Why Police Brutality Happens in Alabama and What Can be Done to Combat it
Police brutality occurs in many different forms and affects people in many different ways. There are severe incidents of police brutality that leave individuals catastrophically or fatally injured and then there are those that cause individuals to suffer psychological injuries. Regardless of how serious or minor an incident that stems from police misconduct might be, all incidents lead to distrust building between the public and their law enforcement officers.
While there are plenty of good police departments and officers out there performing their duties to the highest standards, there are also some that take advantage of their rights and role.
If someone was harassed, physically harmed, or falsely arrested by an Alabama police officer, they can contact an Alabama police brutality lawyer to gain a clearer understanding of what their legal rights are.
Why is police brutality still an issue?
There are many reasons why police brutality still occurs, some of which include:
Biased-Based Policing
Biased-based policing, also known as racial profiling, is when an officer uses a person’s ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, background, economic status, race, gender, age, or socio-economic status as their basis for engaging in police activity such as pulling a vehicle over.1 When police officers are permitted or encouraged to racial profile, it only allows for the behavior to continue.
It is important for the public to understand that racial profiling is a prohibited practice in police departments. In order for police officers to stop someone, question their actions or intentions, etc., they need to have probable cause to do so. Using a person’s race, gender, etc. as a reason to make a stop is a violation of an individual’s constitutional rights and any officer who engages in such behavior should be reprimanded.
Low Standards
Police departments and/or officers who have set low standards generally aren’t taking into account how their actions and behavior affect those they come in contact with. For example, if a department is only concerned about reaching their quota for the month and is willing to go any length to do it, it can result in innocent individuals being harassed, harmed, and falsely arrested.
Lack of Proper Training
Police officers are required to interact with the public on a daily basis which means they will likely encounter people of all different races and religions, and even individuals who suffer from mental health disorders. Police officers should be trained to handle situations that involve both calm and violent individuals and should be able to implement practices other than deadly force to handle serious situations.
Unfortunately, not all officers are properly trained to handle intense situations or know how to interact with people of a different race or culture which can cause them to overreact during an encounter and injure someone.
How can police brutality be combated?
If an individual was harmed by an Alabama police officer and they are looking for ways to combat the treatment they were subjected to, they can contact USAttorneys.com for help. USAttorneys.com is a reliable resource that connects individuals in need of legal help with Alabama police brutality lawyers in their area. If you live in Birmingham, Montgomery, or even Huntsville, USAttorneys.com can help you locate an AL police brutality attorney who will be able to assist you with your matter.
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