MutualMistrust:PoliceversusCommunity

AishaBrowder

Ms.Simon

AdvancedResearchMethods

April7,2015


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Policeofficersworkinpartnershipwiththecommunitytheyservetomaintainlawand
order,protectmembersofthepublicandtheirproperty,preventcrime,reducethefearof
crimeandimprovethequalityoflifeforallcitizens.Partnership,community,servetheseare
powerfulwordsandgoodvalues,butitseemsasthoughtheonlyplacetheyareactuallyput
intouseisinthejobdescription.However,thoughpolicearetheelementalproblem,peopleof
colorplayasignificantroleinthewayourcommunitiesaretreatedbecauseitisimprobableto
expectanyonetotreatcommunitiesofcolorbetterthantheyarewillingtotreatourselves.
Unfortunately,thereisanimmenseamountofmistrustbetweenthepoliceandthecommunity
becauseofavidpolicebrutality,policesvengefulnesstowardsprotesters,andviolencewithin
thecommunitiesofcolor.
AccordingtotheFreeThoughtProject,nearly100peoplewerekilledbythepolicein
thefirstmonthof2015alonenoneofthepolicewerekilledinanyofthesecases.OnAugust
9th,2014,anunarmedblackteenager(MichaelBrown)wasshotandkilledbyapoliceofficer
(DarrenWilson)inFergusonMissouri.Therearealotofundeterminedspeculationsaboutthe
circumstancesoftheshooting,andthebattleisstillongoing.MichaelBrownwasunarmed
andshotmultipletimesonmultiplepartsofhisbody.Hewasalsoleftonthegroundforover
fourhoursbeforetheambulancefinallyarrived.Asaresultofthesecircumstances,
communitymemberswereoutragedandwantedanswersastowhatreallyhappened,whyit
happened,andwhattheconsequenceswouldbeforDarrenWilson.Contradictingeyewitness
accountsfrombothcommunitymembersandpolicemadethingsallthemorefrustrating.
Worse,thepolicerefusedtoreleasetheautopsyreportoranyinformationregardingthe
investigation.Allofthesethesefactsledpeopletobelievethatthingswerebeingkeptfrom
them.Themistrustbetweenthepoliceandthecommunitywasonlystrengthenedwhenthe
policereactedtopeacefulprotestersinavengefulandseeminglyhaughtymanner.


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Protestersarenotinsistingonastateofanarchywithnopolicesystem,theyare
simplyarguingfordiscourseandanundisguisedsystem.Thepeoplewanttobeapartofthe
bettermentoftheircommunities,buttheyneedthesupport,cooperationandprotectionofthe
policetodosotheirresistantbehaviorisgeneratingmoreangerandfrustrationinthepeople.
Theyfeelasthoughthepoliceoperatingsystemisasecret,whichcanmakethecommunity
feelthreatenedwhileinstead,policeandcommunityshouldbeincahootswithwhatisgoing
onintheirneighborhoods.
InthebeginningstagesfollowingtheshootingofMichaelBrown,peoplewantedto
hostcandlelightvigilstopaytheirrespects.Theyhadsomefaiththatjusticewouldbeserved
forhimandhislovedones.AntonioFrench,acommunitymemberofSt,LouisMissourisaid,
Everyopportunitywasgiveninthosefirst48hourstobecompassionate.However,police
showedupatthetranquilcandlelightvigilswithcanonunitsandriotgear.Thestatementthat
thepolicemadetothepeoplewasthattheyarenottrusted,theyarefeared,andthatdespite
thelosstheyhavealreadyendured,thereisnoremorsenorhesitationtoshootadditional
others.Theriotgearandlackofjusticegiveninsinuatedwaragainstthecommunitiesthat
theyaresupposedtoprotect.PeoplestartedtoprotestinFergusonaswellasinotherplaces
suchasMiami,Chicago,andCaliforniatheycloggedfreewaysandblockedtraffic,causinga
completestandstill.
Asaresult,thepoliceshowedupinneighborhoodsinfullmilitaryattireandweapons.
Theyshotrubberbullets,andteargasandcurfewsweregiventocitizens.Thisangeredthem
morebecausenotonlywastherelackofcompassiontowardstheirpleadingforjustice,but
thecurfewseemedlikejustanotherexcusetoshootmorepeople.Thetacticsthepoliceused
inthissituationwerecomparabletocontinuouslystarvingapersondespitetheirpleadingfor
food,thenputtingtheminaroomfulloffoodtotauntthem,yetdemandingthemnottotake


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anything.Ifthatpersondoesnteat,hewillstarveifhedoes,hewillbepunished.Eventually,
starvationwillcausehimtoeatthefoodregardlessofconsequencesbecausenaturally,he
wantstosurvive.
Peopleofcolorareinaloselosesituationeithertheysitbackandcontinuetolettheir
lovedonesbeshotincoldbloodbythepeoplemeanttoprotectthem,ortheystandup
againstthemandfaceconsequences.Theyweretauntedbyrepeatedinjusticesandwhen
nothingwasaccomplishedthrougharticulation,naturallytheysearchedformoreeffective
waystodemonstratetheirangerandfrustration,hitthemwhereithurtssotospeakevenif
thatmeantdoingthingstheywouldusuallyneverdo.Thecommunityisstarvingforjustice
anddesperatesituationscallfordesperatemeasuresboththecommunityandthepoliceare
atthepointofmoraloblivion.
Itwasthiskindoftreatmentthatcausedthepeopletoresorttohostilealternativeslike
lootingandviolencetowardsthepolicebecausetheyfeltasthoughtheyneededtofightback.