Excessive Police Misconduct Essay

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Deontological Views and the Ethical Standpoint on Excessive Force Laws Although there are laws designed to curb and combat excessive police misconduct there are officers who fail to act under oath. Sociologist offer many theories to why police officers make the decision to participate in unethical behaviors (training, personal values, reaction to stress), but no solid solution to help prevent officer related deaths. The Police Misconduct Provision under federal law makes it unlawful for police officers to engage in a pattern or practice of conduct depriving a person’s of their rights. This law was enacted under the 42 U.S.C. 14141 to address police misconduct and hate crimes during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s after a series …show more content…
The history of violence between police and civilians had to be addressed immediately and enforcing the provision served as an …show more content…
In contrast, the Civil Rights Act of 1871 clearly mimics the Police Misconduct Provision with the only difference between the two laws being the language used. The Police Misconduct provision identifies the “public government employee” as the “police officer” and the Civil Rights Act just uses the terminology “public government employee” leaving out “police officer”. Researchers explain that the act became the basis of federal law enforcement after adoption in the Screws v. United States case. This proves as evidence just how prevalent police brutality/misconduct was then just as it is now. The Color of Law describes the “person” or individual as law enforcers doing the act as using the power given to him or her by a governmental agency local, state, or federal. In addition, the law clarifies what types of misconduct are considered abusive (excessive force, sexual assault, intentional false arrests, etc). The Color of Law was definitely created from a deontological standpoint and it is the normative ethical position of legislators to enforce this law. From a deontological point

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