Commentary:
By Renee Rios

The issue of addressing excessive force by police officers against civilians needs to become a national priority.

Watching the news on any given evening, I am put in the position of having to explain to my three-year old daughter why police officers sometimes murder people: Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Walter Scott, Michael Brown, and the images of many more folks that we will never forget. I tell her that police officers are supposed to protect and serve all people, but not all police officers will. Some of them are racist, unjust, and violent, targeting people because for the color of their skin.

Minorities have historically been the targets of racial profiling, harassment, and violence by law enforcement officers. Practices such as “stop and frisk”, “probable cause” and “reasonable suspicion”, have meant that unjustified stops and searches, ill treatment, and excessive and lethal use of force for people of color can happen at anytime.

I visited the Bureau of Justice Statistics website in order to learn more about the rates of police violence, only to discover that incidents of police violence are grossly underre-ported. Their statistics are based on self-reporting from police departments, and have estimated that data collection efforts only captured approximately 50% of law enforcement homicides resulting in civilian deaths.

Our criminal justice system is failing to address officer misconduct and Police brutality is a national problem, requiring a response at the federal level. Internal department reviews do not appear to be effectively deterring individual officers from misconduct, nor addressing an ailing system. Law enforcement officers exist in order to maintain the law, but they are not above the law and must be held accountable.

For law enforcement officers we need meaningful policy and prevention training to specifically target the excessive use of violence when there is no apparent crime. There is also need for the recruitment of individuals skilled and capable of working respectfully with diverse communities. While policy is being developed and educational models adopted, body-mounted cameras on all police officers can offer a check against the abuse of power.

Right now, people all over the country are demonstrating their support for institutional change. Many are exercising their First Amendment right to peaceful protests and speaking to the experience of living under aggressive policing. People are organizing and demanding the resolution of discriminatory and violent practices from law enforcement. Through the media we can hear the calls from Ferguson, Baltimore, North Charleston, New York City and from all over the country. The message is clear: Our society can no longer endure under the status quo.

According to the watchdog group, Mapping Police Violence, the basis of the calls for institutional change is well grounded. In 2014, African Americans were nearly 3 times more likely to be killed by police, compared to whites, and the numbers continue to rise.

There is a need for transparency, accountability, and improved data collection regarding police violence against unarmed civilians. Advocates are demanding for an end to racial profiling, cultural competence training, and independent civilian review boards that represent the communities served.

Police officers need the kind of training that incorporates cultural awareness of the communities they serve. Police officers must also possess an understanding of the issues, needs and resources within a community, and above all else, hold human life in high regard, or risk losing all credibility in our society.

As a social worker, I see an opportunity for the social work profession to serve within law enforcement agencies as administrators, educators, and community liaisons. There is a need for those with the training, unique skills and ethics necessary to help develop law enforcement agencies that can be responsive and accountable to the public served.

I don’t want my daughter, or any other person, to live in a world where injustice is accepted and those placed with the charge of protecting our society turn violence against others. It does not have to be this way, and it can be changed.

Renee Rios is an MSW Graduate Student, University of Southern California.