Police Corruption and Citizen Complaints Relative to Ethnicity

Police Corruption and Citizens Complaints Relative to Ethnicity:

Corruption activities by people in power have contributed to widespread loss of public faith in the government, especially the police. Public faith in law enforcement personnel has been acute because of corruption given that the police are the most visible arm of government with the mandate to uphold the law, help in times of need, and safeguard the community. When a police officer is involved in corruption, he not only dishonors himself but also disgraces the criminal justice system he represents. In the modern criminal justice system, there are some organizational cultures that encourage the police to carry out acts of corruption (Williams, 2002, p.85). Some of the most common acts of corruption by police officers include abuse of power, taking financial bribes, and covering criminal gangs and/or activities.

In the past few years, police corruption has evolved to include violation of human rights as well as ethnic or racial discrimination. An example of corruption acts by police officers is centered on police-initiated stops, which have generated concerns regarding the constitutionality of the practice. The main concern in this practice is whether police officers are stopping citizens on the basis of race or ethnicity instead of reasonable suspicion (White, 2011). The involvement of some police officers in ethnic discrimination across their practices has contributed to increased lack of public faith in law enforcement agencies.

Generally, police officers have been engaged in unethical events that have made the society to lose their trust in them. Some of these events will never be forgotten since they involved ethnic discrimination through abuse of power and infringement of human rights. As a result, there has been an increase in citizens' complaints about police corruption relative to ethnicity. These complaints have actually been more in several minority communities who have the worst impression of police officers because of the brutality and corruption that comes from these law enforcement personnel when patrolling the areas. In essence, people from different ethnic backgrounds have different opinions regarding police officers because of various reasons. The two main reasons for the varying opinions of police officers across different ethnic groups are the tendency by these personnel to commit crimes or violate the law without being punished and the ever-increasing lack of trust for the law enforcement personnel.

A good example of an event that generated a negative opinion of the police by different ethnic groups is the beating of Rodney King. King's beating by four white Los Angeles police officers was videotaped in 1991 after he led them on a high speed chase. He was later found dead in a swimming pool at a home that belonged to him and his fiancee in Railto, California (Medina, 2012). While there was no evidence of foul play by King, the police officers indicted by the grand jury were eventually acquitted of all charges. Consequently, Rodney King's beating became an indication of the country's ongoing tensions and subsequently resulted in a week of deadly riots following the acquittal of the officers involved. The story of Rodney King's beating has made the people of the African-American community to lose trust in police officers since they could commit crimes and get away without being punished.

As the visible arm of government and first line of law enforcement in the criminal justice system, police officers should not be involved in criminal acts or even get away without being punished when engaged in corrupt acts. Through this, law enforcement personnel will create a positive impression with the people they are helping and protecting in various communities. In addition, the public perception and faith in the police can be enhanced by examining the factors that lower public faith and dealing with these factors. This process also requires concerted efforts by various stakeholders in the criminal justice system to help in improving the relations between the police and the community they serve.