Communication Accommodation Theory Kaylyn Benton.pptx
Research report
1. 1
Research proposal On
Police Brutality and Dangers that Police Faces
PROGRAMME: MCS (1st SEMESTER)
SUBMITTED TO: PROF. Irum Rubab
SUBMITTED BY: MCS (EVENING)
SUBMISSION DATE: 2 February, 2017
REG. NO.’s: MCSE16-04
MCSE16-05
MCSE16-06
Bahauddin Zakaria University, Multan
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
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.
First of all, we bow our head before Almighty Allah for his kindness and highly
grateful for helping us that enabled us to complete this research. We pay our
deepest gratitudeto our teacher Prof. Irum Rubab for their valuable guidance
and encouragement throughout the entire period of this work. This Research is
a result of dedicated effort. It gives us immense pleasure to prepare this project
report on “Police Brutality VS Dangers that Police Faces”. We would also
like to express our thanks to our parents for their prayers, encouragement and
moral support during the completion of our research. We are also thankful to
our fellows and dearest friends who help us a lot during this time period.
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Sr no Table of Contents Pages
1 Abstract 4
1.1 Introduction 5
1.2 Forms of police brutality 5
1.3 Methods of police brutality 6
1.4 Cases of police brutality 6
1.5 Statement of the problem 7
1.6 Purpose of the study 7
1.7 Importance of the study 8
1.8 Objectives of the study 8
1.9 Delimitation of the study 8
2 Literature review 8
2.1 The structure of policing in Pakistan 9
2.2 Understandingpolice brutalityinPakistan`sperspective 9
2.3 Dangerthat police faces 10
3 Methodology 11
3.1 Nature of the study 11
3.2 Population 11
3.3 Sample 12
3.4 Instrumenttool 12
4 Analysis 13
5 Conclusion 14-15
6 Appendix A 16
7 Bibliography 17
8 References 18
4. 4
ABSTRACT
Police force is regarded as one of the most important internal security forces given a mission
to monitor law and order situation in the country and curb any sort of violent or criminal
activities. The term "Police Brutality" itself sounds awkward and contradictory, but it refers
to a situation where allegedly this law enforcing agency is involved in violating rights of the
public and is involved in some sort of misuse or over use of its powers, hence troubling the
general public in one way or the other. This qualitative study is based on in-depth interviews
with different stakeholders (including the Police force it-self) identified by the researchers
and tries to integrate their responses and explore different forms of such alleged violence and
importantly investigate potential circumstances where this over use of power is justified or is
given protection. On the other hand Police force faces many dangers in their job. They never
truly known the outcome of any situation they enter into. Different stakeholders have
different opinion on the subject under study.
Keywords: Police Brutality, Danger, State, Governance, Rule of Law.
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Introduction :
Police Brutality is a term used to describe the excessive use of physical force, assault, verbal
attacks, and threats by police officers.
Widespread systematic police brutality exists in many countries and ours is no exception
It is important to notice that police brutality does not only occur when force is used. Police
brutality can take many different shapes such as excessive force, false arrest, unreasonable
search, while in custody, and even verbal conversation. Since the officer in this case decided
to keep talking and not listening to you, he decided to make a false arrest in order to prove
that he is in power, and that your words are not heard.
Violence is that aspect of any culture which is always discouraged by sane elements of the
society. Violent behavior is seen as deviant and a taboo in majority scenarios. Violence may
have several forms in general i.e. extending from simple verbally aggressive comments to
physically violating someone’s boundary available as to what excessive use is and what
appropriate use is (Leash et al. 2005). This ambiguity results in some stakeholders claiming
the use of force as legitimate.
In Pakistan, the phenomenon of police brutality is not new to the general public; “rather the
police department has over the years become a symbol of fright and terror that gives rise to
feelings of mistrust and helplessness in the common man” (Lead-Pakistan).
On the other side Danger faced by police includes death, increased risk of infectious diseases,
and serious and minor trauma, both physical and emotional.
This report seek to provide a record of widespread abuse and brutality that police carried out
and dangers faced by police from 2012 to 2016.
Forms of Police Brutality.
