https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjZysVHLA2Y?rel=0
Why are we in the situation we are in right now with extensive police abuse? It has to do with police culture, government leadership, police unions and lack of accountability. This is not new. It has been going on for quite some time.
Often you will see scenes of police abuse especially in minority communities. The problem is that police officers are granted certain legal powers that allow them to counter the level of force applied to them with a greater level of force. This escalation is usually not available to the average person defending themselves. For example, if someone is attacked verbally, it is unlikely that the person attacked can legally escalate the level of force by hitting the assailant with a tire iron.
The police on the other hand can escalate one level. For example, if a person is attacking another verbally, the police can come in push them away from each other. If the aggressor then escalated to shoving, the police can pepper spray him. If he has a knife, the police can counter with a gun. Get the idea?
Well, abuse occurs when police up the level of force disproportionately. For example when police attack someone with a billy club who happens to be nothing off at them. Another example of abuse is when a police officer continues to assault another who has already submitted. Rodney King comes to mind. After being tasered and on the ground, he was continuously beaten.
When this happens, the police protect each other and make claims that they were under attack. Video doesn’t lie. Another issue is that many politicians were elected because they campaigned on a platform where they took a tough stance against crime. These politicians are scared that if they don’t support the police in this type of conflict, they will be branded as being soft on crime.
On top of that, the police unions are very powerful. They will target politicians who do not support them. And finally, because of the legal structure, when a police officer is on duty, he is an agent of the state, so when he gets sued, the taxpayers pick up the tab. Because he doesn’t pay out of his own pocket,m he has no direct incentive to keep himself under control. He is unaccountable.