Body-cam footage confirms: Police are just plain more polite to white people

[sheshe2]

A new study of police in Oakland, California, demonstrates what systemic racism looks like. It might be invisible if you examine it one interaction at a time, but Stanford University researchers used body-cam footage to demonstrate that police used more respectful language toward white people than black people during traffic stops. 


An analysis of 981 traffic stops made by 245 Oakland officers in April 2014 found that officers were more apt to use terms of respect such as “sir,” “ma’am,” “please” and “thank you” when dealing with white motorists when compared to black ones. They apologized to white people more frequently for having to stop them, and expressed concern, telling them to “drive safe.”


After stopping black people, officers more often used terms deemed to be disrespectful, calling them by their first names, “bro” or “my man,” and instructing them to keep their hands on the wheel, the study found. [...]


snip/

“In a traffic stop, if an officer is kind, courteous and discreet, that traffic stop is less likely to result in a loss of life,” she said. “Oftentimes when we talk about race and racism, we talk about individualized actions between people. But what Dr. Eberhardt’s study is really pointing to is the ways people’s individualized actions point to a systemic set of practices that has impacts on people’s lives.”

And while interactions with police carry life-and-death implications in a way that most others don’t, heightening the stakes of each interaction, consider that this respect differential is almost certainly not unique to police. If we put body-cams on cashiers and waiters and doctors and teachers and the strangers we encounter on the street, we’d probably find similar patterns. There’s no way it doesn’t wear on a person, like water dripping on a stone.

Read More:http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/6/6/1669392/-Body-cam-footage-confirms-Police-are-just-plain-more-polite-to-white-people

Seems to me some officers go out of their way to provoke black people at traffic stops and for even walking down the street for that matter.

*******“Oftentimes when we talk about race and racism, we talk about individualized actions between people. But what Dr. Eberhardt’s study is really pointing to is the ways people’s individualized actions point to a systemic set of practices that has impacts on people’s lives.”*******

[golfguru]

1. I respectfully disagree.

I am from south Asia, with brown skin and thick accent.
During many traffic stops by cops, I was never treated rudely by cops. May be it is because I show respect for them and cooperate with their requests. I spent many decades in Chicago, where I found cops are more rude than in Seattle, Portland or Jacksonville, my other cities of residence. But no cop ever was rough with me, anywhere.

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. Well then that does it, there is no race problem in police departments in America.

thanks for solving this massive problem

that was easy

[golfguru]

3. To receive respect,

first one has to give respect. It is as simple as that.
If one complies with what the cop is asking one to do, there will be far fewer problems for all involved.

I come from the country of Gandhi. He taught us to always be respectful to others. He broke up the British empire with NON-violent means when India gained independence in 1947.

[lib87]

5. Who's mans is this? Gandhi was Racist Toward Blacks.

Stop with the respectability talking points.

The Study Refers to Black Americans not People of Asian Descent. Don't inject irrelevant experiences to try and erase the reality of ours.

[golfguru]

10. Straw man argument!

Gandhi fought the British. Does that make him a racist against whites? Remove your racist colored glasses, and then you might see things clearer. Black Americans as a group in USA have higher standard of living than any country in Asia or Africa. How is that possible? How did Obama manage to get elected by substantial margins if we are a racist country?

[JI7]

12. huh ? things are better for people in saudi arabia than they are in north korea

Therefore there is no sexism in saudi arabia......

[lib87]

13. You brought racist gandhi up first. But back to the issue at hand.

It's obvious you do not want to understand how racism and racist systems affect Black people (Hell any marginalized group actually) so it is a waste of keystokes to try and seriously discuss let alone give you a much needed education.

[BainsBane]

24. When are you going to demonstrate some respect

toward the lives of African Americans killed by police? How is it that you can't manage to show respect toward their lives rather than implying they deserve to be treated as less? In this party and on this site, we do not treat black lives as less. We treat all citizens with respect.

Ta-nehisi Coates answered your question about how Obama could be elected in a racist country.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/01/my-president-was-black/508793/

In the late 1860s and early 1870s, the legislature of South Carolina was comprised of a majority of black representatives. That was then followed by Jim Crow, voter disenfranchisement, and mass lynchings. That brief black majority did not mean South Carolina was not racist. The reaction to the short-lived black political ascendency proved otherwise.

