On Friday the United Nations Committee Against Torture released a scathing report of the United States regarding police brutality, counter-terrorism methods and immigration policies, amongst other issues. The report expressed concerns of racial and ethnic profiling in the police department, which comes at a poignant time considering the recent grand jury verdict that did not indict Darren Wilson, the officer that shot and killed Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

The problem is much bigger and more impactful than just the Michael Brown case. Police brutality is a systemic problem that must be addressed and nationally reformed through increased accountability and transparency from the police department.

The fear of police brutality undermines the ability of the police force to be effective and fulfill their duty to protect and serve. It is long past time that the United States addresses this issue and work toward creating high national standards within local police forces. Now that this issue is receiving international attention, it is clear that the U.S. must act and work toward creating a more trustworthy and less militarized police force through citizen review of police activity and hiring independent prosecutors for cases involving police brutality.

One obvious solution that has received ample media attention is requiring officers to wear body cameras. It would create greater responsibility for the citizens as well as the officers. However, as seen in many instances, simply knowing all of the facts does not directly result in adequate consequences.

Additionally, the relationship between the District Attorney’s Office and the police does not parallel the standard relationship between the prosecutor and the defendant. The DA’s office relies on the police in many cases and has clear bias when prosecuting a case against a police officer. In other cases involving a conflict of interest with the DA’s office, independent prosecutors are used. In the Brown case, there has been criticism that the prosecutor had no intention of indicting Darren Wilson. This may have had an effect on the grand jury decision and it is simple to see that there is potentially strong bias on behalf of the prosecution. These doubts could be absolved by hiring independent prosecutors to handle cases involving police brutality.

Lastly, there needs to be greater internal and external reviews of instances of police brutality. One solution is citizen review boards that evaluate the circumstances of individual cases and play a role in determining punishment. This solution is complex, because most civilians do not understand police policies and the nature of police work. However, many cities, like San Diego, have already implemented civilian review boards and have seen some success. The role of the review board is to evaluate complaints against officers, review police shootings and review the disciplinary action taken by the police force.

When civil suits are brought against officers for excessive use of force, the government is usually responsible for the payout. This is unlike other high-risk professions, such as the medical field and other private businesses, where there is greater accountability placed on the individual. The avoidance of these lawsuits through increasing responsibility and subsequent punishment would help to offset the costs of reform. It is important to consider the costs of police cameras, review boards and independent prosecutors, but in this case the reduction of civil suits would help offset the cost.

Regardless of the route chosen, reform is essential. It is clear the United States is lagging behind international expectations. This problem is multifaceted and requires multiple solutions. There are many options for reform, such as cameras, review boards and independent prosecution that should be considered. Change is long overdue and should be addressed immediately. The longer we wait, the more lives are lost and the lower the public trust in police becomes.

Rachel Potter is a senior political science and sociology major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at [email protected].

Published on December 1, 2014 at 10:49 pm