Police Policing: Racial Profiling“It was so hostile. I was so confused. It was happening so fast that I could easily see how this situation could get out of hand very quickly. I didn't feel safe. But an officer interrupted his questions and said, 'we may not let you go.'" (Perry) This is a quote from famous producer Tyler Perry, talking about his experience being stopped by two white police officers in Atlanta. Police officers are among the most trusted men and women in American society, they should be anyway. However, in some cities and states, trust between officers and people from racial minorities, such as Africans, Latinos and Arabs, has been undermined by the mishandling of police powers. Some officers stop, search, or drag people of these races and break the code they represent by disrespecting citizens, most of whom are completely innocent. This is not only morally unacceptable, but also completely unconstitutional and must be stopped immediately. With appropriate legislative action this injustice can and will be corrected! Racial profiling is defined as “the practice of substituting skin color for evidence as grounds for suspicion.” Simply put, racial profiling occurs when police officers stop, search, and arrest more people of a minority race than of a majority race. Typically, Latinos and African Americans are among the prime targets of racial profiling, caused primarily by decades of stereotypical beliefs that most “gangsters” and other criminals belong to one of these two races. After the 9/11 disaster and wars in the Middle East, Arabs and South Asians have become much more likely targets of racial profiling, especially in airport security and major cities. The act... middle of paper... Er Perry is a strong advocate of racial profiling. Things are already being done to put an end to this violation of our most basic laws. However, this is still happening and will continue unless federal action is taken. The best solution to this problem would be to have federal laws that make the police black and white on racial profiling. Investigations of police officers accused of discriminating against certain races must be conducted by the FBI so that the process is subjective and legitimate. What can a normal citizen do to put an end to this discrimination? He or she should be on the lookout for unfair policing, and if there is someone who has been the victim of racial profiling, he or she should contact the chief of that police department. Justice has been defiled. It is time to bring justice to those who think they can use their power over others in a dishonorable way!