It is no secret that law enforcement agencies have been in a perpetual struggle with how to control the power they possess. Over the years, there have been so many incidents that involve police violence that the public has become more and more afraid of the police, and less sympathetic to the problems they face. Incidents range from mass arrests to bold-faced assault and murder. Instead of being looked upon as guardians, they are looked upon a hindrance.
In recent history alone, police brutality has been on the rise. This, sadly, has been mostly directed at the black community in recent years. Apart from African Americans, the other community that has been targeted the most are small-time recreational drug users.
In later years, such increases in police brutality has been widely telecast all over the media, and eventually gained enough traction to warrant law enforcement officers to be asked to wear body cameras. These body cameras are tools to help save the public from the public protector’s. This became a necessity as the arrests became more and more dubious and helped break a streak of false arrests due to evidence-tampering and planting.
Sadly, these precautions were not yet in effect when the mass arrests were made at the Universal Life Church back in 1982. At this point in time, it was often the word of the police officer against the word of an arrested civilian. The arrests were clearly made to harass and inhibit the ongoing activities of the church; these activities were serving to help the community, not cause destruction as the police claimed. These complaints against the church were made by the community, and backed up by the police department.
One major indicator that these arrests were made under false pretenses was due to the fact that many of the cases were thrown out, prior to going to trial. In fact, very few of the charges initially brought by the Seattle Police Department actually resulted in disciplinary action being taken. This is clear proof that the arrests were made to prove a point, as opposed to serving to protect the community. Let’s not waste valuable resources paid for by the general public.