Table of Contents Title Introduction Who Polices the Police?
Page # 3 4-10
The Need to Feed America
11-15
Pay Up or Drop Out
16-21
Introduction I was asked to conduct research and analysis on some of the social issues that affect today’s society and to offer recommendations on how to resolve these crises. It is important that these issues are addressed because many Americans in society experience Corrupt Law Enforcement, Hunger, and the Lack of Opportunity for Higher Education. I have composed a portfolio of essays that focus on these concerns.
Who Polices the Police? “King Kong ain't got sh… on me,” is the famous quote from the movie Training Day where Denzel Washington plays the character Alonzo Harris, who is a corrupt cop. This statement is based on the mentality of, “I am bigger than any law I have sworn to honor and obey,” and it also projects that “I can be meaner and more brutal than any evil you can think of.” However, being a police officer is a job that is often thankless, and also takes a great deal of strength and courage because they put their lives on the line every single day to protect the citizens. The officers who perform their job by the creed “To Protect and Serve” are appreciated, but their good deeds are often overshadowed by the darkside of the boys in blue. These are the police officers who use their badge as licenses to not only brutalize the people they have deemed to be criminals or a serious threat to society, but innocent people as well. Even more egregious are the inept investigations that merely slap them on the wrist or absolves them from punishment which leaves communities in an outrage. So now the public outcry becomes, “Who polices the police?” When police officers step out of line in the line of duty, what standards are they judged on, and what will it take to ensure that true justice is being served to those vicious police officers that use brutality to enforce the law? In cases of brutality, police officers should be judged by a high standard because they are sworn to follow a code of conduct. Citizens in their communities are supposed to be protected by the police and not maliciously beaten and attacked by them. With the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice (DOJ) intensively investigating corrupt police departments, they should be allowed to oversee Internal Affairs investigations to ensure bad practice in police departments are put to an end. In order for there to be proper judgment in these investigations, the first measurement is to know the conduct in which officers are bound to obey.
The first provision in investigating police officers of misconduct is to judge them by their police code of conduct. Police officers are to be fully aware of the ethical responsibilities of the job and to aim for having high standards of policing (El Paso Co IV). According to the website of the El Paso County Police Department, their Police Code of Conduct states that the Primary Responsibility of a Police Officer is to act as an official representative of government who is required and trusted to work within the law (El Paso Co par. 1). Even though they are entrusted to represent themselves as government officials, they are still bound to perform their duties within the confines of the law. The Code of Conduct for Performance of the Duties of a Police Officer suggest, they are to perform all duties impartially, without favor or affection or ill will and without regard to status, sex, race, religion, political belief or aspiration (El Paso Co par. 2). While on duty, police officers are to conduct an unbiased behavior towards the citizens they have avowed to protect. The Use of Force Conduct says, a police officer will never employ unnecessary force or violence and will use only such force in discharge of duty as is reasonable in all circumstances (El Paso Co par. 4). It is expected out of an officer that the determined use of force should be a standard regulation in all circumstances. The use of force also requires, it should be used only with the greatest restraint and only after discussion, negotiation and persuasion have been found to be inappropriate or ineffective (El Paso Co par. 4). The Police Code of Conduct is clearly written and is expected to be upheld to the fullest, but yet some cops are assertive in using unnecessary force to do their job. Now that a code of conduct has been established, let’s look at how the code of conduct has been broken. Now that there is an understanding of the responsibilities and duties of police officers, it can be better assessed when their actions become alarming. In the article, “The Elusiveness of Police Accountability” written by staff reporter Daniel Denvir of the Philadelphia City Paper,
