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Police Brutality

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A Brutal Force
Persuasive/Policy/Problem/Cause/Solution

Central Idea/Thesis: Police brutality should be regulated with greater strength and objectivity.
INTRODUCTION

I. Police brutality is constantly made known to us all through mass media, but I hadn’t ever taken the time to truly grasp the severity of it until it hit close to home.
A. Three weeks ago, a close family friend was brutally beaten in front of his children at a family gathering by the police.
B. My purpose is to persuade my audience that police brutality should be regulated with greater strength and objectivity.
C. Today I will discuss how police brutality is a major problem throughout the United States, as well as two of its main causes and how this problem requires us …show more content…

1. A study by the National Institute of Justice revealed that 84 percent of police officers have seen their colleagues use excessive force on civilians, and 61 percent of them admitted that they do not take any action to report their misconduct. (David Weisburd and Rosann Greenspan, 2000) (paraphrase)
a) Even if they are not the ones using excessive force, their silence causes harm.
b) Their silence and ignorance set a bad example to the communities they are meant to protect.
2. The blind eye that is turned does not stop with their fellow police officers.
a) Even though a law passed in 1994 was meant to force law enforcement agencies to frequently collect data regarding excessive police force, the U.S Attorney General poorly enacted this law until it was completely halted in 2001. (Eileen Shim, 2014) (paraphrase)
b) If the government does not do their job to enact their own laws, we civilians will not progress.

IV. In order to combat this problem, we must find solutions to these causes.
A. We should have constant video surveillance of officers while on the job.
1. This would cause them to be more aware of their actions.
a) In a 2012 study, it was found that officers that were required to wear cameras while on the job were more cautious and their use of excessive force fell by 60 percent, while public complaints dropped by 88 percent. (Rory Carroll, 2013)
b) These numbers are dramatic.
2. If

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