Introduction
With the recent death of George Floyd, police misconduct is especially topical in the United States. The statistics are given by the Police Violence Report (2017) states that while the police killed 1,147 civilians, only thirteen officers were legally persecuted. Thus, the lack of control over the rapid coercion and violence of law enforcement needs to be addressed appropriately. Therefore, police brutality in America is visible and accompanied by racial discrimination and creates negative consequences for society because it imposes trust issues and rarely brings justice to victims. Moreover, the Gospel teachings reinforce the harm of violence through the story of the unjust persecution of Jesus.
The Presence of Police Brutality in America
The Indicators of Police Brutality
The police actions that are classified as brutal include the overreach of police officers’ jurisdiction. The Supreme Court of the United States ruled that law enforcement agents have a right to stop and search suspicious individuals that are assumed to be dangerous (Angus & Crichlow, 2018). Moreover, if during the frisk, a person remains potentially risky, the officers are encouraged to arrest the suspects. Therefore, the justice system recognizes that lethal force should be used if a suspect is imposing the immediate risk but not under other circumstances (Angus & Crichlow, 2018). Therefore, the times when lethal force is used despite the presence of the immediate threat, the police actions are considered to be brutal. According to the statistics provided by the 2017 Police Violence Report, 1,147 were killed by the police, including 149 unarmed individuals and 170 people allegedly carrying a knife. Moreover, 89 people were killed after being pulled over for traffic laws violations (“Police Violence Report”, 2017). Thus, police brutality in America is an ongoing problem defined by using lethal force in situations that are not considered an immediate threat.
The Racial Aspect of Police Brutality
The issue of police brutality is considered within the context of racial discrimination. According to the Police Violence Report (2017), “black people were more likely to be killed by police, more likely to be unarmed and less likely to be threatening someone when killed”. Although people are the minority, they are more commonly racially profiled and intimidated (Angus & Crichlow, 2018). A study by Alang (2018) provides a historical context for such numbers, calming it to be the outcome of the patrollers from slavery that were assigned to have control over the black population. The history of slavery in the United States is presented as a possible reason for the ongoing situation.
Moreover, some researchers suggest that police violence is connected to other factors, such as the dangers in urban areas. However, studies indicate that the racial aspect of police brutality is especially prevalent, as people of color are equally in danger in rural areas (Alang, 2018). Currently, the movement Black Lives Matter emerged to advocate against the racial discrimination of black people within law enforcement (Lumsden, 2017). Overall, the USA’s police brutality is associated with racism, which provokes an opposition movement.
The Negative Consequences of Police Brutality
Disruption of Trust for Police Officers
The role of law enforcement is changing, as brutal actions lead to overall mistrust. Police officers are functioning to prevent dangerous individuals from imposing harm on society. However, the regular overreach of police officers’ jurisdiction diminishes their reputation as protectors (Angus & Crichlow, 2018). Therefore, the Supreme Court has clarified the specifics that allow police officers to use arms against civilians. The clarification was opposed to protecting American citizens from coercion and misconduct, as the ultimate purpose of law enforcement is to prevent potential harm. Thus, the extensive use of uncontrollable police power diminishes police agencies’ actual goal, which is the protection from risky situations.
Lack of Justice for the Affected
The significant number of police brutality cases does not bring the desired justice to the affected individuals, their families, or communities. Law enforcement officers that were accused of police brutality often do not receive appropriate punishment. The lack of accountability might emerge because the cases are being analyzed and investigated under the Fourth Amendment (Alonso, 2018). Government agencies have the legal protection of qualified immunity; therefore, multiple instances of misconduct are dismissed without an open, fair trial (Angus & Crichlow, 2018). Thus, the current legal protection of police is prevailing over the protection of civilians. The reason for such laws is the need to protect law enforcement from possible instances of liability; however, the codes have also been used in unjustified actions.
The Biblical Approach to Fighting Police Brutality
Biblical Narratives against Violence
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ was taught not to be violent and to treat all people with compassion and love. When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment is, he replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31, NIV). The Gospel is emphasizing the importance of compassion, as Jesus was famous for preaching to the Gentiles, despite them not being Hellenistic Jews. Therefore, for contemporary Christians, it is essential to remember that Jesus advocated for people to live together in peace despite our difference as everyone is worthy of the glory of God.
The Persecution of the Early Church Persecution
Jesus was also persecuted by government officials of the Roman Empire, making his experiences similar to the contemporary victims of police brutality. Jesus’s teachings were considered controversial among the Orthodox Jews as well as the leaders of the Roman Empire. Jews did not want to allow Jesus to spread the Gospel to other members of the community; therefore, his life was always under threat. The Roman Governor crucified Jesus, even though he did not find any evidence to persecute him. The terrible injustice presented in the Bible leads contemporary Christians not to rush to judge. Thus, Jesus’s history is similar to the police brutality and acts as a reminder that those in positions of authority should remember of possible negative consequences of misjudgment.
Conclusion
To summarize, police officers’ actions are classified as brutal when lethal force is used against individuals without an apparent reason for it. The violence of law enforcement agents is closely related to racial discrimination, among other factors. Police misconduct towards black people inspired the creation of the Black Lives Matter movement, advocating and protesting against the injustices. Law enforcement brutality is harmful to society, as it diminishes the trust between the law and civilians. Furthermore, justice is rarely being served to the victims and their families. Lastly, Jesus Christ was fundamentally advocating against violence in his teachings, and he was also illegally persecuted.
References
Alang, S. (2018). The more things change, the more things stay the same: Race, ethnicity, and police brutality. American Journal of Public Health, 108(9), 1127–1128.
Alonso, J. (2018). How police culture affects the way police departments view and utilize deadly force policies under the fourth amendment. Arizona Law Review, 60(4), 987–1012.
Angus, J., & Crichlow, V. (2018). A race and power perspective on police brutality in America. FAU Undergraduate Research Journal, 7, 8–17.
Lumsden, E. (2017). How much is police brutality costing America? Hawaii Law Review 40(141).
Police Violence Report. (2017). Mapping Police Violence.