discusses the issue of officers who have overstepped the law and the absence of thorough investigations to hold officers accountable. He writes about the story of 18 year old Ramarley Graham who was unarmed but in possession of marijuana. He was chased down by New York Police Officers into his house and shot dead in his own bathroom (Denvir 1). In Denvir’s article, Columbia Law Professor Jeffrey Fagan states, “New Yorkers seemed more outraged by the Martin killing than by the killing of Graham” (Denvir 1). Have people become desensitized to the brutality of police officers and the lack of convictions of officers who are investigated? There was the case of the police shooting of Guinean immigrant Amadou Diallo in 1999, which the NYPD fired 41 gun shots at (Denvir 2). Over twenty years ago the country witnessed the savage beating of Rodney King in Semi Valley, California by Los Angeles County Officers. This sparked widespread anger because in this instance, the beating was videotaped for the world to see and the injustice that occurred (Denvir 2). Lastly, there was the 2006 shooting of Sean Bell, an unarmed black male that died from 50 bullets from the NYPD the night before his wedding (Denvir 2). The common theme that runs rampant in each case of brutality is that all the cops were exonerated of their crimes. Communities are left numb with doubt as to if the police are being investigated or judged to the highest degree and are now stuck searching for answers. When cops unjustly break the law, a guideline or process is to be done while they are under investigation. When citizens break the law, it is a matter of what their punishment will be that fits the crime, but punishment has not been so simple when officers break the law. In fact, many times their crimes seem to go unpunished leaving people to wonder what standards these police officers are being judged by. The website for cliffnotes.com on police brutality shows the standard process on how problem officers under suspicion are to be investigated. First, they are
submitted to preventive administrative control. It states, “An officer that has been deemed with high amounts of citizen complaints should be charged, disciplined, restrained, and counseled” (Cliffnotes 2). In Pittsburgh, a $1.5 million computer system was implemented to monitor every aspect of an officer’s professional life (Cliffnotes 2). They have also tried to stop brutality through punitive administrative control. Internal Affairs are units that receive and investigate complaints against the police (Cliffnotes 2). According to Samuel Walker, professor of criminal justice at the University of Nebraska, he asks, “Those review boards that exist and have existed for many years around the country… what have they ever done?” He also goes on to say, “Find me a case where they have gotten some officers fired or even significant discipline” (Denvir 2). Next, let’s examine why these investigations fail. Knowing that when police officers are under suspicion of brutality, they are to be investigated, but it seems these investigations have no effect on curbing police brutality. Staff writers of The Baltimore Sun write an article on policing internal affairs titled, “Our View: Police Commissioner Bealefeld needs to say more about his efforts to root out corruption or risk losing the public’s trust.” They write the story on Baltimore Police Department’s announcement that Maj. Nathan Warfield has been removed from his post as commander of the Internal Affairs Division. The issue was raised from Sun’s reporter Justin Fenton asking questions about photos on Mr. Warfield’s Facebook page showing him at a party and a basketball tournament with Officer Daniel G. Redd, who is under indictment on drug charges, and Sam Brown, who is charged in a separate heroin distribution conspiracy (Baltimore Sun 1). As of late, Baltimore has been marred by a series of scandal with prominent local figures, and is in the process of trying to weed out the corruption. Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III states, “Rooting out misconduct in the department is a top priority, and we have been willing to believe that the
