How to solve the issue of police brutality? Essay

Our proposed policy to solve the issue of police brutality would involve the training, guidelines, and monitoring of police officers.
Officers should have better, more specific training for police officers. This goes along with President Obama's proposal of expanding training. Officers should be given specific instructions and guidelines as to when they are allowed to use force and how much force. Since officers are not given specific instructions, they have more freedom as to what actions they take. This increases cases of police brutality, and gives officers more leniency when being charged or convicted.
Also, officers should have ongoing investigations and reports regarding their conduct. The Clarksville Police Department gives annual evaluations to regular full-time employees. "The performance evaluations will be the basis for salary level increases, promotions, demotions, extension of probation or end of probation," stated by www.cityofclarksville.com. Clarksville's evaluations do not specifically target police brutality or use of force. It only says "ensures the safety of self and others through the proper use and care of equipment and work area." Each area only has the option of unsatisfactory, meets expectations, and exceeds expectations. The evaluations should be more specific and target police brutality. In addition to having paper evaluations, officers should be monitored without being watched. This way the officers will not only look good on paper, but have video to back up that observation. The investigations will reveal which officers are not acting appropriately, and can be punished and told what they should do if a similar situation occurs. Officers who repeatedly do not follow guidelines can be fired and replaced, and officers who do follow rules can be allowed to continue working in the task force, be rewarded or promoted. Officers should also file more detailed reports after an incident. This way they can be more closely monitored and evaluated.
Officers should be equipped with body cameras. It is proven that body cameras reduce the incidents of police brutality and citizens' complaints. The footage can be used as evidence in a court of law. Officers may also be less likely to use deadly force since they know they are being watched.
Officers should have backup with them when going to a suspicious area or call. This way they will have more control and may be less likely to use deadly force. They would also have another witness to attest if they did use unnecessary force.
The cultures of communities must be understood as well. Officers should be taught to put themselves in the suspects' places. They should use their authority, but should also be civil. In Clarksville, there was one complaint of racial bias in 2015. An officer was accused of pulling over and citing a man because he is black. The incident was recorded by the patrol car and the complaint was declared unfounded. Officers should try and have a more justifiable reason to pull over a person. They should realize that people will be angered and may try to complain of racial bias.