Police Violence: On the Streets and At Home

We are in the midst of nationwide and worldwide condemnation of police brutality that caused the death of yet another unarmed black person.  The level of protesting is exceptional this time because of the blatant nature of the killing, and the obvious video evidence of its nature.  This is only the most recent of a serious of similar instances that generated street demonstrations.  In this particular case, there is evidence of organized participation by groups on both the right and the left whose agenda is not peaceful demonstration.  But there is also evidence that the police themselves are encouraging violent response from protestors by their own unnecessarily aggressive acts.  Consider these observations taken from a Los Angeles Times article titled Troubling videos capture L.A. police violence, aggression amid demonstrations.

“In one video, at least eight Los Angeles police officers surround a woman lying in a Hollywood street as the buzz of a Taser fills the air. People scream from apartment balconies for the officers, who appear to be firing the stun gun at the woman, to stop.”

“In another video, an LAPD vehicle barrels into a crowd of protesters in Pershing Square, nearly driving over one before backing up and speeding away as protesters throw objects at the car.”

“On Tuesday, footage of a curfew arrest in Hollywood ends with the unarmed arrestee held at gunpoint and pleading for mercy as a police radio squawks with orders for officers to take anyone they see into custody. In L.A. County, sheriff’s deputies in one video appear to shoot pellets out of a moving vehicle at young men on the street, and those in another video punch and knee a young man on the ground in Compton.”

Police brutality is a real phenomenon which has become indisputable with the advent of smart phones and bodycams.  It is an expensive phenomenon for all concerned.  There are serious financial issues as well as the social ones.  While police are rarely convicted of crimes of violence in the line of duty, they can be sued successfully in civil courts by victims.  Chicago, with one of the most notorious police forces, paid out about $500 million to the abused over just a single 10-year period.  Andrew Cockburn produced Blood Money: Taxpayers pick up the tab for police brutality for Harper’s Magazine.  He provided this insight.

“A 2015 Wall Street Journal study found that the ten biggest police departments in the country had over the previous five years spent a collective $1.02 billion to settle cases that included shootings, beatings, and wrongful imprisonments.”

Police brutality is endemic within our society; there can no longer be any doubt.  But why is that, and must it be so?  One argument goes that police work attracts a class of individual who is excited by the prospect of carrying weapons and exerting authority over others, rather than the rewards of performing a needed public service.  A counter argument emphasizes the danger and stress of police work as an explanation why decent people sometimes misbehave.  Both suggestions have some validity, but the first suggests that there is a ready remedy: violence prone individuals can be weeded out initially in the application phase or dismissed as soon as the tendencies become apparent while in service.

A recent viewing of a TV drama included two female police officers discussing a case where they were considering a male cop as a potential serial rapist.  An offhand remark was made about the potential for criminal behavior within a police force by referring to the fact that “40% of male cops are guilty of domestic violence.”  This was expressed as if this was common knowledge within police departments.  Say what!  Could this possibly be true?  Unfortunately, and unbelievably, it is true.

This source, Police Family Violence Fact Sheet, provides source information.

“Two studies have found that at least 40% of police officer families experience domestic violence, in contrast to 10% of families in the general population.  A third study of older and more experienced officers found a rate of 24%, indicating that domestic violence is 2-4 times more common among police families than American families in general.”

The references for the at least 40% studies are:

“Johnson, L.B. (1991). On the front lines: Police stress and family well-being. Hearing before the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families House of Representatives: 102 Congress First Session May 20 (p. 32-48). Washington DC: US Government Printing Office.”

“Neidig, P.H., Russell, H.E. & Seng, A.F. (1992). Interspousal aggression in law enforcement families: A preliminary investigation. Police Studies, Vol. 15 (1), p. 30-38.”

If these reports are anywhere close to being accurate, our police forces are stuffed with people who have no right to be carrying a gun.

“In 1996, an important federal law was passed, which prohibits individuals -- including police officers -- from owning or using a firearm if they have been convicted of a misdemeanor domestic violence offense.”

Considering that a woman claiming abuse by a police officer husband is likely to have her claim received by a friend of her husband, and knowing that her husband will likely never receive any kind of punishment, it seems likely that spousal abuse is even more common than reported.  Consider the results of an investigation of the Los Angeles Police Department.

“Between 1990 and 1997, the Los Angeles Police Department investigated 227 cases of alleged domestic violence by officers, of which 91 were sustained. Of these 91 allegations that were sustained by the department, only 4 resulted in a criminal conviction. That means that the LAPD itself determined in 91 cases that an officer had committed domestic violence, but only 4 were convicted on a criminal charge. Moreover, of these 4 officers who were convicted on a criminal charge of domestic violence, one was suspended for only 15 days and another had his conviction expunged.”

One might think that all of this is old news, but such activities have continued, both the violence and the coverups.  Consider this article from the Mercury News in California: These California police officers were charged with brutalizing loved ones. So why are so many still carrying a gun? The piece opens with this lede.

“Violent charges against officers routinely pleaded down to disturbing the peace, unreasonable noise”

There is no reason to believe anything has changed; it just takes a new generation of reporters to rediscover old truths.  It is unconscionable to argue that the stress of policework causes this level of family physical abuse.  Rather, it seems quite clear that the population of police officers is highly polluted with violent individuals at a level that cannot be tolerated.  Politicians are aware of the danger of calling out their own police forces, recognizing, unconsciously perhaps, that they are dangerous, both physically and politically.  Police leaders are quite willing to dangle tacit threats that politicians will be sorry if the police force is unhappy.

Nevertheless, excising the abnormal individuals is necessary or we will face the tumult of today reoccurring forevermore. 

And also consider the scariest words Trump has ever spoken: “I can tell you I have the support of the police…”