POLICE BRUTALITY 2Law enforcement is a fundamental part of society. Officers of the law are viewed as protectors of the nation who are to ensure peace and safety. Over the years, it has come into question the unconstitutional misconduct by law enforcement officials. In particular, police brutality has been a controversial issue. Defined as “the use of excessive physical force or verbal assault and psychological intimidation,” police violence has caused outrage among the public (Chaney & Robertson 2013, pg. 482). For example, the use of batons, pepper spray, or pointing a firearm at an individual in situations where it is completely unnecessary is considered …show more content…
Police violence is a serious problem to this day and ignoring it will only result in more misfortunes.Ethics in policing in American law enforcement was very different hundreds years ago. Policing has evolved to the law enforcement we know today. The U.S. system of policing changed over time due to new problems that arose as well as the needs of society that would constantly change. From 1840 through 1930 it was known as the political era of policing. One of the main functions of law enforcement was to provide the community with social services (Bond 2016). Police and communities had a very close relationship. Since police would patrol by foot, they had the opportunity of establishing relationships with individuals of the community, such as business owners. Police officer’s duties were to assist communities in everything they needed but also serving the politically powerful (Bond 2016). Due to prohibition during the political era, crime increased and caused police to engage in corruption. Since there was no advertisement or applications to become a police officer, police were appointed by politicians. Police jobs were considered investment opportunities. Furthermore, a frustration among the public grew because of political corruption. This led to a reform in policing. Crime control and professionalism were established in the police force. Instead of patrolling by foot, officers now used police vehicles. This era of policing also raised the standards for recruitment, training, and introduced the adoption of technologies that helped the efficiency of law enforcement (Bond 2016). The relationship between