The Upsurge of Police Repression: An Analysis

Abstract

¥ n recent years and months there ap* pears to be a marked increase in police brutality, use of deadly force as well as other police crimes committed against innocent civilians. These incidents of police crimes have occurred most frequently in black and other minority communities. In Houston, Detroit, Wrightsville, St. Louis, Miami, Memphis, Los Angeles, Oakland, Chicago and several other cities, blacks and others have died at hands of police under highly questionable circumstances. Police illegal surveillance of political groups also continues in a number of cities. Things got so bad in Philadelphia, for example, that amidst widespread community complaints and pressure, U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit in 1979 (U.S. v. City of Philadelphia) against of brotherly love. The suit alleged the existence of a pervasive pattern of police abuse that resulted in denial of basic Federal constitutional rights to persons of all races, colors and national origins. The complaint further alleged that polic department and city officials actually f cilitated abusive practices by maint ining policies and procedures which thwarted investigation of complaints and shielded officers involved from any k nd of discipline or scrutiny. ' ' l The mpact of such police behavior has ofte had far reaching consequences: in nearly every major violent black rebellion th,at has occurred over years, a community confrontation with police provided spark. The bloody rebellion in Miami in 1980 dramatically illustrates this fact. This article sets out to examine root causes of current increased police repress on in hope that a discussion of key issues will help bring about some solutions to and further understanding of this growing problem. Special emphasis on police repression against black community is made.