Officers should check biases

On April 4, in North Charleston, South Carolina, Officer Michael Slager shot Walter Scott after he ran from the scene of a routine traffic stop. Why are police officers misusing extreme force?

As a senior at Gonzaga University, and a member of a sociology hate studies class, I have attempted to answer this question myself through the lectures and outside resources available to me. It is important for all people in society to become aware of their own social constructs, meaning how we, as individuals, perceive the world around us.

Our social constructs help us interpret our social environment and tell us how to respond in certain situations. These constructs rely on implicit biases developed through life experiences, and what we have been told. These biases are what influence our decisions, especially those that are made in seconds.

Biases can be detrimental to decision-making. Biases are based upon stereotypes which, in any case, are ignorant assumptions about certain types of people. It is for that reason I propose officers become aware of certain biases they unconsciously act upon in order to better treat members of society. With acknowledgment of the problem, a solution can be found.

Caylin Novell

Spokane