As with the end of Reconstruction, we are currently experiencing a whitelash. Trump's election demonstrates as much. After all, how could Trump be elected in a country that is not racist? How could a segregationist become attorney general in a country that isn't racist? Why the spike in racially motivated hate crimes if racism doesn't exist?
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/12/hate_in_america_a_list_of_racism_bigotry_and_abuse_since_the_election.html

[heaven05]

35. you are blind

to ameriKKKan racism because you choose to be...it's as simple as that.... How in the world did a racist get elected potus? Better wake up and smell the ignorance you're showing....bigtime!!!

[golfguru]

36. I have lived in 3 countries

and traveled to 36 countries. I am yet to discover a country where racism is 100% absent, and religious discrimination is 100% absent. Sweden comes closest to being accepting non-Swedes of all races and religions, but even there is now considerable problems with Muslim immigrants.

[heaven05]

37. never said RACISM is or should be

100% absent.......I DO NOT CARE whether you've if you have visited or lived on the moon.....ameriKKKa is the country of which I speak. Your so-called bonifieds are based on your particular experience(s) and HAVE NO RELEVANCE to the AA POC dwelling in this ameriKKKan experiment in hypocrisy and hate. Period. Accept your passes and please proceed to continue to plead blind in the face of overt racism and hate that has always been under the surface and that has resurfaced in the guise of king dung potus and his despicable deplorable base of miscreants and cretins.....ameriKKKan hypocrisy is paramount in this OP and true...EVERYTHING is OP is true and deserved to be said. Period......

[JI7]

7. indian independence was VERY violent with the resulting partition and the assasination of Gandhi by

a hindu fanatic .

and india has a serious rape problem and women are treated like shit there. and it isn't because they are not respectful.

[golfguru]

9. Laughable...India elected a woman

head of state many decades ago, while USA still never had a woman president. Your argument falls flat on it's face. Read up statistics on rapes & domestic violence against women per 1000 people in both countries.

[JI7]

11. so did Pakistan

By that logic things are better for women in pakistan compared to the us.

And the reality of the culture in India is that rape will not be reported most of the times . It sucks in the US but it's even worse in India.

[George II]

19. I think she had a very influential person in her lineage.

[golfguru]

20. True, but she was not anointed

She had to win majority of voters. Her lineage had to be popular with the voters.

Hillary also had the smartest politician who ever lived in her background. But American voters were not ready for a woman president.

And that is the point. India, Israel, Pakistan, UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Philippines, etc etc have already had a woman head of state. Not so in USA. We are behind the world.

[JI7]

22. Hillary got more votes. And women do not have more freedom in pakistan than the US

[JI7]

8. india is full of bigoted scumbags who treat others like shit. i would say they are worse than white

bigots in the US.

[golfguru]

15. lol Every time I vacation in India

I see all my relatives are prosperous and enjoying life. I did not hear a single complaint about bigotry. I am amazed at how many Americans are making a living in India. The Americans I talked to in India also seem to be happy with their life in India. I did not hear them complaining about discrimination either. May be there is something wrong with you if you were discriminated in India.

[irisblue]

16. Doubling down? Oooohhhkayy

[JI7]

17. no. there is nothing wrong with those who are discriminated

It's sickening to see someone here defending it.

Your logic is like republicans on climate change.

And the idiots who think life is great in north korea because of those pics the see.

[JHan]

4. How does your singular experience refute statistical analysis?

There could be any number of variables in play - you're providing your singular anecdotal experience to refute data.

I too have never been treated rudely by cops, yet I would never assume that those who complain of harassment don't know what they're talking about. Your experience doesn't trump the data. Your comment is akin to someone saying.. "it was a cold day yesterday, therefore climate change ain't real"..In this case, implicit bias is very much real.

And btw I'm a young black woman.

[golfguru]

21. You raise very valid point, except

you have no idea how bad a car driver I was in my 20's.
I came from India, got a degree in engineering from Iowa U, and began working in Chicago city. Bought my first car. Having never driven a car before, and stupid me refused driving school because it cost money. So I learned driving the hard way...on the job as they say. I must have received 20 traffic tickets in my first 4 years of driving. Insurance companies refused to insure me because of so many tickets.

My point? I was stopped by 2 dozen DIFFERENT cops in city of Chicago for traffic violations. Therefore my experience with cops has some validity.

Also, note that although I acted polite with the traffic cops on road, I did go to traffic court many times when I felt the ticket was unjustified. That is the right place to confront and refute the cop's story to the judge. Fight the cop in court, not on the street.

[JI7]

23. so you put peoples lives at risk.

[JHan]

25. I have hindu relatives, my father's family are made up of hindus ( and whites) however ..

I would never use that to frame this data.

