Lack Of Education And Improper Training Is Racial Profiling

Another side effect of lack of education and improper training is racial profiling. Not only does racial profiling violate civil liberties, it also hinders the effectiveness of local law enforcement. This can be seen in the case of Yale student and son of New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow. Blow’s son was walking out of the library on campus when he was confronted by police at gun point. Blow’s son fit the description of the suspect. The suspect was described as a tall, African-American student. The officers failed to ask for identification or explain why they were detaining him before drawing their weapons. After more careful questioning, Blow’s son was released. If Blow’s son had unknowingly made a move that seemed threatening†¦show more content†¦He was shot three times and died later. Ford’s demise began at the moment that the officers laid eyes on him. They saw Ford was African-American, stereotyped him, and decided his civil rights were not worth protecting. An officer with more education and a more developed world-view would have likely handled the situation differently. Higher education is correlated to a more liberal attitude which means more tolerance for people of different races. Ford’s civil rights would have been taken into consideration and his death would have been avoided. Civilians are not the only ones endangered due to situations like these. The efficiency of law enforcement as a whole is undermined with every new incident that comes to light. People begin to lose faith in law enforcement and they see it as an adversary. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Minneapolis conducted a study as part of a criminal law enforcement reform project. This study shows that black and native Americans were approximately 8 times more likely to be arrested (in Minneapolis) than white people. These statistics articulate what the people already know and the officers are no longer a form of protection but rather something that they need to be protected from. They fear law enforcement and are more likely to act defensively when being investigated or questioned. This defense on the civilian’s part can be mistaken for offense by law