When talking about white police officers in the African American community, I always hesitate. This subject is extremely emotional for all types of people, whether they were involved or not. There have been a large amount of cases recently where a white cop either arrests or shoots an African American suspected of doing something wrong. In some cases, the cop seems to be doing his job, but in others, it is very easy to question the cops motives.
This issue has been recurring in many places, but it recently took place in my hometown of Olympia, Washington. Two suspects, African American, were walking down the street after being accused of stealing alcohol from a nearby grocery store. The cop, who is white, identified them as the burglars, and reported that he had found them. Only moments later, the cop called in that shots had been fired. There were at least five shots taken at the two men, and they were both taken to the hospital. The cop stated that they had assaulted him with their skateboard, but the investigators have not yet identified whether that is true or not. This incident caused people of all races to gather and march in protest against this event while carrying signs that read “black lives matter.”
Seeing people that I know post their thoughts on social media made me realize how serious this issue is and how much of a problem it can cause between people. Everyone knows someone, or has heard of a story that has helped them form their own opinion on this subject. People feel so deeply about this problem, whether they think the cops are doing their job to protect us, or believe that cops abuse their power against certain people. I think the reason everyone feels so strongly about this problem is because people of color are continuously treated differently. Whether we want to admit it or not this problem has been going on for a very long time.
I think that cops need to start taking more preventative measures. For instance, the cops of Olympia could start using the body cameras as a part of their uniform, or call for back up right away rather than waiting. I am not sure who is to blame for the case that recently happened in Olympia, and I am not saying that the officer was wrong to do what he did, or right for that matter. But I think that things could've gone much smoother in this case if police officers did more to make sure that they are being preventative and not brutal. By using a body camera, or having back up, there would have been more people aware of what went on at the scene of the crime, rather than leaving everyone to question what really happened. This would also ensure that the cops are following the correct procedures when needed.
When I hear of a case that involves a white cop and an African American suspected of a crime, I can’t help but question both sides. Some assume that the cop is right and just doing his duty, while others believe the cop is wrong and that the person harmed or arrested didn’t do anything to get in trouble. According to research done by Washington Post, African Americans are more susceptible to being pulled over for no reason than Hispanics or whites. Washington Post also pointed out the fact that depending on race, different people will have a different perspective on the authorities. This makes sense considering the fact that cops pull over people of color for no reason and of course African Americans are going to be skeptical of a police officer's intentions. USA Today states that over 1,500 police departments arrest African Americans at skewed rates. Since this is a problem in multiple areas, this issue should be looked into, to make sure that racism doesn’t play a part in any case. These facts all support the idea that people of color are treated differently.
Although this issue is complex, little things like body cameras, or always having back up can really contribute to a case. There are many things that can be done to prevent problems like a cop wrongfully shooting or arresting a person of color. Each situation is very different, but no matter what went on, racism should never play a role in a police case.
