The long-standing war on police brutality

A Cry for Justice

The No justice, no peace is a term that is being hollowed in cities throughout the globe as a call against police brutality. It is not only in Nairobi but also in Minneapolis that people are still trying to overcome the destructive effects of the excessive use of force, racial profiling, and official disillusionment of power. The problem is not localized in a single country, it is an international human rights issue which needs to be given attention.

Historical Roots

Police brutality is not a novel developing trend. In the past, law enforcement agencies were in most cases employed as control mechanisms especially in the case of marginalized groups. The 1960s civil rights movement in the United States brought into the limelight of the public attention extensive police brutality against non-violent protesters. In some sections of Africa and Latin America, colonial and post colonial governments used heavy-handed policing to quash dissent. These inheritances have an influence about contemporary policing.

The Human Cost

Behind any statistic, there lies behind it a human story. The survivors have physical and psychological scars that remain in their lifetime. Societies lose faith in systems that guard them, and the vicious cycle of insecurity and estrangement sets in. To a number of people, the view of a uniform does not reflect a feeling of security but threat.

Voices from the Streets

The most noticeable means of opposition is now protests. The struggle manifests itself everywhere as movements like Black Lives Matter in the U.S. and local activism in Kenya, Nigeria, and Brazil demonstrate. The social media magnifies these voices and these events, which could remain discreet decades ago, are now being aired to the whole world within minutes. But brave individuals are usually intimidated, arrested or even murdered because of the courage they have to speak up.

Calls for Reform

Scholars say that it should not be a topical reform. Key proposals include:

Deployment systems: Transparent monitoring agencies to check malpractice.

Training and education: The interpretation of de-escalation, human rights, and community participation.

Demilitarization: Curbing of military caliber weapons and tactics in civil policing.

Community policing: Establishing relationships by working with and not against.

A Path Forward

Police brutality cannot be resolved just by a policy; it needs to undergo a cultural shift. The police need to be redefined as an institution that is based on dignity, equality, and justice. The citizens, the governments and the international organizations need to collaborate to destroy the structures of oppression and restore the trust.