recent pattern reflected greater vigilance against wrongdoing as opposed to a sudden increase in corruption” (Baltimore Sun 2). As shown, the problem was Internal Affairs’ Maj. Warfield not separating friendship from his ability to do his job correctly. Woody L. Higdon of GTI News Photo writes the article, “The OPD Internal Affairs Division, Obstructed the Evidence Tampering Criminal Investigation of Officer Damon Smith, and Other Oceanside Police Officers.” Terri Figueroa was the reporter from North County Times that initially discovered Officer Damon Smith secretly practiced recording criminal investigations on audio evidence tapes and then hiding them from the criminal justice system. Criminal complaints were filed with Sergeant Ron Hardy, supervisor in charge of the Oceanside Internal Affairs Division. It was concluded that during the two year period, no serious investigations were done. Officer Smith forwarded an email from Figueroa to Hardy asking, “There was also a call. How would you like me to respond to this?” (Higdon 3). The person who was in charge of investigating Officer Smith was instructing him on how to handle the press. These instances spark questions on the lack of integrity shown when investigations of officers for misconduct go awry. Being that investigations from Internal Affairs have not brought swift justice, one department has made a concerted effort to bring criminal officers and negligent police departments to justice. With police officers going unpunished from numerous investigations, one department has made strong efforts to bring convictions to police officers that act above the law. The Department of Justice has spearheaded aggressive investigations of police corruption. In the article, “DOJ Aggressively Investigating Police Brutality,” written by Karoli, it discusses the trend in these investigations. Under the direction of Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, at least 17 U.S. police departments are under investigation for various
civil rights violations (Karoli 1). Perez states, “This is more than at any time in the division’s history” (Karoli 1). The Civil Right Division has announced “pattern and practice” investigations in Newark, New Jersey and Seattle, Washington. They are in the preliminary stages of conducting an investigation of the Denver Police Department; all this while in the midst of the high-profile push to reform the New Orleans Police Department (Karoli 1). The notion of the “pattern and practice” authority is the law which allows the DOJ to sue police departments if there is a pattern of violations of citizen’s constitutional rights. This stems from the 1994 law passed by Congress after the brutal beating of Rodney King by white Los Angeles Police Officers, who allegedly yelled racial slurs as they hit him (Karoli 2). The complaints that have been filed to the DOJ has come from the city’s chapter of the NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union and 33 other nonprofits and advocacy organizations spanning all demographics (Karoli 3). According to Perez, “Many of these officers may have a perfectly legitimate justification for their activities, while others may not.” He also says, “We don’t know the answer because accountability systems have not been put in place” (Karoli 2). Citizens should know they have a voice and the right to speak out on police brutality. There should also be a public awareness on whom all to be able to file a complaint with in order to hold officers accountable. Not only does it take citizens to have a voice, key city officials need to be receptive enough to hear that voice and demand that excellence and commitment are needed from police officers. To the officers that continue brutality will be thoroughly investigated and harsh punishments will be given and let it be known that such behavior from officers will never be tolerated.
Work Cited Policing Internal Affairs, “Our View: Police Commissioner Bealefeld Needs to Say More About His Efforts to Root Out Corruption or Risk Losing the Public’s Trust” The Baltimore Sun 26 July 2011 Web. “Police Brutality” CliffsNotes.com. 30 April 2012 Web. Denvir, D. “The Elusiveness of Police Accountability,” Philadelphia City Paper 02 April 2012 The Atlantic Cities Web. “Police Code of Conduct” El Paso County 22 March 2005 Web. Higdon, W.L. “Oceanside Police Internal Affairs Division Investigations – Obstruction of Justice,” GTI News Photo Bureau 2009 Web. Karoli. “DOJ Aggressively Investigating Police Brutality,” Crooks and Liars 29 December 2011 Web.