Police misconductinthe formof brutalityexistsinmanyforms:
False Arrest
Intimidation
Racial Profiling
Political Repression
Surveillance Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Police Corruption
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Methods of police brutality:
CASES OF POLICE
BRUTALITY
The raw data from the MLCs cannot capture the full impact of torture on individual victims’
lives, but interviews that JPP conducted helped provide a more complete picture of the short-
and long-term effects of torture. Several troubling patterns emerged from the interviews with
victims:
The police generally tortured people who were already vulnerable, including
the poor. For example, victims tended to have low-income occupations, such as
day laborer, farmer, shopkeeper or business owner, household help, student, or
driver.
Police subjected individuals to multiple forms of torture. In their interviews,
victims often described being subjected to many types of torture, including
severe physical abuse, sexual assault, and various tactics that degraded them and
damaged them psychologically.
The effects of torture lasted long after the abuse had ended. Victims often
described long-standing physical pain and harms to their reputation in the
community and to their financial standing. For example, victims expressed fear
that having been abused by the police would bring shame upon their families. In
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some instances, victims felt their businesses would suffer as others in the
community would be reluctant to work for them or to patronize their businesses.
In addition, some victims worried that the shame associated with the abuse
would endanger their children’s prospects for marriage.
Police took steps to hide abuses, suggesting they recognized that their conduct was
unlawful or morally wrong or that they were afraid criminal charges would be filed
against them. In some cases, the police offered victims bribes not to press charges. In
others, police tried to apologize after the torture had ended. Police
Statement of the problem:
The problem is “to investigate the police brutality vs dangers that police faces.
Purpose of the study:
The aim of the study was to study the police brutality vs dangers that police faces.
Importance of the study.
The importance of the studyis that itis necessaryforsocietypeace andunderstandingof people.
Objective of the study.
The objective of the studysgivenbelow.
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Beinga police officeravoidpolice brutality.
Beinga citizen respectpolice officer.
Delimitation of the study.
Thisstudywas delaminated inBahuddin ZakariyaUniversity.Computerscience departmentis
includedinthisstudy.
Literature Review:
One key task or decision sensitivity police official’s face on duty is to decide on the use of
level of force to ensure law and order prevails (Bittner, 1970). According Reiss (1971),
“Police brutality” can be regarded as a broader concept when it comes to abuse of Power by
this law enforcement agency, which may include, use of extreme power and practice that
defames or embarrasses the citizens’ repute, “that restricts their freedom, and that annoys or
harasses them”.
Cohen and Chaiken (1972) found that age and violent behavior are related, i.e. aged officers
are likely to be more involved in violence rather than younger officers. Behaviors they
observed included complaints on the lines of discourtesy and also of racism.
Herzog (2000) in his study on Israeli police concluded that more complaints are received
against police officers that operate at operational and investigative functions, precisely
middle and low rank officers.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, police officer face a fatality rate of 2.18 per
100,000 and police were tenth on the 2009 list of the most dangerous occupation.
THE STRUCTURE OF POLICING IN PAKISTAN
In Pakistan, both federal and provincial agencies perform policing tasks. Within the Pakistani
federal government, nearly twenty major law enforcement agencies have responsibilities
ranging from intelligence gathering to border and coast surveillance. The provincial
governments are responsible for basic law and order. Pakistan has four provinces:
Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, and the Punjab. This report focuses on Multan,
Lahore, Faisalabad districts in Punjab.
The Punjab is Pakistan’s largest province. The Punjab Police includes nine administrative
“regions” and is headed by an Inspector General. Police headquarters are located in Lahore.
Punjab has more than six hundred police stations throughout the province. It has the largest
police force in the country, with approximately 177,635 personnel. There is approximately
one police officer for every 529 people. The Punjab Police Force includes both members of
the Punjab Provincial Police and members of the Police Service of Pakistan (PSP). PSP
officers serve in senior positions in the provincial police but remain employees of the federal
government. PSP officers may be rotated around the four provinces. The federal government
has authority over appointments and transfers of PSP officers.
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Understanding Police Brutality in
Pakistan’s Perspective
Police violence has been observed to be a global phenomenon. Different stakeholders or
different group of people define this subject in a different way. Those being negative affected
by it surely disgrace this practice, whereas those allowing use of force or power by police call
it a way to ensure law and order.
