Racism and Police Brutality
The most common question that always pops up whenever police officers kill people of color in the United States is whether racism has a role to play. While police officers often rule out racism by arguing that there is no way to tell what goes on in the mind and heart of officers when such killings happen, numerous studies indicate that racism usually plays a significant role when polices officers decide to pull the trigger on colored suspects. According to Mock (2018), this is typically the case because of the “implicit racial bias of police officers involved.” In his article, Mock (2018) highlights the findings of a Boston University study, which revealed that higher killings African Americans can be attributed to racism. The results of the Boston University study are backed by Edwards (n.d.), who argues that racism plays a significant role in how police officers treat African Americans. Edwards (n.d.) adds that systemic racism in American society is the reason why blacks continue to suffer in the hands of police officers.
The recent killing of George Floyd has further ignited heated discussions on the role of racism in police brutality and the use of force on minority groups. The death of Floyd, which was caused by a white police officer, triggered demonstrations in Minneapolis, which have now spread to other parts of the world. Even though the police officers who were involved have now been placed under custody, the incident has put severe setbacks on the many strides that the American society has made in an attempt to promote and improve racial diversity. Questions are being asked on the role played by structural systems in promoting racism in the police force and the continued suppression of minority groups in America. Mock (2018) states that racial disparities in police violence should not be ignored or written off simply because we cannot tell officers what goes in the minds of officers when they decide to pull the trigger. Instead, there is a need to review broader policies that are instrumental in perpetuating racism.
References
Edwards, C. (n.d.). Race and the Police. National Police Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.policefoundation.org/race-and-the-police/
Mock, B. (2018). How Structural Racism is Linked to Higher Rates of Police Violence. CITYLAB. Retrieved from https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/02/the-role-of-structural-racism-in-police-violence/553340/