Regardless of your experience, the data shows that african americans are treated differently - you're ignoring the data in the article to the point of denial and making it all about you. There are some implications to your argument you should be aware of : either African Americans are lying about their experiences with police or they just need to be more polite - yes that is the inference I am making from your position in this thread and it is disturbing. I would say this is not unusual to hear from someone from South Asia, because I've heard variances of this kind of sick view of African Americans, but I don't know you.

Know well that there is such a thing as implicit bias.

And that bias against African Americans has existed in America since the days of slavery when poor whites were hired to "police" slaves and target runaways.

[golfguru]

26. Yes, African American experience is unique

Slavery in USA lasted a very long time. Much too long.
And let me make another point. Bias exists everywhere.
I rose from a lowly draftsman to corporate manager of computer aided engineering and manufacturing. 90% of white Americans were jealous and resentful of my promotions, mostly under the surface. Very few showed it openly. I got there by out working everybody and using the gift of intellect God gave me and my education background. Only one other individual in the outfit of 800 employees had master's degree in engineering.

Prejudice will never go away. Jealousy will never go away. The positive factor is that the higher ups in hierarchy respect productive employees. This was a privately owned outfit, and the owner himself appreciated what I was accomplishing in the company, and that mattered the most. I very much appreciate that a foreign born individual had the opportunity to succeed in this country. Believe me, my rise in the outfit would have been much faster if I was white American born in USA. But we must play the hand dealt to us. No use complaining about bias. Get a damn good education, and out work everybody around you. It does not guarantee success, but it is the best and only way to succeed here. Anything else is waste of one's potential.

[JI7]

27. but you are complaining

you are complaining about people who object to bigotry. i find the complaints about bigotry much more understandable than complaints about those complaints.

[heaven05]

38. and how long has the hate and racism

against the generations of descendants of those SLAVES lasted, I ask you. And does that even fit into your equation og how great YOUR experience in ameriKKKA has been?. All your points of explanation/splaining prefer to ignore the true ameriKKKan experience of the AA that you could NEVER understand.....and your work experience is typical of an immigrant....not of the AA experience in that professional area of work....please stop explaining how AA should be like you....we are just as motivated and capable.....just not given an equal chance to prove it.......my, your life seems to be smooth sailing.....I'm impressed......

[golfguru]

39. There is no universal hate in America

True, discrimination based on race, religion or national origin still exists in our America. Take it from me, it will never disappear completely, no matter what laws are passed.

However I arrived here in 1960 as a grad student in college. Now it is 2017, and the progress AA's have made is palpable, visible and impossible to ignore. Every prosperous neighborhood I visit, I see prosperous AA's there. A good example is nearby town of Orange Park, Florida. So many beautiful homes owned by AA's. In nearby malls you will see prosperous AA's shopping and driving expensive cars and dining in expensive restaurants. I never saw this ANYWHERE in 1960.

To summarize, progress is slow but steady.

[heaven05]

40. I will never understand advice from you

you're in your bubble of what keeps you comfortable in living a life.....In 1958----I saw a hanged black man in the south.....I still see AA males murdered by white people, a lot of those whites under authority of badge and gun....don't ever talk about the progress of AA to me, I have lived that truth, you haven't. Although I will advise staying out of bars and such....you can go pass that progress BS off to your friends and associates.....so I can see a blank wall here with no clue as to what color it is or should be ...... well sorry, I'm not a painter. To summarize.....progress has halted....back to the 50's...period.....nice talking to you...I'll be on my way.

[Number23]

41. Why are you in here with this foolishness? You are coming into the Black forum to tell us that racis

doesn't exist? Do you honestly believe that anyone believes you are here in good faith? Do you have nothing else to do?

[golfguru]

42. Read my post again, with focus

Last edited Thu Jun 22, 2017, 08:14 PM - Edit history (2)

These are EXACT words from my post you replied to:

"True, discrimination based on race, religion or national origin still exists in our America."

But in my opinion, UNIVERSAL hate does not exist in USA. If there was UNIVERSAL hate against Africa-Americans, none of them should be able to buy expensive homes, expensive cars, hold very good jobs, and even manage to get elected president. The facts speak for themselves.

Millions of African Americans have worked hard and become prosperous, doing well, getting good education in prestigious universities.. Try the same approach. You might even succeed.

[JI7]

43. this is blaming victims of discrimination for bigotry against them. trayvon martins parents

were doing well financially. Trayvon martin was doing well in school and would have continued to do well if some racist piece of shit didn't take his life.

