Continuance

Here's a shocking, but important compilation of police brutality caught on tape that has been put together by the people at http://www.policebrutality.info/

http://www.policebrutality.info/2009/02/police-brutality-world-wide-video.html

The site has some pretty raw resources that might give someone a more visceral understanding of the how the police exercise their authority. While there is no message per se, the raw images should enact some raw emotion or reaction in the viewer to realize that there's something wrong with these.





In a world outside of New York's own police misconduct, Hispanics in a Connecticut town face the less than pleasant relationship with police officers.

"In an unusual step, the Justice Department warned the town attorney in a letter on April 15 that its preliminary review showed the Police Department was a shambles, with no modern rules of conduct for officers, no check on their use of force, inadequate training and no functioning citizen complaint system."

Taken from a New York Times article from the 22nd of April, the Latinos of East Haven have had to put up with white supremacist groups handing out anti-immigrant flyers and a negative bias from local police.

It seems to be a continuing theme that minorities are of a lesser value in the eyes of police forces throughout America.

The Beatings Wont Stop

Recently, an unarmed driver, Ronald Bell, was stopped outside of Chicago, and beaten relentlessly with a baton after being ordered to the ground. The driver complied with all the officer's orders and paid for it with a hospital visit. He was charged with a DWI but that was dropped. Here is a fox news report about it, funny for Fox to broadcast this. The police officer felt threatened by the unarmed man on the floor. The officer was charged with misconduct and aggravated assault. He is one leave. Here is the Sun Time's report.

While Micheal Moore can be a bit much, he has a good point. Beyond that, Moore's presentation makes it easy for people to understand the message and entertain them. Highlighting a "who's who" of victims gunned down by cops, all black of course.

These are the people we entrust with protecting us, yeah right.

Progress?

Introduction

This blog exists as a project for school, but also in hopes that people understand, realize, and see the issue with our police force in the United States. I will provide various articles and evidence in hopes that you, whoever you are, and wherever you are, see that everyday officers act outside of the very law they are sworn to protect.

Whether you're a cop stealing money or soliciting prostitutes on the job, racially profiling at astounding rates, and enforcing strip searches for minor offenses, there's a lot to complain about. And still, with fewer cops on the force, payouts have climbed $117.6 million form $68.5 in the last five years. The amount of claims climbed from 5,420 to 6,616( in NYC) in the same window of time.

For more, here's a plethora of links and different sites to check into police practices and ethics for yourself.

If you are a victim of police abuse yourself, or just interested in what your rights are check out this great guide the ACLU has put together.

This is only the beginning, there will be plenty more (both in terms of depth and sheer sources).