Conversation over police brutality needs nuance
April 26, 2015
Felix David, a 22-year-old suspected of robbery, was shot and killed by police officers during a struggle on Saturday afternoon. The officers sustained non-life threatening head and shoulder injuries during the five minute fight in which the suspect broke one of the officer’s radios over his head. While David’s death comes at a time of criticism of the use of lethal force by the police, this situation must not automatically be seen as uncalled-for police brutality. Lethal force is certainly never the optimal response, but David was acting in a manner that significantly threatened the safety of the officers. This type of nuance is often lacking in the recent debates on police brutality, which sometimes brand all officers as murderers. These conversations are unproductive at best and actively lethal at worst.
The United States is in the middle of a much-needed national conversation about police brutality, and irrespective of whether the threshold of necessary lethal force was met, David’s death is a tragedy that adds to the troublingly large pool of individuals killed at the hands of the police. However, this killing is an example of a split-second decision that turned out to be wrong, as opposed to evidence of the systematic racism that exists in many U.S. police forces.
Despite historically low crime levels, the last 18 months have been marked by strained relations between New Yorkers and the New York Police Department. It remains to be seen whether the news that minor offenses may be reclassified as civil rather than criminal offenses will reverse the NYPD’s broken window policy. It bears repeating that on-the-beat policing is not an exact science, and the vast majority of New York City’s 34,000 officers are capable service-members who do their job admirably.
There is a fine line between the justified use of lethal force and its misuse, one that officers must skirt often in their line of work. Decisions made on the spur of the moment have consequences for the lives of both the officers and suspects. The decision to use lethal force affects the lives of friends, families and communities of those shot. The stun gun is certainly a better option in the majority of altercations — it is better that people be subdued than killed.
The issue of police brutality and how to determine if and when lethal force is necessary must continue to be discussed. It certainly stands to reason that in situations where police feel that their safety is threatened, use of non-lethal force such as stun guns are far preferable to the alternative. Instead of continuing with two dissonant, competing monologues, the NYPD and its critics should engage in a dialogue to bring these two groups closer.
A version of this article appeared in the Monday, April 27 print edition. Email the WSN Editorial Board at [email protected].
Benny • Jul 29, 2015 at 7:22 pm
The shortcomings of America’s Law Enforcement have been plastered on almost every major news channel in the world and have caused a lot of conflicts within our country. It almost seems like police brutality has become a new epidemic in the United States. As Americans, we pride ourselves on protecting people’s inalienable rights. However, what happens if these very right come with stipulations that contradict American core values? It is imperative that we as Americans come together and find a cure for this metastasizing epidemic of police brutality, and the only way to achieve this is by addressing the issue and peeling back the layers that have contributed to this national problem.
Belinda • Apr 27, 2015 at 1:54 pm
“There’s a new south and a new America and it’s called white racial responsibility and it’s time we all took some y’all. Let’s take a little bit of white racial responsibility. Let’s start by standing up against it, let’s recognize that in every American institution, in education, financial, healthcare, justice — for God’s sake it’s in justice — in the police departments and our police officers, many of them.
And when I talk I’m not talking about all. I’m ain’t saying all white people are bad I’m saying we’ve got an evil called white supremacy in this culture. Stop being defensive. Get off your fucking ass and do something about it. Speak up, don’t ever ignore racism. If you hear something racist, fucking stand as a white American, take some fucking responsibility. It’s the inaction that has always destroyed other people and other nations.”
Full video: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/13/redneck-dixon-white_n_7059414.html
Mike • Apr 27, 2015 at 11:14 am
While I agree that there needs to be nuance in the discussion It kind of feels like that nuance is always used to describe occations where we need to clear police officers of wrongdoing because it was an “accident” or a “slip and capture” or “he was going for my tazer”.. I think the nuance your looking for is how to allow the police genuine leeway when it comes to the use of force without them using it to abuse those they deem unworthy of respect. when does the right for “safety” for police mean a death sentence for anything that moves? why must we allow officers the excuse of “i mixed up my tazer with my gun”..
IMHO, “with great power comes great responsibility” and i think law enforcement needs to learn that; and I think sending a few cops to prison for neglegant homocide would help send that message.