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Racism in
American Policing
Cecelia GonzalesWright

Friday, December 6, 2013

Statement by the Creator

After studying Criminal Justice for a few years I noticed the issue of racism and the
effects this has on the relationship between the community and our police. My work
speaks on many volumes as racism is present everywhere in our policing system.
Racial proﬁling and injustice is a staple in our criminal justice system still. It is
important for people to know that racism hasn’t dwelled- it has just evolved over
time. Where is racism present in our policing system? How does this effect us? What
can we do to stop it? My work speaks to the young population. I feel that we are the
future and it is important for us to realize these issues in our country so that we
may be inspired to change it for the sake of ourselves and the sake of our
children. My vision is to create a brief and informative slideshow that clearly
addresses issues in our Criminal Justice system by choosing media and statistical
facts.

Enough racial biases in our policing system. It is time for
a change...


Police Racial Bias in our Past


Police Racial Bias in our Past

•

Since policing was introduced in America, racism has always been
present and with time it has evolved into what it is today. This
ongoing issue deeply effects our country and threatens the crucial
relationship between the police and our community.


30 years later...

Cases of racism in our policing system still exist today...

Racism Evolution in our Policing System

Eugene “bull” Connor

30 years later...

Rodney King


Racism Evolution in our Policing System

In the spring of 1963, a peaceful protest was organized
by the Southern Christian Leadership Coalition.

Eugene “bull” Connor

Commissioner of Public Safety, (and segregationist)
Eugene "Bull" Connor ordered the use of high-pressure
fire hoses and police dogs to control the non-violent
protestors and their children.

30 years later...

The night of March 3rd, 1991. A swarm of police officers

Rodney King

surrounded civilian Rodney King, they began to administer
one blow after another. The officers went without
punishment...Riots ensued.


On January 1st, 2009, at a Fruitvale Bart Station, a fight was broken up. Amidst several
camera phones and recording devices, a struggle between civilian and officer took place,
officer Johannes Mehserle drew out of .40-caliber handgun and shot civilian Oscar Grant in
the back. Witnesses were shocked and stunned. Many asked “would this have happened if
Grant was white?” Although these are a few cases among the many, these are the examples of
racism in American policing. This calls for change. This is the issue.

"Get back on the train! They just shot that guy...they just shot him..."

On January 1st, 2009, at a Fruitvale Bart Station, a fight was broken up. Amidst several
camera phones and recording devices, a struggle between civilian and officer took place,
officer Johannes Mehserle drew out of .40-caliber handgun and shot civilian Oscar Grant in
the back. Witnesses were shocked and stunned. Many asked “would this have happened if
Grant was white?” Although these are a few cases among the many, these are the examples of
racism in American policing. This calls for change. This is the issue.

Racially biased policing occurs when law enforcement in- appropriately considers
race or ethnicity in deciding with whom and how to intervene in an enforcement
capacity.

Stop-and-Frisk

-

Immigration Laws

-

Racial Proﬁling

Racially biased police practices

Racially biased policing occurs when law enforcement in- appropriately considers
race or ethnicity in deciding with whom and how to intervene in an enforcement
capacity.

Stop-and-Frisk

-

Immigration Laws

-

Racial Proﬁling

Racially Biased Policing: Determinants of Citizen Perceptions

In a study conducted by Ronald Weitzer in March 2005, it was discovered that race
structures citizens views of police racial bias.
The study states that Hispanics and blacks are more likely than whites to believe that
police bias is a problem due to personal experiences. Stating that they are viewed with
a higher degree of suspicion and they are also treated more harshly in police
encounters.
This belief is consistent with data of street observations of police-citizen interactions,
and data on police ofﬁcers themselves.
The perception of police practices as unfair or as racially motivated may lead to
more frequent and severe confrontations between police and citizens and to greater
distrust of the police.


Consequences of the Issue
If a substantial part of the population comes to view the justice system as unjust,
they are less likely to be cooperative with police. The loss of moral authority could
do permanent injury to the legal system, and deprive all of society of the
protection of the law.

Strong relationships between the community and the
police results in effectiveness of formal and
informal behavioral controls and decreased criminal
activity.

According to a study performed by J.R. Lasley- contrary
to belief that hiring more minorities in the police
department would improve police-community relationsit was discovered that replacing traditional police
concept of power with citizen involvement makes for
successful community policing.


What can we do to create change?


What can we do to create change?

•

NAACP initiates peaceful protests to end illegal law enforcement
practices in it’s many forms.

•

“The more soldiers we have in this war against

police brutality and racial profiling the better off
we’ll be at the end of the day.”

•

NAACP proposes the idea of closely

investigating claims of abuse and rigorous
training to ensure that police officers refrain
from conducting unreasonable practices.

•

“There have been occasions when popular

sentiment supported brutal police tactics as a
way of curbing crime and giving swift
punishment to criminals. This is not the american
way of justice...No police officer may be put in a
position of acting as law enforcer, judge, jury,
and executioner”- NCAAP Assistant General
Counsel Victor Goode

Reforming Police Use-of-Force

•

Congress enacted the Violent Crime Control & Law Enforcement Act of 1994, it
gave the Department of Justice (DOJ) a powerful tool for correcting
unconstitutional practices in state and local police agencies. The Cincinnati
Police department was one of these agencies.

•

After the shooting of an unarmed black teenager,
Timothy Thomas, The DOJ quickly announced a
formal investigation, which ultimately revealed
problems with CPD’s use-of-force policies,
reporting, and data management, and found a
lack of accountability both inside and outside
the department in a formal ﬁndings letter.

•

Crucially, the CA established the Cincinnati Problem-oriented Policing Program
(“CPOP”). This program increased positive interactions between police ofﬁcers and
the public, community leaders, and city residents in each precinct. This program also
implements behavioral training and periodic auditing.


References


References
Cole, D. (2012). The Usual Suspects. Nation, 294(27/28), 4-6.
Lasley, J. R. (1994). Ethnicity, Gender, and Police-Community Attitudes. Social
Science Quarterly (University Of Texas Press), 75(1), 85-97.
Mayer, L. (2007). NAACP Creates New Program to Combat Police Brutality.
Crisis (15591573), 114(3), 45-46.
Weitzer, R., & Tuch, S. A. (2005). Racially Biased Policing: Determinants of
Citizen Perceptions. Social Forces, 83(3), 1009-1030.
SCHATMEIER, E. (2013). Reforming Police Use-of-Force Practices: A Case Study
of the Cincinnati Police Department. Columbia Journal Of Law & Social
Problems, 46(4), 539-586.
Fridell, L., R. Lunney, D. Diamond, and B. Kubu. <http:/
/
www.racialproﬁlinganalysis.neu.edu/IRJ_docs/RaciallyBiasedPolicing.pdf>.


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