The Need to Feed America Dear Michael C. Flood,
My name is David Browne, and I am a student currently attending Long Beach City College. In my English 1 class, we have been discussing and examining a problem that not only has affected lives here, but a problem that is spread all across the world. The problem I speak of is the hunger crisis many people are faced with everyday. Most of us are privileged to wake up in the morning to a good and hot breakfast, and also come home and ask, “What's for dinner?” A large portion of society has no worries about when their next meal is going to be, but lurking in the bowels of society, people are scratching and clawing trying to scrap for their next meal. These people are dependent on organizations for help as well as donations from the common people among society. According to Gilbert Mercier’s article, “The Scandal of Hunger in America,” he writes, “In Los Angeles county over one million are confronted with the challenge of hunger and food insecurity on a daily basis” (Mercier 1). With the unemployment rate increasing, the demand for food is reaching all-time highs. The question I have challenged myself to solving is, what are some solutions to help ensure that everybody has food to eat on a daily basis? And, how can we bring awareness to the masses so we can have an idea on the seriousness of this issue? I believe the best solution to help in the hunger crisis is for all local governments to develop a donation incentives program. The concept is to reward people for pitching in and helping out in the cause to fight hunger. For starters we must ask, “Who are the hungry people?” We must first understand that the people who are starving do not have one certain look to them. The perception is believed that hunger is only associated with people who look poor and destitute. The reality is that even the working class struggle to put food on the table everyday. The costs of living have increased; whether it is rent or mortgage payments, food and gas prices,
and monthly bills. While all the costs are rising, the people suffering are experiencing no pay or low pay and there is no way they can survive without help. It is believed by some that working people should not benefit from receiving anything from food giveaways. Upon researching the website of Feeding America, “36% of households served by the Feeding America network included at least one employed adult.” The fact remains that even though some households occupy some employment; their income still falls below the poverty line. We want to always provide for the neediest, but we also need to assist those who have some income but struggle to maintain. The San Diego Food Bank website states, “Distributions are open to everyone. No documentation or ID is required to receive food assistance. There are no income or asset restrictions for this program.” We now know that anybody who lives under the poverty level is eligible to receive food, but what other programs in society assist with feeding the needy. Besides food banks and food giveaways, the welfare food stamp program has also been able to generate a lot of meals for people to eat. The Welfare and food stamps program is a federally funded program which allows the opportunity for the less fortunate to go grocery shopping to afford meals for their household. Mary Clare Jalonick of Real Clear Politics, in the article, “GOP Candidates Wade into Food Stamp Debate,” states, “It is one of the most reliable safety nets for families who suddenly find themselves unable to pay for food, and politically the program has proved almost untouchable over many decades” (Jalonick 1). She goes on to say, “More than 45 million people received the benefit last year at a $75 billion cost to the government, a record number as the economy has flailed” (Jalonick 1). If this program has been the most reliable, what is the debate about food stamps? The controversy stems from many of the conservatives believing people are getting a free ride with someone else's money. They argue that block grants should be given to states opposed to food stamp spending. To break it
down further, they are putting the blame on African-Americans for the food stamp program getting out of control. However, studies have shown White-Americans account for 49% of the food stamp recipients. Instead of the government worrying about what ethnic group deserves the help, the focus should be shifted to developing new ways to generate more food programs to the people. Not only are we faced with the problem of solving hunger, we are now challenged with developing solutions to feed the hungry. More than ever, many people are encountered with needing food to eat. Food Banks are trying their best to withstand, but the demand is simply greater than the supply. With government debating over the issue of food stamps, solutions need to be devised so that we can continue to help those in their trying times. After carefully examining ways to feed the hungry, an idea came to mind. The federal government should mandate a program to all the local governments. The program I thought of was the “Each One Feed One� program. The goal is to bring awareness to the hunger crisis as well as encourage donations. All are welcome to participate, from individual involvement to organizations, fast food chains, and lastly, grocery stores. People and establishments are constantly throwing away food that is deemed trash, but this food could feed many of the unfortunate people as opposed to being considered garbage. This program is designed to not only feed the needy, but show appreciation for the donations provided. With this program, we give the donor reward incentives for making their donations. The donor is rewarded on a point system where points can be accrued by donating food, making monetary donations, and volunteering their time to help out with the distribution of food. The donor can continue to accumulate points or cash in those points for the reward that they want. My belief is that if people knew they could be rewarded for giving donations, they would be more inclined to pitch in and help.
What I've also noticed around many cities is wasted land. These lands could be used as city gardens to plant fruits and vegetables for the needy. Instead of waiting for trucks to deliver these goods from the farmlands, we have these gardens to help with the supply to meet the demands. This would also create jobs because people would have to maintain the gardens and pick from them when the fruits and veggies have ripened. I think these ideas could generate a lot of awareness to hunger and help increase the supply to meet the demands. Hunger is a problem that has affected many lives and it is a tough task to solve. I believe we need people to be more passionate about the cause and that mindset alone could be the start in making a difference. As a society, we are only as strong as our weakest link. If our weakest are struggling, than we all suffer. At this time I would like to thank you Mr. Michael C. Flood CEO of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank for taking the time out of your busy schedule to read this letter. I believe it could work and should be given some serious consideration. The more people we can assist and provide food for, we all win.
