Cops are just people. And most people are tribalists. It follows that white cops are going to look at non-white perps through a harsher lens.
That lens is particularly harsh for blacks. Here's why...
Most people confuse correlation with causation. (Sometimes, it almost seems like a national pastime.) They consider the percentage of black males incarcerated in the U.S., compare that figure to the percentage of white males incarcerated in the U.S. and wrongly conclude that blacks are more likely than whites to commit crimes. People neglect to consider the reasons behind the differences in incarceration rates.
Again, cops are just people. They make the same mistake. They're not the brightest bulbs. Unfortunately, that mistake informs their view of others.
Blacks have good reason to fear cops. They have historically been treated more harshly, both on the ground and by the justice system. Some run. Totally understandable, even if ill-advised.
Are cops racist?
This guy seems to think so.
I think the real problems are a natural tendency toward tribalism (not the same as racism) and cops' expectation that they're unlikely to suffer consequences for their actions. As the author of the linked article says,
The problem is that cops aren’t held accountable for their actions, and they know it. These officers violate rights with impunity. They know there’s a different criminal justice system for civilians and police.
The good news is that it's getting a lot harder for cops to (literally) get away with murder. States are
trying to
make it more difficult to film cops' shenanigans, but those laws are doomed. And of course, a lot of cops
try to take liberties with current laws to avoid being filmed.
In May, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit wrote that, “reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right to film may be imposed when the circumstances justify them.” Those factors could include officer and suspect safety, or the ability of law enforcement personnel to control chaos at the scene.
Younger people - let's say under 40 - now tend to look at cops with suspicion. They're going to continue to film them and upload the videos. And while it seems as if the novelty of watching a cop murder an innocent man is wearing off, the underlying suspicion against cops is growing.
It will continue to grow. As it does, their support will erode.
Old people still trust and support cops. Young people, immigrants and blacks tend not to. Not anymore, at least. Once the old people pass on, I'm betting that most of the support for cops will come from the white Christian community.
For better or worse.
One last note. Here's a very cool look at the discrepancies in race among police departments in various cities.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/09/03/us/the-race-gap-in-americas-police-departments.html
With exceptions, law enforcement is still a white man's game.
Watching star trek too much I guess...
