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Police use of excessive force

Police use of excessive force

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Police Use of excessive force

Recent studies shows that hundreds of people are killed by the police across the

United States each year. The number of those killed by the police is not known since

the U.S. do not tabulate the number of live lost. Shooting by the police officers

appear quite rare, this is because the police agencies are not supposed to report to any

national body incidences where their officers kill civilians. Besides, there is lack of a

voluntary and comprehensive data collection system. Estimates given shows that the

victims of police shootings are few thousands every year. The available evidence

reveals that the African Americans are the most affected in the police shootings and

use of deadly force. Studies shows that among the population who have lost their

lives due to police shootings, African American men forms a greater proportion.

African American women have also suffered immensely and lost their lives to police

violence. Reports on the police shootings on the African American men shows that

most of them are not armed. The law enforcement officers are tasked with the

responsibility of upholding the law and ensuring the safety of individuals within the

society, they are supposed to respect and protect lives in the society.

The shootings of Missouri and Michael Brown among many others in the United

States exposed the intense and inappropriate use of deadly force by police on the

basis of racial discrimination. There has been a pattern of treatment by the law

enforcement officers and an alarming use of excessive force that leans on racism.

Racial discrimination has been a fueling factors for the increased police shootings.

Prior to the killing in Ferguson, studies shows that the police had shot and killed a

young African American who was reported to be holding a knife. The claims by the

police that the 25-year old black was brandishing a knife were not seen in the video

footage that captured the shooting. On March 12, 2012, another incidence of police

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shooting was reported. A 22-year old black woman, Rekia Boyd was killed by the

Chicago police despite having no weapon. There are other numerous cases of black

shootings in the recent years that have caught the attention of the media and other

civil societies. Apart from the killing of the African Americans, studies shows that

the Hispanic and other indigenous residents from communities within the U.S. have

been victims of the same phenomenon.

International law and the police shootings

The use of deadly force by the police continue to raise serious human rights

concerns, the right for security and the right for life. The U.S. has the legal

responsibility of protecting the rights of its citizens, and eliminate all forms of

discrimination. The basic principles provided by the United Nations requires that

there should be no use of firearms except when necessary and for protection. Anyone

is not allowed to use fire arms except where there is need to provide self-defence or

defend others from a potential harm. Based on this provision, no firearm should be

used and in any event, an “intentional lethal use of firearms may only be made when

strictly unavoidable in order to protect life.” The provision by the International law

provides that such kind of force should be applicable when there is not other available

options that can help in achieving the legitimate objective.

Police brutality in the U.S.

Recent studies reveals a shocking trend in the fatal shootings by the police in the

U.S. The number of people killed by the law enforcement officers seem to increase

every year. Among the 213 civilians killed by the police in the first three months of

this year (2021), 30 were blacks. In the year 2020, there were over one thousand fatal

police killings. In 2019, studies reports that 999 people were killed by fatal police

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Police Use of excessive force Recent studies shows that hundreds of people are killed by the police across the United States each year. The number of those killed by the police is not known since the U.S. do not tabulate the number of live lost. Shooting by the police officers appear quite rare, this is because the police agencies are not supposed to report to any national body incidences where their officers kill civilians. Besides, there is lack of a voluntary and comprehensive data collection system. Estimates given shows that the victims of police shootings are few thousands every year. The available evidence reveals that the African Americans are the most affected in the police shootings and use of deadly force. Studies shows that among the population who have lost their lives due to police shootings, African American men forms a greater proportion. African American women have also suffered immensely and lost their lives to police violence. Reports on the police shootings on the African American men shows that most of them are not armed. The law enforcement officers are tasked with the responsibility of upholding the law and ensuring the safety of individuals within the society, they are supposed to respect and protect lives in the society. The shootings of Missouri and Michael Brown among many others in the United States exposed the intense and inappropriate use of deadly force by police on the basis of racial discrimination. There has been a pattern of treatment by the ...
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