CJ 500 FINAL PROJECT

6-2 Legal Policy Short Paper

Police brutality is a going concern even in the current adage of civilization. The use of force has been the go-to option for the longest time due to its efficacy in establishing order, but it is not without its consequences. Many individuals have suffered the atrocities of the police. At some point, particular races appeared to be more targeted by such brutality, making it an even more pressing social concern matter. It is thus vital that an amicable solution is proposed, one that would be sustainable in years to come. Research demonstrates a lot of mistrust between the public and law enforcers. A matter that intrinsically breeds resistance (Ehrenfeld & Harris, 2020). Hence my proposed solution to this problem is for the police department to adopt a 'hands-off policy. This is especially vital for the foot police who do the actual chasing and arresting. Adopting the approach will mean that the officers explain to the suspect reason for arrest and its importance in achieving law and order rather than using force with little explanation. However, this approach depends on the fact that the citizens are reasonable, which may not be true among actual criminals.

Applying a hands-off policy to curb crime will likely reduce police brutality significantly. Police officers who use brutality inherently conclude a particular individual has done a particular crime and is likely to resist arrest. However, it is more often not the case. In instances where an actual crime has been committed, the suspects are still entitled to give their perspectives and have their dignity as humans upheld (Ehrenfeld & Harris, 2020). Thus, this approach would mean misunderstandings between an officer and an individual are eliminated. Besides, it guarantees fair treatment from the time of arrest; therefore, one is less likely to resist. On the contrary, using force suggests oppression and victimization, which only scales up the brutality. Therefore, exploring ways to make such interventions feasible is essential.

A couple of actions must encourage a buy-in attitude regarding the hands-off policy. The first one is to do public desensitization. The bad publicity already out there creates a general assumption that the police force is to be feared (Schwartz, 2020). Rather, the view should be that of a complementary unit of society just like any other. The public should be aware of the new measures taken and encourage them to be willing to talk to the officers should they encounter them. The second action is to change the officers' training which inculcates a sense of superiority over the civilians. Law enforcers should be educated to teach the law and pride in breeding fear and anxiety among civilians. Implanting these two goals creates a path for a less brutal police department.

A hands-off policy must be made sustainable to reap its maximum benefits. Thus, the curriculum of the police training should be adjusted to make more room for psychological training that enhances their interactive social skills. Whereas the officers are bound to meet hardcore criminals, most of the time, it would be the regular citizens (Schwartz, 2020). Thus, a significant proportion of the training should be targeted to caring for this part of the population rather than the few mastermind criminals.

Several parameters would demonstrate the success of the policy. Key among them is monitoring the incidences of violence between officers and the public during arrests which is expected to decrease. The second pointer is a regular opinion poll regarding the subject matter with an expected improvement in public trust, as demonstrated by positive reviews (Schwartz, 2020). Having these parameters in mind will ensure that regular updates are made in the interest of the public as well as ease the work of the police.

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