Sincerely, David C. Browne
Work Cited Feeding America (2012) Facts about Working Poor, Feeding America Website Jalonick, M.C. (2012) GOP Candidates Wade into Food Stamps Debate, Real Clear Politics Mercier, G. (2009) The Scandal of Hunger in America, News Junkie Post San Diego Food Bank (2012) Neighborhood Distribution Program, San Diego Food Bank Website
Pay Up or Dropout “To me working and making money was what life was all about, it was at that time I became a college dropout.” This expression is based on my experience of being a college dropout. I was engaged in an inner battle of what was most important to me. In the midst of juggling a full-time job and attending college part-time, I concluded that working and maintaining my standard of living was the best choice and opted to drop out of school. Many students are faced with this exact same dilemma. According to Tamar Lewin's article, “College Dropouts Cite Low Money and High Stress” published in the New York Times, “About 7 in 10 of the dropouts said they had no scholarship or loan aid.” Another staggering statistic is a lot of college dropouts are living in households where the income is under $35,000. From childhood, the value of going to college has been instilled in each of us to pursue this concept of higher education. Also according to Lewin, “2.8 million students enroll in some form of higher education each year; most do not proceed straight through to graduation.” In one form or another, students are being forced into predicaments of choosing to leave their aspirations of being a college graduate behind. With the insurmountable pressures of life combined with the demands of higher education that many students have succumbed to, having low income is one of the leading causes in the increasing number of being a college dropout. To get a hold on this asphyxiation which is putting a choke hold on the multitude of college students, the President should mandate laws giving colleges, jobs, and students incentives to ensure affordability for college. Even though we all know the importance of a college education, the question to be asked is whether a good education is worth stealing? Tuition has increased at an alarming rate that some students have resorted to desperate measures in order to pay for their education. Stealing has become an option to pay for college. Hollywood tackled this subject with the 2002 movie 'Stealing Harvard.' The storyline is about
John, along with his friend Duff go on a calamity of a robbing spree so that John can come up with the money to pay for his niece to attend college at Harvard. One particular scene that captures the essence of the movie is when they were deciding on what weapons to use for their heist. Duff says, “Maybe we can use slingshots to rob the place.” John replies, “A slingshot is not a weapon.” In response Duff says, “Oh yeah? Well maybe you'd like to define the word 'weapon' for me while this plastic doll smashes into your temple at 180 miles per hour.” Even though Hollywood has poked fun at this idea, reality rang true to this concept. Chris Francescani of ABC New reports on a case titled, “'Tuition Bandits' Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison.” Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Steven Martin tells the two defendants, Christopher Avery and Andrew Butler, “Robbing people isn't the answer. It never has and it never will be.” These were two financially challenged college students charged with aggravated robbery and six charges of kidnapping. Instead of seeking out help, they enacted on a bizarre scheme to rob a bank in order to pay for their education. Even after receiving a scholarship of $20,000 over a four year period of school, this was still not enough to cover the costs of their tuition. While a college degree is of necessary value in society, it is still not worth stealing for. Common Pleas Judge Steven Martin also scrutinized these two youths telling them, “You don't need $130,000 to go to Toledo University.” Tuition is already at a high cost for most students, but by making this statement, did the judge put a price tag on the price of schools? To take that point further, when we are choosing colleges, do we “Brand Shop” for colleges we can't afford? For many students, deciding on colleges is like clothes shopping. Instead of making affordable selections and reasonable choices, we tend to purchase the high price tag because we believe the brand names equal quality. It is synonymous to the phrase, “You get what you pay for.” So I ask, “Shouldn't College be an institution where you get the same values and education