With your logic trayvon martin is at fault.

You blame women in India for being raped and use one female prime minister as an excuse. As if the reason they are targeted for these attacks is their own fault and if they had just worked harder they could be pm instead of a rape victim.

[golfguru]

44. I ignore all stupid posts!

[JI7]

45. so put yourself on ignore

[JHan]

67. ....

[Number23]

62. It's hilarious that you think you need to come in here and tell us what we need to do to "succeed"

Not only do I have absolutely no interest in your 3rd grade attempts at race-baiting and veiled insults, I would wager that even the brokest, dumbest participant in this forum runs rings around you in terms of education and achievement. And I seriously mean that.

I'm also willing to bet that we also know a hell of alot more about our own culture and communities than you could learn if you parked your hiney in an African-American studies class for the next four years, and that includes what we have to do to succeed. But thanks for the stuff you pulled out of your tuckus, I mean advice.

[golfguru]

63. Thanks for a good laugh!

Last edited Thu Jun 29, 2017, 03:01 PM - Edit history (1)

Like I said in another post, my role models continue to be those AA's who are living ABOVE AVERAGE standard of living compared to all American people. And there are SEVERAL MILLION of those hard working, intelligent AA's around in 2017. I have several such colleagues at the research lab where I work. When I arrived in this country back in 1960 as a teenager, there were hardly any AA's living the American dream.

If you wish to keep whining, and complaining, that is your choice. I recommend take a clue from those AA's who are doing well regardless of real or perceived prejudices. Following the herd of failures will get you nowhere.

[Number23]

65. The ones laughing are those of us reading your 3rd grade insult attempts

I'm glad that you find it hilarious that those of us in this forum, who as I noted, are far more informed and successful than you will likely ever be, are laughing at you and your attempts to "school" us on issues that you clearly do not understand or know anything about. Because that is exactly what we are doing. And not for the first time with you in particular.

Since it's clear that you not only know nothing about black people or the black experience but still want to keep coming in here (for reasons that you appear to believe are not obvious but they truly could not be more transparent, PLEASE believe that) to "educate" us as if even the least successful or brokest among us would want you for a mentor, I'm going to block you. Even though we have all enjoyed your obvious and sad little show, when you've decided you want to add something to this forum beyond goading and trolling, we'll give you a call. You go and sit by the phone and wait now. Really.

[sheshe2]

66. Percieved prejudices?

Perceived? You sure make light of black people profiled and shot by police for walking and driving.

[JHan]

68. k I'm done being polite.. fuck knows I tried.

Those same special AA's you're enamored will also give you their experiences with harassment by police.

Using black exceptionalism to diminish facts you're uncomfortable with is not just fucking stupid, it's fucking obscene.

[LanternWaste]

28. "the anecdotal evidence I provide is more valid than simply anecdotal evidence..."

"Therefore my experience with cops has some validity..."

More accurately, "the anecdotal evidence I provide is more valid than simply anecdotal evidence...", regardless of whether the body of your allegations are truthful or no.

[heaven05]

30. No matter your point

Last edited Sun Jun 18, 2017, 08:23 AM - Edit history (1)

your features are not like an AA males, first pass usually and then you spout some kind of knowledge about how to act with a PO who already has preconceived notions about his and the AA males manhood. ....most fall short and shoot first and ask questions later.....no jail, no court, just execution....YOU CANNOT tell me how an AA male should act when most do act in a way to mirror your advice and doesn't mean shit to a white cop, male or female in old ameriKKKa and now trump ameriKKKa, same as old ameriKKKa.....

[JI7]

6. well, i'm south asian and i haven't had people tell me to go back where i came from, therefore the

story of the man shot dead by white racist just can't be true. maybe he was shot dead because he was not respectful . and the claims of him tell them to go back where they came from just can't be true since it didn't happen to me .

[mcar]

18. Well alrighty then

Case closed.

[heaven05]

29. You are not

american AA POC,.....you most times will get a pass.....I know your facial features....as usual jumping on the wagon to push the meme that unarmed AA males are not shot out of proportion to white male demographics and s. asian demographics in this country....lived here 69 years and I totally disagree with your half baked analysis....you can't see unarmed AA getting shot in the back? You can't see unarmed 11 year old children getting shot down on playgrounds while black and playing with toy guns? You can't see skittles and ice tea scattered on the ground next to an dead unarmed AA kid who just happened to be in HIS upscale neighborhood wearing a hoodie and have some pig shit security guard kill him because he talked back to him? NO white or asian kid has had that happen lately.....I could go on and on, but I am going to get off of your post and try to ignore your ability to make ameriKKKan racism all about just you...yeah you have a good life, ya heah and enjoy your "passes'!!!!!!!!!!