According to the data collected from victims and crime reporters (of different
newspapers), police violence is illegitimate use of authority bestowed in the security forces.
Whenever, someone goes beyond his or her legal bindings and violates another’s personal
space is taken as violence. In a democratic country and a country whose constitution
guarantees fundamental rights, such practices of police brutality cannot be appreciated. In
Pakistan, police violence cases are increasing and worst depiction of this phenomenon was
the incident in Lahore in June 2014 were approximately 13 civilian casualties were reported
and where around hundred people were reported to be injured as a result of police aggression.
Moving on, legislators gave mixed views towards this subject. Few of them
declared this act as a reaction to an illegal act by any law breaker. Whereas, others agreed to
views shared by the victims and media personal that, police violence is a negative
phenomenon and cannot be anyhow appreciated or approved.
It was important to take views of members of that organization which has been
most of the criticized for misusing their powers and being involved in some sort of violence
i.e. Punjab Police force itself. According to a senior official:
“The term Police Violence or abuse of power itself is misleading idea, what actions
we do or what steps we take are for the maintenance and establishment of law and order.”
DANGERS THAT POLICE FACES
"To serve and protect" These words capture what a law enforcement officer does every
day. Unfortunately, the duties of protecting and serving others can be hazardous to your
health. In real life, police face dangers and stressors that can’t be resolved in an hour.
Although the risk level increases for those working in larger cities, police face risks every
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time they go to work .Police officers work twenty four hours a day, every single day of the
year, to keep our communities, cities, towns, and selves safe.
The Risk of Injury or Worse
Being a police officer places you in situations that other jobs never do, such as going after
drug dealers and stepping into the middle of volatile domestic violence calls. On a daily
basis, officers go into circumstances that could get them shot, stabbed or maimed.
HazardousPathogens
Police offers are often the first on the scene of accidents, which brings them in direct contact
with blood and air borne pathogens. Pathogens cause diseases such as hepatitis or AIDS.
Offices undergo rigorous training about the threat of these pathogens and learn how to protect
themselves, but they may not always have time to put on protective gear.
Stress
Being a police officer pushes the stress level into the stratosphere. Police work long, erratic
hours, which wreaks havoc on the body and relationships. Police officers are not the most
highly paid individuals, so the stress of making a living on a cop's salary is another addition
to the stress meter.
Traffic Fatality
Police face many dangers on the road, from fleeing criminals and plain old careless drivers. A
routine traffic stop can become a road hazard for a police if a driver does not see her walking
at the edge of the road. High speed pursuits pose especially high danger..
Death
Police officers face many dangers in their jobs. Police officers are constantly being faced
with the unknown and the unpredictable. They never truly know the outcome of any situation
they enter into. Their lives are always on risk
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METHODOLOGY
Nature of the study:
The research strategy adopted for study is “Qualitative” and the present study has been
conducted in Multan. . The researcher identifying police brutality in market areas, bus stand
with help of some regular customers.
Population:
The participantinthisstudywere 100 from the computerscience departmentof Master1st
semester.
Sample:
Out of the whole populationwe selectedthirtycandidatesasasample fromthe population.
Instrument Tool:
For thisresearchwe use surveytool fordata collection. Data was collected using an in-depth
interview guideline with additional and necessary probing questions
A questioner was circulated among the students of Baha Uddin Zakariya University, Multan.
Questioner is attached at the end of the research. Different stakeholders had been identified
for this study in order to get a comprehensive view of the issue regarding Police Violence and
for this purpose in-depth interviews have been conducted with the respondents with the help
of Convenient Sampling strategy. Stakeholders/respondents belong to following sections of
the society:
Serving and retired police officers
Legislators (Parliamentarians)
Print and Electronic Media Journalists
Victims
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ANALAYSIS
Sr. no Statement Frequency Percentage
Yes No yes No
1. Does our government take part in
stopping Police Brutality?
2 0 6.6 0
2. Have you been in any recent protests
against Police brutality?
3 3 10 10
3. Do you feel comfortable calling the
police when you have a problem?