no matter what college you attend?” So many students seek out colleges that offer more than just an education. According to a group of staff writers at BestCollegesOnline.com, “Namedropping your Alma Mater can greatly help you in job interviews and networking events.” These schools are sought out for their prestige, recognizable school names, athletic programs, dorm life, and of course the cost of tuition. We fall prey to the fantasy that attending a high price or prestigious school will ultimately result in a job of high stature. We simply believe the minute we obtain a degree, a job with great pay and excellent benefits will come knocking on our doorstep. Student athletes leave for the opportunity of turning professional. Why stay in college when you have the chance to make millions of dollars? People fail to realize that money can be taken away from you, but a good education will always have value and nobody can take away a great college experience. When we choose to attend these top notch schools, students must understand their income factors greatly on becoming a college graduate. According to Tami Luhby's article, “College Graduation Rates: Income Really Matters,” published in CNN Money, “Only 9% of low-income students got college degrees, while 54% of students from wealthy families obtained bachelor's degrees.” “Over two decades, the gap between top and bottom income groups of the graduation rate has increased to approximately 50%.” In today's economy, the job market is being crushed and the only jobs that are capable of maintaining a livable standard requires having a college degree. No longer are the days when having a high school diploma could get you a descent paying job. Even if you go to trade schools, this still requires an education that you have to pay for. Students of low-income are forced to decide on how bad they want an education. The road is tougher to graduate on the financially unstable, but that student must decide how important their education is. If the students aren't realistic about the actual benefits of college, the experience will feel like a rip-off
to them. But even if you come from a wealthy background, there is no guarantee that these students will graduate, but the issue of finances in no concern for them. When you couple lowincome with education demands, the student tends to stress on how to pay for college and keep up in their studies. Once the student has suffered from burnout, becoming a college dropout is almost instantaneous. The question becomes, how do we fix the college dropout rate? In George W. Bush's tenure as president, he instituted the No Child Left Behind Act, which is to ensure our young children are all getting the same value of an education. While we have provided the means for low-income families to send their kids to attend schools from kindergarten through the twelfth grade, the issue of affording higher education still remains. Kathleen Gray, a Detroit Free Press Staff Writer, writes the article, “Obama Targets Rising Tuition Costs in University of Michigan Speech.” The article is a depiction of the events at the University of Michigan where President Obama engaged in the topic of rising costs in tuition. It was to inform the crowd on his plans to reform our educational system and to hold college and universities accountable to ensure every student can afford college. Obama states, “I don't want to be in a country where we only are looking at the success for a small group of people.” “We want a country where everybody has a chance.” College is an investment to prepare our future leaders of tomorrow. However, it is going to take more than cheaper tuition to fix this problem. Laws and Acts mandated by the White House should allow states to give students incentives to graduate from college. For those who graduate in a timely manner (4-5 Years), their tuition should be reimbursed 100%. For those who take additional time, starting at 10% of their tuition, each year increases by 10% until they graduate. Or there could be an ABC Plan. A students pay 10%, B students pay 20%, C students pay 30%, and students below pay 40% of their tuition costs. Companies should also be given incentives or tax breaks for hiring college students.
Every student should have the opportunity for financial aid, or scholarship funding that covers the cost of living as well as education. Schools also need to be more involved with the incoming students. If the schools can have somewhat of a pulse on their students especially incoming freshmen, they may be able to give that student some help or suggest some resources that can make a way for them to become a college graduate and not a college dropout.
Work Cited Francescani, C. 'Tuition Bandits' Sentenced to 20Years in Prison, ABC News Gray, K. (2012) Obama Targets Rising Tuition Costs in University of Michigan Speech, Detroit Free Press Lewin, T. (2009) College Dropouts Cite Low Money and High Stress, The New York Times Luhby, T. (2011) College Graduation Rates: Income Really Matters, CNN Money Staff Writers, (2011) 10 Colleges with the Best Brands, BestCollegesOnline.com Wikipedia Source: McCulloch, B.; Cavan, S.; Hynes, M.; Tolan, P. (2002) 'Stealing Harvard,' Columbia Pictures