Police Brutality in America: A Few Bad Apples?

June 14, 2020

The magnitude of law enforcement personnel emotionally unqualified to wear the uniform of an American law enforcement officer, is not limited to just, “a few bad apples”.
I estimate encountering law enforcement on approximately 10 occasions in my lifetime, give or take a few.
These encounters range from minor traffic violations to asking for directions at a the scene of an accident in order to negotiate a detour.
Yet, when viewing the seemingly endless parade of videos that have surfaced over the past few years depicting excessive force by American law enforcement, particularly against black Americans, I am reminded of similar personal encounters that easily could have gone the same way.
And I’m a middle-class white-guy.
In each instance, the officers began the encounter by attempting to artificially escalate an otherwise calm situation by attempting to intice me in to a confrontation by using overly-aggressive and provocative language clearly designed to do so.
Just as is clearly indicated in these videos, these officers were all looking for a fight ; period.
This is not the way armed law enforcement should interact with the general public in America, and is further unsafe for both parties.

Fortunately, the solution is not that difficult to advance, and this appalling behavior can be reduced dramatically with simple reforms with regard to personnel hiring and management.
These officers all have the same basic disqualifying features that include a lack the empathy, overly-aggressive demeanor, inadequate de-escalation skills, and an unfit emotional capacity to wear the uniform of an American law enforcement officer.
Accordingly, significant reform is urgently needed in American law enforcement, including minimum education, mental health, public engagement, and hiring practices at a minimum.

There is no question that the majority of law enforcement officers in America are qualified, and honor the uniform of an American law enforcement officer.
But let’s not make the mistake that many are suggesting, by acting as if this epidemic of brutality is limited to just a few bad apples.
Black American lives are being lost at an alarming rate that should stun us all, and we should all demand urgent reform.
It’s not just a few bad apples ; it’s a culture of poor mental health, weak character, entitlement, hatred, and violence that has persisted in America for 240-plus years ; and it must come to an end now.
– BD