By: John Engoglia 

US law enforcements’ public image has been unsteady for almost a decade, but it seems to be worsening. According to a poll by ABC News and the Washington Post, “Just 39% (of people) are confident that the police are trained to avoid excessive force.”

This trend has been worsening in recent years in part by the high profile deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Daunte Wright and many more at the hands of law enforcement. 

Elias Nader is an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Kent State University. His research focuses on policing and police practices. He described the relationship between police misconduct and the perception of police officers and how it affects police legitimacy. 

“How fair do we feel like the police are? How do the police treat people with respect? Do they honor constitutional rights?” Nader said. “How much do we believe that police are legitimate actors, acting on behalf of public safety on behalf of the community?” 

African Americans are the most affected demographic of police violence according to the Mapping Police Violence Database. 27% of people killed by the police were Black, despite only making up 13% of the US population. 

“Statistically it happens to minorities in a way that is over dispersed. … In relation to their percentage of the population they are more likely to be victims of police violence than someone who is white,” Nader said. 

Kent State University student Annie Wendt blames this demographic disparity on police bias against minorities. She added that it happens because of over policing in underprivileged communities where people of color primarily live. 

According to the Mapping Police Violence Database, “Most killings by police begin with traffic stops, mental health checks, disturbances, non-violent offenses and where no crime was alleged. 1 in 3 killings began with an alleged violent crime.” This fear that law enforcement can worsen situations has caused people to have less confidence in police officers. 

“I think that I would be very afraid to call the police in almost any situation, especially considering the fact that I’m a young woman who is often alone,” Wendt said. 

“I think that I would be very afraid to call the police in almost any situation, especially considering the fact that I’m a young woman who is often alone,”

Wendt said.

Mike Lewis is the administrative lieutenant for the City of Kent Police. One of his major roles as the administrative lieutenant is to engage with the Kent community to raise people’s confidence in law enforcement. In Particular, he described the Citizens Police Academy where officers connect with community members. 

“We teach them several subjects every week about law enforcement, policing and what it’s like to be a Kent police officer,” he said. “We dispel a lot of the myths and the rumors of television and movies and media. … It really builds terrific relationships with the people in our community.”

A Washington Post police shooting database has shown a gradual increase in fatal police shootings per year since 2016. In 2020 deaths topped 1,000. 

Wendt blames police officers’ use of excessive force on the lack of accountability in previous instances where officers abused their power and it went unchecked and unpunished. 

“That kind of teaches other police officers that’s okay,” she said. “I think that kind of furthers the narrative that police can do whatever they want if they have a badge on and they won’t even have any consequences.” 

From 2013-2023, only 1.9% of killings by police resulted in officers facing criminal charges according to the Mapping Police Violence Database. 

“Having those internal accountability structures within the organization are important,” Nader said. “That requires police agencies to put effort into making those rules and enforcing those rules.”

DeGernarra Holmes shares a different perspective from Wendt’s when it comes to police using force. Holmes said that police are people too and can feel threatened in the line of duty. 

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“They have the right to react in the way that they see fit,” they said. “People are unpredictable no matter what.” 

Holmes however understands why people may be cautious around police officers. They added that they themselves are usually careful around members of law enforcement. 

“I know not to do something stupid when I’m close to a police officer,” Holmes said. “I don’t put myself in those situations regardless of anything.” 

Lewis understands that there are some very bad police officers out there that have no business in the profession, and he contributes that to the causes of most cases of police violence. He added how those few officers can impact the way all police are viewed. 

“When somebody does something that is completely out of line, it is something that we all wear,” he said. “It paints a very negative light on everyone who works in the profession and right now, in today’s culture, there is not a whole lot of room for forgiveness when it comes to that sort of thing.”

“It paints a very negative light on everyone who works in the profession and right now, in today’s culture, there is not a whole lot of room for forgiveness when it comes to that sort of thing,”

Lewis said.

Lewis also discussed training requirements for some causes of police violence. He said that Ohio has very little mandates for officer training once they are sworn in, and that additional training varies from department to department.

“For somebody who works at a very small police department somewhere, they may not get much training after the initial police academy,” he said. “We (Kent Police Department) still take it upon ourselves to do at least 40 hours of in-service training every single year, legal updates, cultural diversity training, de-escalation and mental health and awareness.” 

Acknowledging that support for law enforcement greatly varies across the country, Lewis was thankful of the support given by the Kent community. 

“I always tell everyone that we as Kent police officers are extremely fortunate to work in the community that we do.”