The history of police violence against minorities is well documented. Police officers have a record of using excessive force when dealing with people who are perceived to be different from them. This includes racial profiling and discrimination, which has led to the deaths of many African Americans, Latinos, and members of other marginalized communities.
There is another group that is often ignored in this conversation: the LGBTQ+ community. In this essay, I will explore how the concept of use-of-force avoidance resonates with historical experiences of policing and institutional violence against queer individuals.
Police brutality has been a major issue for the LGBTQ+ community since the Stonewall Riots in 1969. At the time, police officers routinely harassed gay men and women, and they were met with fierce resistance during a protest march. The riot lasted several days and was one of the most significant moments in LGBTQ+ history. Since then, the relationship between law enforcement and the LGBTQ+ community has been strained, with police officers continuing to target members of the community disproportionately.
One way in which police officers have used violence against the LGBTQ+ community is through raids on gay bars and clubs. During these raids, police officers would enter establishments where homosexuals congregated and arrest anyone found within them. This practice continued until 20000, when the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional. Even after the ban, however, police officers continue to raid gay establishments, though not as frequently. These raids were an act of state-sponsored terrorism designed to keep gay people under control and out of sight.
In addition to raids, police officers also engaged in entrapment tactics against the LGBTQ+ community. This involved police officers posing as gay men or lesbians online or at bars and then arranging meetings with their targets. Once they had gathered enough evidence, they would arrest the person and charge them with solicitation or other crimes. Entrapment was often used against transgender individuals who were perceived as "deviant" by the police.
The use of force by police officers against the LGBTQ+ community has also included physical assaults and murder. In 1998, Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and left for dead near Laramie, Wyoming. He was killed because he was openly gay and his attackers believed that his life did not matter. His death sparked a national debate about hate crimes and led to the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
While these incidents may seem like isolated events, they are part of a larger pattern of violence against the LGBTQ+ community at the hands of law enforcement. The use of excessive force is a symptom of systemic racism and homophobia within policing institutions. Police officers have historically targeted marginalized communities, including people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Use-of-force avoidance is a way to combat this problem.
Use-of-force avoidance means that police officers should only use force when absolutely necessary and then only in proportion to the threat. They should also take into account the mental health of the individual being arrested or detained and avoid using physical restraint techniques if possible. This approach can reduce injuries and deaths caused by police officers, but it is not without its challenges. For one thing, police officers must receive proper training on how to de-escalate situations before resorting to force. They must also be able to identify individuals who pose a genuine threat to themselves or others.
Police officers need to work closely with mental health professionals to ensure that those who are arrested or detained receive appropriate care.
The concept of use-of-force avoidance resonates with historical experiences of policing and institutional violence against queer individuals. It seeks to address the disproportionate impact of police brutality on minority groups while reducing the risk of injury and death.
There are still many obstacles that need to be overcome to make this approach a reality.
How does a commitment to use-of-force avoidance resonate with LGBTQ+ historical experiences of policing and institutional violence?
The history of police brutality against the LGBTQ+ community is long and well-documented, with members of this minority often facing discrimination, harassment, and even physical violence at the hands of law enforcement officials. As such, many within the LGBTQ+ community have come to view policing as an inherently dangerous and threatening force that should be avoided whenever possible.