3 5 10 16.6
4. Being a police officer feel safe? 0 0 0 0
5. Do youtrust the police? 2 0 6.6 0
6. Do youfeel asthoughpolice brutalityisa
probleminyourcountry?
3 3 10 10
7. Have you everhadan experience with
police brutality?
0 0 0 0
8. Do youthink police should take more
responsibility inbrutality incidents?
2 4 6.6 13.3
9. Are you aware of Police Brutality? 0 0 0 0
10. Do youthinkpolice shouldwearcameras
on theirchestswhentheyrespondto
calls?
0 0 0 0
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CONCLUSION
EVIDENCE OF POLICE
BRUTALITY
Police in the Different District have systematically committed brutality and other tortures. To
allege abuse by the police, a victim may bring a complaint before a magistrate and ask to be
referred to the District Standing Medical Board (DSMB). The DSMB conducts medical
examinations into allegations of torture or death of detainees while in police custody. The
DSMB is made up of four physicians, who are government employees. These physicians
evaluate the victim’s allegations of abuse and document any physical or psychological signs
of abuse in an MLC. JPP obtained 1,867 MLCs for physician evaluations carried out from
2006 to 2012 in the Different District. The physicians’ assessments show 1,424 instances of
police abuse. Figure 1 below provides a summary.. Thus, there are likely more victims of
police abuse who did not have MLCs completed. Victims agreed to share their stories with
JPP and the Lowenstein Clinic, elaborating upon the abuse documented in MLCs and
explaining the impact of this abuse on their lives.
6.6
10
10
0
6.6
10
0
6.6
0
0
0
10
16.6
0
0
10
0
13.3
0
0
percentage Column1
14. 14
The interviews and MLCs demonstrate that incidents of abuse were not isolated. The
evidence shows that police abused at least 1,424 individuals in a span of just six years,
strongly suggesting that police brutality is widespread and systematic. Police routinely
subjected individuals to physical and psychological abuse, as summarized in Table 2 and
Figure 2 and detailed in the sections below. Torture methods were varied and extreme: Police
have beaten victims, suspended, stretched and crushed them, forced them to witness other
people’s torture, put them in solitary confinement, subjected them to sleep and sensory
deprivation, confined them to small spaces, exposed them to extreme temperatures,
humiliated them by imposing culturally inappropriate or unpleasant circumstances, and
sexually abused them.
Police Brutality means excessive use of force and this kind of treatment is inhumane and
should never be tolerated or accepted. Widespread systematic police brutality exists in many
countries and ours is no exception. The pervasiveness of police brutality and torture in
Pakistan is no secret. There is a general perception that Pakistani police are corrupt and that
justice is elusive. This report offers evidence, unprecedented in Pakistan in its scale and
reliability, that police have routinely abused and tortured their suspects and detainees. The
Pakistani government has failed to take effective measures to prevent police brutality and
torture and to punish perpetrators. Although Pakistan has ratified treaties prohibiting the use
of torture, it has taken few steps to implement its international obligations not only to refrain
from torture, but also to prevent it. The government has failed to define torture in relevant
national laws, to coordinate the various pieces of existing legislation that prohibit torture, and
to provide victims meaningful redress. The police also face dangers in Pakistan. The dangers
they face include stress, injuries, family protection, terrorist attacks, suspension, and fear of
losing their jobs. Police is not a safe profession in Pakistan anymore. In this report we have
provided an overview of police mistreatment in and its effects on victims and on the other
hand we discuss about the threats and danger that police faces in Pakistan.
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APPENDIX_A
(Survey Questionnaire)
Name: (optional)_______________
Department:______________
Gender Male Female
Note: Kindly read the statements carefully and indicate your response by ticking ( ) the
column which represents your view according to the following scale:
Sr. no Statement yes No
1. Does our government take part in
stopping Police Brutality?
2. Have you been in any recent protests
against Police brutality?
3. Do you feel comfortable calling the
police when you have a problem?
4. Being a police officer feel safe?
5. Do youtrust the police?
6. Do youfeel asthoughpolice brutalityisa
probleminyourcountry?
7. Have you everhadan experience with
police brutality?
8. Do youthink police should take more
responsibility inbrutality incidents?
9. Are you aware of Police Brutality?
17. 17
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