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Police Brutality Issues

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Today, it seems as if the world is one giant mess of hate and unrest. We have wars still going on in the Middle East and rumors of wars that may happen in the future. People from all walks of life are upset about immigration policies and racial tensions are on the rise. So, what does this mean to the ones wearing blue? How does all of this relate back to police officers? Sherriff David Clark expresses himself by saying the following, “American law enforcement officers understand that race is and has been a heated issue in our country. Most appreciate the vital need for thoroughness and transparency in pursuit of the greater good in their actions and in their investigations (BrainyQuotes).” Although police brutality does happen, the media makes …show more content…
The first major issue in policing is the use of force and when to use it. We hear it all the time in the media that police officers aren’t using the right amount of force. Not to mention, the issue of mental health disorders with police officers. In addition, everyone has a camera phone these days. People can manipulate a video to persuade you towards their own bias. However, if you put yourself in a police officers’ shoes, policing is like a roller coaster. Police officers have to deal with all sorts of issues, from all walks of life. The most well-known use of excessive force was Rodney King. This was an incident where a number of police officers repeatedly beat up Mr. King and a nearby civilian recorded the whole event. This lead to a major riot in Los Angeles California and this event shook American society. On another note, we can look at a more recent event such as the incident that happened to Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. He was shot and killed by a white police officer by the name of Darren Wilson. However, the media didn’t inform …show more content…
In addition, this can have a huge impact on a person’s physical and mental health. This can lead to a lot of problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and even suicide. Not to mention, when you are under that amount of stress all the time your body starts to create cortisol. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. A normal person only gets cortisol in flight or fight situations. Due to the nature of policing, cortisol is on a constant drip for a lot of officers. In return, this leads to heart disease, organ failure, and a lowered immune system. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, “1 in 4 police officers has thought about suicide (Alliance of Mental Illness). This shows the effect of what police officers go through on a daily basis and how it can affect someone in a negative way. The situations that they endure can have long-lasting effects on the officer, which can create what is known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. According to the Veteran Affairs, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is when a person goes through severe or emotional stress that results in injury or psychological shock. For example, life-threating events such as combat, natural disasters, car accidents, or even sexual assault can create (PTSD). In addition, police

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