I have to say Iam skeptical ,that if there were more black or minority police officers ,these disgraces would happen less. I think body cameras are almost pointless, if you consider how dash cams in cars and in particular how cameras in police stations seem to always go wrong or become very poor quality when acts of cruel illegal buffoonery take place. I think if more black officers were employed it would also be mere window dressing and a sop, it wouldn't address the real problem.
Which is two things in my opinion. Institutionalised racism at all levels of the justice system, but also it's the culture within police departments and also the training they get,.The 'us' against 'them' mentality, or as we call it in the UK 'the canteen culture'. You think a bunch of black cops wouldn't close ranks in a police brutality case? that various evidence wouldn't be 'lost'. or 'he bashed his head repeatedly into my fist or boot sir what was I to do?'Several years ago,I saw a video of two black cops, dragging a handcuffed black male into an elevator and beating him up with their fists and batons , all on camera. Are they still on the job? probably, after 'extra training' and maybe working a desk for a while waiting for it all to blow over.
This culture develops because of the nature of police work ,why do you think so many cops prefer to hand out tickets ? They have to clean up the mess made by other human beings and other agencies, it's dangerous work and often gets little public recognition. They see horrific things adults do to other adults and children.
Iam not excusing what happened,Iam just explaining why such a culture develops, and why I think it's the bigger problem. In this culture it is also far easier to develop racist or prejudiced attitudes against certain social groups.
What needs to happen is a root and branch reform of police training,rules of engagement , looking at who is being recruited focusing not just on the racial and sex demographics in the area but the psycological suitablity for police work, you also need far greater transparancey and accountability all through the police, to stop this culture I spoke of from setting in. But this won't happen, instead you will get body cameras and 'promises' to recruit more black officers, why? and this is another uncomfortable fact, what I suggested the powerful police unions will never accept in a million years, and don't expect the democrat party or Obama to take the police unions on. because guess who the unions support? thats right,the democrat party,