Pros And Cons Of Police Shootings

Stereotyping and discrimination have led to increased violence between police officers and other races in the last couple of years. African Americans are looked at as gangs that should be feared; muslims are considered terrorists; mexicans are thought to be illegal immigrants. Racial profiling causes lesser opportunities everywhere including airports, stores, and even your own home (Racial Profiling 2015). Many times that African Americans are murdered in police shootings they were causing no threat or harm to the officer involved. These stereotypical opinions not only stop people from being able to take opportunities, but they often result in violence. Police departments have established the “Use of Force Continuum” which advises officers

As a police officer, one is working in order to enforce the law, however, these shootings and murders are just as illegal as a civilian shooting another civilian. Since the law doesn’t stop these officers, they are typically reviewed and supervised by their chief officer and other officials above them (Police Use of Force 2016). These higher authorities may conduct internal reviews, disciplinary punishments, and suspensions (Police Use of Force 2016). Although these are many effective ways shootings can be managed, many of the shooters are acquitted or receive very minimal punishment for taking someone’s life. Amadou Diallo, a man who immigrated to America from Western Africa, had no record and was unarmed, but police officers still felt the need to shoot this man 41 times (Police Brutality 2004). In response to shootings similar to this one, a sniper in Baltimore shot and killed five police officers and wounded nine others (Police Use of Force 2016). The local police department put in place a robotic bomb to kill the sniper that murdered these officers. African American citizens do not have the power nor the resources they need to protect themselves from officers the way these officers can protect themselves. Furthermore, officers aren’t being charged to the same extent as a citizen who shot and killed someone. Police officers use their power

In order to protest these racial crimes, several African Americans and other civilians have started social media protests-- for instance, the #blacklivesmatter movement-- as well as violent protest in their cities (Murphy 2016). In addition, police shootings not only affect victims and families physically but emotionally as well (Racial Profiling 2015). Many victims have gone through personality changes and lowered self esteem due to the thought that these victims are worthless and do not matter to higher class, powerful citizens like whites (Racial Profiling 2015). Racism between citizens in America has caused millions of unnecessary deaths because the people who were trained to serve and protect our nation’s citizens are the very people that have caused an increase in