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Stephen Smith
Instructor Wilson-Young
ENGL 1101
04 March 2019

Law Enforcement in America

"Officer needs assistance.” I could hear the radio in the background as I was patrolling

the west end of the county. There is no training that will prepare an officer for the emotions and

feelings when an officer assistance call goes out. We arrived at the front door of the mobile

home. We had no idea what we were walking in to, but we knew an officer needed help. “He’s

reaching for my gun!” I could hear the deputy yelling as we entered and he returned with striking

the suspect in his face numerous times. The job is tough, especially when you are required to use

force against another human being. There are always two sides to a story, but to understand each

other, we must be willing to look at both perspectives.

When I entered law enforcement, the lights, sirens, and even the uniforms of police

departments consumed me. “I’d do this for free,” I said quietly to myself. Being a Highway

Patrolman was exciting, and I rarely had a dull moment when I started. I recall thinking that cops

were always the good guys, but I soon found out that even in the highway patrol across the

nation we have some “Bad apples.” My eyes began to open, and I started to see my job through

another’s perspective. In 2010 a State Trooper was charged with using excessive force on a

suspect arrested for DWI on the tollway in Dallas. A police officer’s adverse actions make it

difficult for law enforcement to create a positive impact on society.

Encounters with African Americans by law enforcement officers brought into the

spotlight in the case of the death of Michael Brown. The “Ferguson effect” became terminology

documenting wide-spread criticism of law enforcement after the incident. As a result, the effect

has contributed to increased crime rates in large cities which included violent crimes. A study
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conducted by the National Police Research Platform in 2016 suggested that the public’s

perception of law enforcement in the deaths of African Americans were a more significant

problem and not a mere isolated incident. The public’s view on law enforcement will bring about

reform and restructuring if that view is negative.

Some say police officers are too quick to shoot and lack the training necessary to de-

escalate a situation before it turns deadly. Every day throughout the United States police officers

conduct hundreds of encounters with the public that yield a positive impression. The media at

times cloud the positive interactions or do not broadcast them, because “That’s what cops should

do.” The problem is that the media plays a vital role in telling a story and they are partially to

blame for the negative perception of law enforcement. In 2018, there were 159 police officer

suicides and only 144 reported line of duty deaths, which indicates that there is a lack of care and

support for police officers within our nation. Police officers are people too, they have families,

hobbies, and enjoy life just like everyone else. If law enforcement has a continuous negative

image, there will be severe consequences which will lead to a shortage of officers. Who will do

the job then?

There are problems within law enforcement that need restructuring and further

examination, but law enforcement needs the support of the public to survive. Increased

community events that allow citizens to meet with officers outside of their regular duties help

bridge the gap between the police and the public. Police officers should be held to a higher

standard and set the example for others to follow. The public’s perception is their reality on how

law enforcement officers conduct themselves in this nation. Both sides of an argument must be

looked at unbiasedly to make an accurate decision based on the facts, and you have to decide for

yourself on what you will believe.

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Work cited

Emily, Jennifer. “Former Texas DPS Trooper Sentenced to 6 Months Probation for Using

Excessive Force in 2009 Traffic Stop.” Dallas News, 17 Dec. 2010,

www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2010/12/17/former-texas-dps-trooper-sentenced-to-6-months-

probation-for-using-excessive-force-in-2009-traffic-stop.

Clement, Scott, and Wesley Lowery. “Survey Reveals Disconnect between Police and Public

Attitudes.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 11 Jan. 2017,

www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/survey-reveals-disconnect-between-police-and-public-

attitudes/2017/01/10/65b24f3a-d550-11e6-a783-

cd3fa950f2fd_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.2b253230e7f1.

Ferguson effect. “Ferguson Effect.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 Feb. 2019,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferguson_effect.

Team, APB. “Law Enforcement Officer Suicides Outnumbered Line of Duty Deaths in 2018.”

American Police Beat Magazine, 3 Jan. 2019, apbweb.com/law-enforcement-officer-suicides-

outnumbered-line-of-duty-deaths-in-2018/.