POLICE USE OF FORCE - HOW CITIZENS THINK IT SHOULD BE DEALT WITH

• NCJ Number: 69315
• Author(s): C G POMPA
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED TO THE LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS 1980 NATIONAL CONVENTION - 'HISPANICS AT THE THRESHOLD OF ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL POWER' - WASHINGTON, DC, JUNE 27, 1980

Annotation

THIS LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS (LULAC) REPORT PRESENTS PARTICIPANTS, RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING POLICE USE OF DEADLY OR EXCESSIVE FORCE AGAINST MINORITIES.

Abstract

LULAC, THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED (NAACP), THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSICE, AND STATE AGENCIES HAVE RECOGNIZED THE UNDECLARED WAR BETWEEN THE POLICE AND HISPANICS OR BLACKS IN MANY COMMUNITIES. THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT EXCESSIVE OR DEADLY FORCE IS A COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROBLEM, DEMANDING THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF LOCAL POLICE AND MINORITY GROUPS TO WORK OUT A SOLUTION. THE CONVENTION PARTICIPANTS MET TO INITIATE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE NATION'S TWO MAJOR MINORITY GROUPS (BLACKS AND HISPANICS), TO CREATE A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THESE TWO GROUPS AND POLICE EXECUTIVES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND TO JOINTLY AND COLLECTIVELY SEEK SOLUTIONS THAT WOULD REDUCE THE FREQUENCY OF DEADLY OR EXCESSIVE FORCE. PARTICIPANTS WERE TORN BETWEEN THE THEORY THAT SUCH FORCE WAS USED BY A FEW 'ROTTEN APPLES' ON THE FORCE OR WAS THE RESULT OF CORRUPTION OF POLICE AUTHORITY AND THE THEORY THAT POLICE VIOLENCE IS THE PRODUCT OF A SYSTEM THAT ENCOURAGES AND SUPPORTS IT. CALLS FOR FEDERAL ACTION INVOLVED REQUIRING POLICE TO USE DEADLY FORCE ONLY TO DEFEND OR PROTECT HUMAN LIFE, SETTING UP A MODEL POLICY ON POLICE USE OF GUNS, ESTABLISHING AN AGENCY TO INVESTIGATE POLICE BRUTALITY COMPLAINTS, IMPROVING STATISTICAL SYSTEMS, AND FURTHER STUDIES REGARDING POLICE USE OF FORCE. RECOMMEDATIONS FOR LOCAL ACTION INCLUDED THE CREATION OF A CIVILIAN-POLICE REVIEW BOARD TO OVERSEE POLICE OPERATIONS, SIMPLIFYING THE CITIZENS COMPLAINTS REVIEW PROCESS, AND REDUCING TO WRITING POLICE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION RULES AND PROCEDURES AND DISSEMINATING THOSE RULES AND PROCEDURES TO THE PUBLIC. ALSO SUGGESTED WERE BETTER SCREENING OF POLICE CANDIDATES, MANDATORY TRAINING FOR ALL OFFICERS IN CULTURAL AWARENESS AND ETHNIC SENSITIVITY, BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF POLICE PRACTICES BY COMMUNITY AGENCIES, AND MORE POLICE-COMMUNITY MEETINGS.