It was believed that the police officers acted in good faith and used the possible maximum force to control such crowds. Today, police brutality is propagated at individual levels where a police officer or a group of them assaults a civilian. Whether the civilian is innocent or not is an issue for debate but the fact remains that police officer use excess and unwarranted force to perform their duties (Lawrence, 2000). Police have come under sharp attacks from the public and leaders for overstepping their mandates and performing their duties unconventionally. On the other hand, the accused have defended their actions arguing that they acted within the law and provisions of their professions. These counter-accusations and arguments have left civilians at crossroads and none of them know the next step. Today, the issue of police brutality of great public concern due to the severity of their actions and what the people perceive to be extra-judicial punishments.
Police Brutality: Causes, Impacts and Solutions.
Police brutality is a complex term that refers to all the actions and practices that police officers apply in the process of carrying out their duties but end up violating the rights of civilians. These actions and practices may not necessarily involve violence or injuries although in most cases these are the possible outcomes including death. Police officers are trained to control crowds and manage criminals without necessarily using force or causing injuries to victims (Onyemaobim, 2016). It is necessary to explain that in today's world even criminals have rights that should be respected. Therefore, police officers are expected to learn and incorporate the rules and procedures of managing criminals when handling any emergencies of cases of eminent danger. Police brutality is usually defined in terms of inappropriate procedures being followed or excess force being applied by police officers when carrying out their duties.