Throughout history, police have played a vital role in other people's lives. While some view officers as valiant knights who save those in need, others view them as trigger happy individuals who target minorities. Growing up, many people are taught to view police officers as heroes. But what makes someone a hero and do the police meet those qualifications? The dictionary defines a hero as, “A person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” While many police officers make a positive substantial impact through their courage and acts of helping others, there are also many officers who make poor decisions which can have devastating consequences for another person.
Jordan Edwards was a 15 year old kid from Balch Springs, Texas who died on April 29, 2017 due to a police shooting. It all occured when officers responded to a house party after hearing reports of underage drinking. When Officer Roy Oliver spotted a car leaving with five people inside, he opened fire, fatally shooting Jordan Edwards, who was sitting in the front passenger seat. Police Chief Jonathan Haber initially said the car had been moving "aggressively" toward officers. Later, Haber corrected himself and said body camera footage showed the car was driving away from the officers. Haber fired the officer, saying Oliver "violated several departmental policies." Oliver was arrested in May and charged with first degree murder.
With the creation of the black lives matter campaign, the media became highly focused on the issue of police brutality. The case of Jordan Edwards is a particularly clear example of police brutality because Officer Roy Oliver had no motive to shoot the vehicle driving away from him. Police are trained to shoot only when they believe someone is going to cause serious harm to them or others. Because of how quickly someone can pull out a gun and shoot another individual, officers often have to make split second decisions which can lead to fatal mistakes. However, when officers have ample amounts of time to evaluate the situation at hand, their decision of whether or not to shoot is extremely crucial.
The issue of whether or not police are heroes, became a popular topic in the media. Although police help many individuals in need, they can also cause serious damage if they abuse their power. Officers often take advantage of citizens lack of knowledge when it comes to their rights. Rights such as the right to remain silent and unreasonable search and seizure are particularly taken advantage of. Even when people do know their rights, they don't use them because they don't want to look guilty.
Proponents of the Black Lives Matter campaign are right to argue that police brutality is a major issue in today’s society. But they exaggerate when they claim that all police have mal intentions. Although there are many well known cases where police have used their power to take advantage of citizens and those previously convicted of a crime, the struggles officers go through each day are rarely talked about. The national average rate of divorce in the United States is approximately 50% while police officers have a rate of over 70%. Some agencies even make officers sign a contract saying they understand that by working as a police officer there will be higher rates of divorce. They are also many cases of officers getting PTSD after working in the field. Psychology Today reports that, “There are approximately 900,000 sworn officers in the United States. According to some studies –19% of them may have PTSD. Other studies suggest that approximately 34% suffer symptoms associated with PTSD but do not meet the standards for the full diagnosis.” There are also dangers for police officers when working in the field. When officers go to pat someone down they risk getting poked by a needle which can lead to them getting HIV and hepatitis C. Death is also a risk officers take when working in the field. When Police officers take these risks to help others, they are being courageous and exemplifying what a hero should be.
Although the struggles police officers go through should be taken into account when looking at their actions, it does not excuse the many instances of police brutality. Cases such as Eric Garner and Michael Brown are some of the most well known cases of police brutality and for good reason. Both of these men were unarmed and were killed without good enough reason. The death of Eric Garner was particularly bad because the officer put him in a chokehold which is a move police are not supposed to do. Eric repeatedly told the officer, “I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!” but the officer did not let go which lead to Eric’s death. Garner's death also spurred a new protest slogan: "I can't breathe," some of the last words Garner said before he died. Several professional athletes wore shirts saying "I can't breathe" in silent protest.