Police brutality and excessive uses of force

Police brutality and excessive uses of force

Police brutality and excessive uses of force have been in the rise in the United States. An average of 1200 people is shot and killed by the police annually. Out of these figures, 25% are mentally ill, an aspect that raises questions on the police awareness on mentally ill patients (Thomas et al., 23). The problem begins with the approach of the mentally ill penitents, those approached with force tent to get agitated and defy the orders of the police officers leading to police brutality. Mentally ill patients should be approached with caution in the presence f mainly members of familiar faces to put them at ease (TED Talks). There are several other non-lethal forces that can be adopted by the police, such as teasers and the use of risperidone to subdue them. This will ensure that the mentally patients are subdued without harming or killing them in the process.

In most cases, the police cannot differentiate between a healthy person and a mentally ill person. Different mental illness has diverse symptoms. In some cases, the symptoms are evident due to the agitation of the patients or any other abnormal behaviours (Thomas et al., 23). However in other cases it is impossible for the police to differentiate between a mentally ill patient and a healthy person. The community has a part to play in helping law enforcement handle people with mental illnesses. Every community with mentally ill patients should coordinate with law enforcement agencies to manage any issues or disturbances associated with their illness. The police reports on the mentally ill should include their conditions (TED Talks). In a community of agitated or violent mental patients, the community should report the case to the police while informing them of the condition of the patent. The police will then apprehend the suspect with the knowledge of their mental health stats hence handle them with better care and dignity.