Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesqf
The real problem, though, is that they're still stuck on classifying things by racial groups, which is really nothing more than perpetuating racism. If you look instead at the way cops tend to treat individuals down on the lower rungs of the economic/social ladder, you see a very different picture than the sort of "racist cops" theory they're pushing. And which IMHO looses them a lot of supporters from all the non-black people who've experienced the same sort of mistreatment.
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I've had a higher than average rate of contact with law enforcement, some of which was justly due, and some of which was not. My experience is there are good and bad people in all occupations. The reason bad people in law enforcement is a problem is due to the frequency they are thrown into high stress conflicts. Coupled with this is the training they receive which is basically
when in doubt, shoot, and we'll cover any decision that could have been made in good faith.
I've been held at gunpoint on my own property by a pack of deputies because neighbors called in suspicious activity. That suspicious activity was sitting around a campfire laughing and joking. I could have been killed if the deputy couldn't see my hands in the dark, and he certainly would have been acquitted of a crime. I was held and questioned in the car for an hour, which is ridiculous.
"What were you doing"
"Having a campfire"
"Whose property is this"
"My parents"
"Were you drinking or doing drug"
"None of your business" (I wasn't)
"Let me smell your breath"
"No"
The guys were grade A-holes.
My point is that while there is likely racists performing their duties in any job, the US has mostly trained their law enforcement to be an overaggressive untouchable gang. If they view you as a suspect, you are likely to be mistreated regardless of color.
I just found out about, and watched the
video of Daniel Shaver being killed, which was extremely disturbing. I can see why he was shot, but a person with the proper attitude (protect and serve) and training (identify aggression vs submission) would not have acted that way. Telling someone they will be shot for the smallest deviation of orders does not justify it. I'm not saying the officer should necessarily be charged criminally, but I am saying our law enforcement over-emphasises aggression and under-emphasises de-escalation.
The reason poorer people encounter law enforcement more frequently is because there is a higher concentration of criminal activity in those areas. The higher crime is due partly to having a higher density of people (apartments vs large, spread out homes in wealthy neighborhoods), and other factors such as single parenting, addiction, and mental/behavioral problems.