Introduction
Police brutality is one of the most pressing crisis problems in the United States. Plutocracy, the spread of COVID-19 and structural racism, along with this problem, are the main threats to the health system as a whole and the life of each individual (Krieger, 2020). The process of concern about police brutality among Americans of color far exceeds that of white people (Graham et al., 2020). Therefore, this problem requires additional research and immediate solutions.
News Article and Real-Life Cases
The case of the murder of Bennie Edwards in Oklahoma was taken as a news article. According to news reports, three police officers committed manslaughter after several requests to remove Bennie Edwards’ knife and his attempt to escape (Chandler, 2020). Before the shots, the police used a stun gun and pepper spray. Their actions were dictated by complaints that a 60-year-old man was interfering with visitors to the mall. As it turned out, Bennie Edwards had a mental illness (Chandler, 2020). As a result of the story, the police were charged.
In comparison with this case, a similar one was taken, geographically located in the same state. After stopping the car and talking to the female driver, the police officer spoke to the colored male passenger, and as a result of the dialogue, the police officer shot him. From his injuries, the passenger died in the hospital (Schaer, 2020). The connection between these two cases consists in police brutality, expressed more than self-defense measures and official obligations, the transition to firearms to kill without clarifying all aspects of the case, and the corresponding danger for the defender of law and order himself. In the first case, the person needed treatment for a mental illness. Therefore, he also required a particular attitude that should avoid critical situations. The actions of this man did not violate criminal law. Hence the police had to act differently. In the second case, the details of the case are entirely hidden, but there was no evidence of a threat to the policeman’s life. Therefore, the circumstances are similar.
Human Resources
From the perspective of human resources and the point of view of morality, health, and any human relationship, human life is most important. Even though people of color often have problems with economic wealth, they do not deserve much adverse treatment, as they are also citizens of the United States, along with white people (Krieger, 2020). Through their illegal actions, the police killed US citizens without fully understanding the case, destroying a member of any family, leaving children without a father, and an employee of any working collective working for the country’s good.
Conclusion
Based on these two cases, first of all, I would like to know how the police should determine the possible mental illness of citizens who need special treatment? Oklahoma hosts the Crisis Intervention Team Training (CIT) program, which trains police officers to interact with people with mental disorders. However, only 14% of all state police personnel completed this course (Chandler, 2020). It may be worth introducing this course into each state’s practice and making it mandatory to prevent such events. The second case, it requires a detailed description of the police officer’s actions in cases of such a lack of sufficient details of the corpus delicti. Police officers should try to preserve human life and use cruelty only when the offender threatens other people, and there is no other way out.
References
Chandler, Q. (2020). OKC police name officers who killed Bennie Edwards. State Impact. Web.
Graham, A., Haner, M., Sloan, M. M., Cullen, F. T., Kulig, T. C., & Jonson, C. L. (2020). Race and worrying about police brutality: The hidden injuries of minority status in America. Victims & Offenders, 15(5), 549-573.
Krieger, N. (2020). Enough: COVID-19, structural racism, police brutality, plutocracy, climate change—and time for health justice, democratic governance, and an equitable, sustainable future. American Journal of Public Health, 110, 1620-1623.
Schaer, J. (2020). Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigating a fatal shooting in which a trooper shot and killed a man near Vinita. FourStatesHomePage. Web.