What comes into your mind when you hear those two words? A feeling of safety? Perhaps a feeling of relief, knowing that you are protected? Or maybe a sense of pride, knowing that you can live your everyday life safely, guarded by these public servants. These two words, however, have more recently been referred to in a negative manner. The Police Force in America, some may say, has become none more than a brute militia, preying on the weak and innocent. Police brutality has taken a turn for the worse, as seen with the killings of innocent, unarmed men, such as Mike Brown, Oscar Grant, and Dillon Taylor, all of which their murders were cops who were acquitted of their crimes. .
On June 12, 2000, in St. Louis County, two unarmed black men (one who had drugs in his possession), were pulling into a parking lot of a Jack in the Box, when they realized they were surrounded by Police Officers and Detectives. The driver attempted to pull out of the parking lot, and not paying attention, backed into a police SUV. Two officers approached the car and open fired. 21 shots rained down on the two men, killing them both. They had no weapon, and posed no immediate threat to the two officers. However, the cops were let free of all charges (Levy). Now, 14 years later, in the same exact county, 18 year old unarmed black male, Michael Brown, is shot dead by a police officer, and justice is not served. Perhaps in this county, the prosecuting attorney, Robert P. McCulloch, is prejudice in his decisions, favoring white cops and setting them free for killing young and unarmed black men. McCulloch's father was a cop who was shot dead by a black man when McCulloch was 12 (Levy). Police Blood runs in his family. You can see how his past has affected his decisions as a Prosecuting Attorney. However, this problem is not only prevalent in St Louis County. Throughout the year of 2012, 21 people were killed by the NYPD, which averages at almost 2 killings per month.
