The use of power by the police is one of the burning topics in many countries. Police work is associated with additional issues like human rights, racial or ethnic inequality, immigration, and justice. People expect the police to protect their lives and freedoms. However, sometimes, the use of power by law enforcement officers provokes multiple questions and concerns. Black (1976) defines law as social control or a quantitative variable that may increase or decrease, depending on the setting. Unfortunately, modern understanding of law undergoes different interpretations, and it is hard to differentiate deviant behavior of a citizen from abuse of police power. Deindividuation and contagion theories may be applied to controversial cases for analyzing officers’ behaviors and leadership. The ambiguity of situations with Rodney King and Amadou Diallo proves the importance of theories and additional investigations in police work. This discussion evaluates force standards and police leadership responsibilities through the prism of deindividuation and contagion.
Deindividuation and contagion theories examine human behaviors under specific conditions and focus on the impact of anonymity, crowd, and group identity. Deindividuation is when individuals submerge in the group and neglect their qualities and responsibilities as individuals (Festinger et al., 1952). This theory explains the relationship between crowd aggression, collective behavior, and anonymity when group members are not identified (Neal, 1993). In other words, deindividuation is used to show how the effect of the crown is spread in society. Contagion theory is also based on the idea of losing identity. It defines irrational behaviors, impulsivity, and emotional disorder as the outcomes of anonymity in the crowd (Neal, 1993). The rational model in criminal justice theory is not stable due to achieved results or lost opportunities (Maguire & Duffee, 2015). Following the contagion rule, the crowd creates unpredictable emotions and disinhibited activities.
These two approaches can be applied to the cases of Rodney King and Amadou Diallo. In both situations, several police officers were aggressive towards the victims and followed the crowd, neglecting their primary duties to protect and follow social order. Contagious shooting at Diallo and the contagious beating of King were tragic events that questioned the quality of police work and the accessible distribution of power. Police officers could also address the principle of deindividuation to explain their brutal collective behaviors. Regarding the court results and the officers’ acquittance of all charges, use of force standards were followed. Juries concluded that the actions of the police, under those circumstances, were correct to predict unnecessary losses and injuries.
Despite specialized training courses and education, police officers may demonstrate excessive force for different reasons. This type of force is explained as reasonably necessary in some situations to complete law enforcement functions. Excessive force is closely related to police brutality, underlying the role of police leadership in applying such force at work. It is crucial to distinguish between excessive force and unnecessary force not to go far and neglect the actual level of threat (Maguire & Duffee, 2015). Chiefs need to share clear guidance with their employees on how to interact with citizens and avoid brutality. Psychological assistance and mental health evaluation may be appointed to prove the rationality or irrationality of a decision. Communication and behavioral observations are recommended to make sure police leadership is effective.
In general, the controversies in police work happen from time to time, questioning the importance of using force, shooting, and other violence. It is hard for ordinary people to judge the behaviors of Rodney King, Amadou Diallo, and police officers if they did not participate directly. Even distant observations could not be enough as solid evidence. Deindividuation and contagion may explain law enforcement representatives’ behaviors and decisions, but these theories would hardly help go back in time and make another choice. Police responsibilities vary, and people depend on how well officers follow their obligations and respect the population’s rights.
References
Black, D. (1976). The behavior of law. Academic Press.
Festinger, L, Pepitone, A., & Newcomb, T. (1952). Some consequences of de-individuation in a group. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 47(2), 382-389. Web.
Maguire, E. R. & Duffee, D. E. (Eds.) (2015). Criminal justice theory: Explaining the nature and behavior of criminal justice. Taylor and Francis.
Neal, D. M. (1993). A further examination of anonymity, contagion, and deindividuation in crowd and collective behavior. Sociological Focus, 26(2), 93–107. Web.