Introduction
If I was an executive investigator of the Police Integrity Unit (PIU) working Taylor’s case, I would focus on ensuring the transparency of the investigation and punishment for the involved officers. Firstly, enacting fair legal proceedings for the officers in Taylor’s case and redefining the criteria of racial injustice misconduct would be my priority. Guaranteeing that officers will not avoid punitive penalty and undergo a just judicial process is vital. Furthermore, a PIU’s priority would be to ensure that the investigation is public and transparent. Inadequate communication with the public, reinforcement of the “blue wall of silence,” and insufficient self-reporting led Taylor’s case to be one of the most unprofessional in terms of showcasing police misconduct (Bates, 2020, para. 10). Therefore, PIU will ensure transparency and fairness of the investigation process.
Systems Theory in Taylor’s Case
As a PIU executive investigator, I would employ a systems theory of conflict. This framework is defined by how the conflict evolves and is shaped within the broad systems of perception by certain groups of people rather than one individual (Walter et al., 2016). Racial prejudice is deeply rooted in governmental organizations that perpetuate the issues of inequality (Norwood, 2020). Police officers feel entitled to use excessive force since the system normalizes and encourages such behavior by not punishing the guilty and allowing race-targeting activities like no-knock warrants (Walter et al., 2016). When discussing systematic-level problems, “separating people from the problem” and addressing the issue within the existing framework rather than case-by-case will be the most effective strategy (McKay et al., 2018, p. 156). Given the aforementioned points into consideration, approaching the issues of police brutality and no-knock warrants is the most effective from the perspective of a systems conflict’s theory.
Police Brutality
The two driving issues of Taylor’s case can be analyzed from the perspective of the systems theory. From the investigation of Taylor’s assassination and the current Black Lives Matter protests, it is evident that racial minorities are targeted and disfavored by governmental institutions. Socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and race played a vital role in the killing of Breonna Taylor: she was shot because the police assumed that she was connected with the ongoing investigation without any evidence (Norwood, 2020). Thus, social and institutional perception of the race was one of the factors that led police to such excessive use of force, which is a sign of police brutality. Furthermore, police brutality is evident from other cases where race served as a critical aspect of the police’s decision-making. Therefore, it can be concluded that police brutality is a conflict that arose due to the normalization of deprivation of Blacks by privileged Whites in the position of power, which became a systematic phenomenon.
No-Knock Warrant
The second concept of no-knock warrants can also be dedicated to a systematic conflict. As described by Norwood (2020), no-knock warrants are granted little vetting procedure by the court, allowing officers to utilize this legal tool of no-knock entry to target non-White individuals. In fact, among all no-knock warrant entries, Black and Latino civilians suffer from unlawful and unprecedented violations of privacy the most (Walter et al., 2016). This evidence suggests that the judicial system perpetuates racism by allowing officers to abuse their power by criminalizing innocent racial minorities.
Strategy for Change
The strategy I would employ as a PIU executive investigator is establishing punitive and reporting measures for racial crimes. Firstly, as per creating an adequate disciplinary framework for mediating the damage of the Taylor’s case, it is essential to address officers’ impunity. Less than 20% of officers accused of police brutality receive any punishment, which left Taylor’s murderer not convicted (Walter et al., 2016). As a PIU change agent, I will enforce an elaborate criterion defining racial misconduct so that Taylor’s case officers will be prosecuted with a fair judicial process and punished by monetary, administrative, or criminal repercussions. Some of the criteria will include an evaluation of using excessive force, racial slurs, and racial bias in the initial investigation. As a result, the murderers of Taylor will either pay a fine or be charged with an administrative or criminal responsibility, depending on the decision of the court. Consequently, the current conflict will not only be resolved by identifying and defining punishment for the guilty, but it will also create a system for tackling racial injustice misconduct for future cases within PIU.
As a second part of the strategy, ensuring transparency and self-reporting is also essential. Bates (2020) emphasizes the PIU’s lack of accountability and reports that “the Department continues to withhold information and evidence from the attorneys and the public and the delays are unacceptable and inexcusable” (para. 9). Therefore, my role is to publish a complete police report of the incident, conduct regular press-conferences, and issue press-releases reporting on the investigation process. This will ensure transparency and break the “wall of silence” in the police (Bates, 2020, para. 10). In addition, evidence and information lawfully requested by the attorneys and lawyers should be timely provided. These measures of establishing investigation transparency will guarantee that the process is fair, and the PIU acts in a lawful and equal manner to all the participants of the incidents.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is safe to state that PIU executives can act as agents of change to address an overarching problem of racial injustice in the judicial system, explicitly acting in Breonna Taylor’s case. This issue of racism, along with no-knock warrants and police brutality, must be critically assessed from the systems conflict viewpoint. Some of the actionable steps that could be taken by the PIU change agent are enforcing stricter punishment and more efficient reporting.
References
Bates, J. (2020). Your silence is complicity: Breonna Taylor’s family calls for immediate action from Louisville police. Time. Web.
McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2018). Messages. New Harbinger Publications.
Norwood, C. (2020). The war on drugs gave rise to ‘no-knock’ warrants; Breonna Taylor’s death could end them. PBS.
Walter, A., Ruiz, Y., Tourse, R., Kress, H., Morningstar, B., MacArthur, B., & Daniels, A. (2016). Leadership matters: How hidden biases perpetuate institutional racism in organizations. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 41(3), 213-221.