Rodney King Case Study

Introduction

The paper describes a case of police brutality upon Rodney King a California resident who evades arrest due to over speeding. In this case, some of the Los Angeles Police (LAPD) are seen to exercise extreme power in handling Rodney King when he resists arrest. Four police officers brutally beat Rodney King after handcuffing him. This is clearly against the police code of conduct where the police are not allowed to exercise or use any force after handcuffing the suspect. Thus, the case of Rodney King was a clear indication of how police officers ignore their guiding principles and do the contrary.

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The law enforcers are essential personnel obliged in maintaining law and order in the society. However, when extreme power is exercised upon lawbreakers it becomes unethical and against the code of conduct guiding them. Police officers are bestowed with responsibilities by the public to ensure that there is order in society. Therefore, a high act of professionalism is required when handling the public. Similarly, the field of law enforcement requires a high standard of ethical practices to be maintained to ensure police officers treat an individual with dignity without going against their human rights or physically mistreating them.

Event Description

The Rodney case begins on March 3, 1991, as he drives back home with his two friends. They were driving at allowed midnight after having spent the night drinking and watching basketball at their friend's house in Los Angeles. Rodney is discovered by the patrol officers speeding on the freeway. He is then pursued by the officers after declining to pull over where he is cornered at Foothill Boulevard (Martin, 2005). At the moment, Rodney was followed by several police cars and even a helicopter. When asked to exit the car, Rodney declines and remains in the vehicle as his friend's exit. According to the report, the two friends reported been mishandled by the police officers and physically injured. On the case of Rodney, the LAPD officer Koon and his man takes charge. When Rodney exits the vehicle, he resists arrest and is therefore restrained. However, from a video recorded by Holiday, one of the close resident from the area, it reveals otherwise. Officer Koon is revealed giving orders to his fellow police officers to beat King's ruthlessly (Martin, 2005). Using their batons, the video shows how Rodney is physically mishandled when handcuffed. According to the Pacific hospital report, Rodney was found to had suffered several fractured bones in his skull and ankle. He also suffered several bruises and lacerations.

This was one of the cases that have remained a historical event, where the police brutally tortured a person and go against their moral guiding principles. In recalling the whole situation, the police officer Koon demands to take over the issue besides the patrol officers who corners the suspects. Secondly, and in front of other officers, Koon directs his officers to inhumanly struck Rodney with their batons besides his handcuffed nature (Edwin J. Delattre, 1991). This deliberate action shows the extreme that these police officers go against their code of conduct with no worry. Also, Holiday reveals that the police despised his video after noticing them, which is an indication of how the police had become arrogant and despised the whole issue. This was a very critical situation where the police misuse the power bestowed to them by the public and use it against them.

Besides the failure of the police refusal to handle or listen to Holiday, he does not give up but instead turns to the media who take the video and broadcast it over the TV channel. It is clear how Holiday sees the police brutality over Rodney and decides to seek justice for him. After the broadcast, the demonstration began in pursuit of justice for Rodney King. This becomes a more critical situation, where the mistreatment of Rodney King appears to be race resulted. Thus, blacks fill the street to condemn the issue and insist on justice (TheGuardian, 2017). In response, the government puts the four police officer in trial and charge them with assault and use of excessive force. Although the court acquits the four, three of them are later found guilty and sentenced to jail. Rodney is later compensated for his misfortune.

The video and the evidence revealed clearly portray how the standards put in place to guard the police officers are broken and ignored. The ethics expected from any police officer becomes irrelevant to them and instead decides to operate ruthlessly and fearlessly. If it was not for the society and the media, Rodney case could have disappeared and diminished like other cases where the police go against their ethics.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the case of Rodney King displays unethical behavior exercised in the law enforcement by the police officers. The case indicates how police officers violate their code of conduct with no fear of the consequences. However, justices prevail, and Rodney King brutal attackers face the wrath of the law as he is compensated.

References

Edwin J. Delattre. (1991). BRUTALITY ON THE BEAT. Democracy Dies in Darkness.

Martin, B. (2005). The Beating of Rodney King: The Dynamics of Backfire. Critical Criminology, 13(3), 307-326. doi:10.1007/s10612-005-3186-x

TheGuardian. (2017, July 14). Rodney King verdict sparks LA riots: from the archive, 1 May 1992. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2013/may/01/la-riots-rodney-king-race