Reinhold, R. (1991, July 10). Violence and Racism Are Routine In Los AngelesPolice, Study Says. In The New York Times. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/02/08/home/rodney-report.html
Reinhold basically presents the issue of racism in the Los Angeles Police department after many reports of brutality on minority motorists and the public. A report on the LAPD pointed towards the unnecessary and excessive fore used by the department to maintain control. There have been many cases of police offers in Los Angeles using racial slurs to refer to minority populations. These allegations have often been brushed aside by the department and they refer it to a common misconception. The commissioners were urged to resign after the overwhelming evidence in the report pointed at the racism in the department. The Rodney King incident changed the way a lot of people view the police and it was soon viewed as a national problem. A panel was constructed which investigated the department for racism and released a report which was well received by the public. The panel also conducted a search for a new police chief for the LAPD was underway, one who wasn’t racist. The panels investigation showed that racism was very much prevalent in the department with over a third of the officers using racist slurs and attitudes. Most however, did not agree that any serious punishment should be carried out for these crimes. The use of racial slurs and brutality towards minorities in the police force was confirmed by the report of the Panel and many structural changes have occurred since. The credibility of this source is very reliable because it obviously published by one of the largest world renowned newspaper, the New York Times. In my opinion, statistics are often misleading and factual events such as this are more convincing. This is also not only a single case within a single police department, the panel is investigating the entire department rather than the views of a single officer. The thorough analysis of the entire LAPD, one the largest and infamous police departments in the world, leads us to the conclusion that racism is very much so prevalent and has been existing in the police department for many years. This gives us a better insight into which extent racism exists in police departments, even the bigger ones such as the LAPD.
Bernstein, D. E. (2003, July 20). Firing Racist Police Officers is Justified. In Cato Institute . Retrieved November 17, 2011, from https://www.cato.org/dailys/07-20-03.html
Bernstien reports of the firing of two New York Police and Fire Department officers because of their attending of a racist parade. The case went to court and the judge ruled thatNew York had violated the first amendment by prohibiting their speech. The case has set a precedence displaying a triumph of freedom of speech over government suppression of racism. This case also reminds us that employers may not give differential treatment to racist works and cannot fire or hire them on that basis. The counter argument is that they are not competent for the job because of their racist views. They are not being fired because of the views but because of their inability to fit the job description. It is important to maintain the trust with the African American community which already has a shaky relationship with the police department because of history. Hiring racist cops will break this trust and make the minority community, which is over half the population, so technically not the minorities, lose confidence in these forces. The judge was however right because of the upholding of the first amendment. This raises an important issue on hiring preferences for the government. The credibility of this document is also very reliable as it was a public event covered by more than one newspaper/online databases other than Cato institute. This is a particularly interesting article because it lets us know that racism is not illegal in the police force. Officers may attend racist parades and hold intolerant viewpoints and may not be subjected to release because of protection by the first amendment, freedom of speech. It is a shame that no action can be taken against these officers who display such disgusting behavior. When an officer accepts his badge he takes an oath of protecting the civilians, regardless of their race. He has a special responsibility and should be viewed as an ideal citizen and somebody that the rest of us aspire to be. In a strange twist instead of the officer protecting the constitutional rights, the constitutions first amendment is protecting the officer.
Piette, B. (2009, July 27). Lawsuit charges racism in Philadelphia police department. In Workers World. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://www.workers.org/2009/us/philadelphia_0730/
Piette explains how domelights.com a site established by a white police officer in Philadelphia has not become a domain for racist comments posted by police officers. Civil Rights groups and the NAACP filed a law suit against the department and the city because of the website. The site has defended itself by claiming to be “the voice of the good guys.” Many have criticized the police department for not removing the site or at least fire the individuals who use this as a sanctuary for racist thoughts and comments. The argument presented against the site is that “If you’re a police officer, a sworn officer of the law, and you think that way toward people of color, you shouldn’t be here.” The counter argument is that the first amendment protects the rights of the department. This not the first time that a case has been presented against the city and department because of racism. Any site with the words org or gov at the end of the url can be highly trusted because they are approved government sites. Piette shows us how racism is not only looked down upon but encouraged in the Philadelphia police department. The website allows for a domain of uncensored racist comments supplied by police officer all from the same department. It baffles me that police officers are allowed to post racist comments on this site without any penalization or disciplinary consequences. Recent history has also shown that this is not the first time that racism has been exhibited by this specific department which leads us to believe that racism is prevalent not only in Los Angeles’, New York’s and Philadelphia police department.
Chanen, D. (2007, December 1). Police transfer black cops amid cries of racism. In Star Tribune. Retrieved November 17, 2011, from http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/11986676.html
Chanen addresses the issue of the demotion of a well respected police officer because of an alleged insubordination. The outcry has been over how the Minneapolis department treats its own black officers. A reverend of the city has called for government interference and others have suggested a complete renovation of the police department’s laws. The detective was demoted to smaller less prominent unit after failing to obey to orders from his superior officers. The police department has defended itself in saying that the demotion was because of procedural reasons and had nothing to do with the color of his skin. Two similar incidents had also been observed in the police department in the recent past and has been a source of much controversy. This article is another example of a reliable source because it was produced by a national news paper and several other newspapers were also covering this story. This article provides a different example from the previous three which were directed at big city police departments targeting and discriminating against minorities through websites, racist parades, and the widespread usage of racial slurs. Instead it focuses on racism that is directed at their own colored officers. Instead of targeting minority groups on the streets, the department is now discriminating against its own officers of color. This is also not the first time the department has been accused of racism against minority officers, many law suits and complaints have been filed prior to this incident. As apposed to Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York, Minneapolis is not a metropolis or very large city. This proves that racism in the police department can exist anywhere; in the south, in New York, and in medium sized cities.
Bowling, B. (1998). Violent racism: victimization , policing, and social context (Vol. 36, pp. 51-75).New York,NY: Clarendon Press.
The later chapters in this book, Bowling discusses the racism prevalent in the British and American police departments. Dr. Bowling presents his case through examining documents and reports on violence towards minorities including the Rodney King beatings and the Police response of East London incidents. The case studies on these incidents and many more provide shocking evidence and an insight into the racism proliferating in the police departments of different parts of the world. The usage of racist language and attitudes is reflected upon in this book. The psychology of many officers reflects on their white supremacy and race seclusion ideals. The book also determines why changes and response to these acts of racism are so ineffective and what are the acts and consequences of the racism. This credibility of this book is very reliable because it not only provides past incidents, it provides current trends and psychological analysis of white police officers. Bowling points to the past of America and how they have struggled to maintain relationships with blacks in the civil rights era. Instead of learning from that time period, recent trends have shown that racism is becoming all the more prevalent in the police force. More black people are incarcerated than ever before in history and the ratio of white and blacks on death row are completely unbalanced. This provides a shocking view of our society today which we often consider to be reformed and unbiased. However according to recent findings, racism in the police force and jails of America and around the world are reaching an all time high.
oaklandraiders93 