Police Brutality How The Media Influences Our Perceptions

Police Brutality: How the Media Influences Our Perceptions The perception of excessive force has been intensely debated for the last few decades. With continuous public defiance increasing, instances of police brutality are rising at an exponential rate. However, the accessibility to social media has greatly increased as well, therefore, causing us to become more aware of such situations. With that considered, the increased amount of police beatings is far less than what may be perceived. Frequently occurrences of police brutality are brought to our attention through the media. Often times, broadcasting very graphic, and sometimes unlawful situations. Several people may say that discrimination against particular ethnicities may be the main cause of this recent influx. Though, others may believe that subsequent social disparities towards specific ethnicities may cause frustration, consequently, causing law enforcement officers to use unnecessary excessive force, more frequently. On March 3, 1991, a spectator filmed Rodney King, an African American resident of Los Angeles, being beaten by four Caucasian officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, who used a stun gun on King and continually kicked him and struck him with batons. For weeks afterward, the assault obtained capacity coverage appearing in the news media; according to the Vanderbilt Television News Index and Abstracts (1992), from March 5, the evening the story broke, until the conclusion of the remainingShow MoreRelatedExcessive Force And Police Brutality1238 Words   |  5 PagesINTRODUCTION Excessive force and police brutality have become common terms for anyone keeping up with today’s current events. In 2014, the media covered numerous cases of excessive force that resulted in the deaths of several people of color (Nelson Staff, 2014). 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