Cited

Campbell, Josh, et al. “All Four Former Officers Involved in George Floyd's Killing Now Face
Charges.” CNN, Cable News Network, 4 June 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/06/03/us/george-
floyd-officers-charges/index.html.

“Data Show Deaths From Police Violence Disproportionately Affect People of Color.” Edited by
Deidre McPhillips, U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 3 June 2020,
www.usnews.com/news/articles/2020-06-03/data-show-deaths-from-police-violence-
disproportionately-affect-people-of-color.

Holland, Jesse J. “Why Black Men Fear That Any Police Encounter Could Go Awry.” Detroit
Free Press, AP, 21 July 2016, www.freep.com/story/news/nation/2016/07/21/police-
shooting-fear/87410736/.

Miami, CBS. “George Floyd Video.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 27 May 2020,

video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=AwrJ61fMF6tfHrgA.xNXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbw
NiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZANDMDY3Ml8xBHNlYwNwaXZz?p=geroge+floyd+video.

News, BBC. “Breonna Taylor: Police Officer Charged but Not over Death.” BBC News, BBC,
23 Sept. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54273317.