[sheshe2]

32. Thank you, heaven.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

46. anti blackness is a specific issue, that you as as an Asian do not experience

not all people of color are the same, and i dont know why you are pretending they are

[golfguru]

60. Please read my post #58.

[AgadorSparticus]

47. You got lucky. It is just a matter of time before YOU cross paths with one of them...

A racist police officer that is looking for trouble.

My husband is a very dark skinned, tall & big south asian man. He is a soft spoken man who is a highly educated professional. When he got pulled over for speeding (10mph over), the officer came to the window looking for trouble. My husband remained calm, respectful and deferential the entire interaction. Hell, he even apologized THREE fucking times and the jackass was still going off about speeding in an angry, volatile manner.

I can hold my tongue but my facial expressions are never held back. The cop looked at me a few times and if looks could kill, he would have died a thousand times.

I will never forget that day. That day was the day we had to explain to our kids about shitty cops and what we, people of color, need to do in a situation like that in order to stay ALIVE.

So while it hasn't happened to you YET, don't be fooled to think it is because you are more special than we are. It doesn't matter how educated or successful you are. Or who you know or how perfect your English is. These assholes only see color.

In my glares at him, the name on his badge etched into my brain. I waited until the next day when I have worked through my anger, that I filed a complaint. And while I doubt it will do much, I know I did as much as I could. My hope is that others will do the same.

[golfguru]

50. Please read post #49.

And I do not doubt your experience for a minute. But it is what it is. There definitely are some cops looking for trouble. And that includes cops of all colors. There were AA cops involved in killing that man in Ohio (from memory?)

The fact remains, which is, stay calm, stay respectful, no matter how rude the cop is. The cop is in control in the street. He/she is armed, you are most likely not. In court, even the rude cops seem to act respectful! Because in court you are equal with the cop, and there is a superior authority present in court, also known as the judge.

[Iggo]

59. You should take that argument over to the Northern European American Group.

[irisblue]

14. In new study.....water is wet.

Some people are jerks
Some people who are jerks carry guns and hurt civilians.

[heaven05]

31. some on here

in this thread just can't grasp the truth about THE AA experience with white cops particularly, in this country. Or maybe they just plain don't want to see the truth....more than likely the case....methinks.

[sheshe2]

33. Ya, I noticed that too.

Thanks.

[golfguru]

49. AA experience has been terrible

in the past. Nothing worse than AA's forced to live as slaves until Abe Lincoln came along.

However I am talking present day situation. Every police brutality, mis-behavior etc in the news has 1 thing in common. The AA stopped did not act with respect, and did not comply the cop's orders.

The place to argue about your unfair stop and ticket or even rude behavior by the cop is in courts. Not in the street where the cop is in control. In court the cop is your equal, not your superior.

In my own case, I have received fair amount of traffic tickets, especially in city of Chicago. Many were totally unjustified. I was in my 20's. Looking back, I am so glad I had the wisdom to not get belligerent with the cop. I went to traffic court instead. IIRC, I beat almost all unjustified tickets. Sometimes I had to attend traffic school, but the fine was waived and nothing added to my driving record.

[zipplewrath]

52. Have you watched the video

Did you watch the Castile video? Please point to the part where he was disrespectful.

[golfguru]

54. One example does not make the rule

I am 100% sure there are rogue cops out there who are racists. But that makes my point even more important. Which is, your odds of celebrating next birthday are 1000% improved if you comply with orders emanating from the cop's mouth. One of the reasons I just celebrated by 77th.

[sheshe2]

53. You do know slavery did not end with the

Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, correct? Peonage ended in 1942 with Roosevelt, 79 years later.

[golfguru]

57. it is worse than that...

racial discrimination is alive and well, although it is noticeably less than in 1960 when I first immigrated here. And racial discrimination exists in some form in all 36 countries I have traveled to. It will never disappear until all races mix so that all human beings look pretty much the same.

[LanternWaste]

55. You will of course, provide objective (rather than anecdotal) evidence to support this allegation, y

"Every police brutality, mis-behavior etc in the news has 1 thing in common..."

You will of course, provide objective (rather than anecdotal) evidence to support this allegation, yes?

[golfguru]

56. I will add a correction...

"ALMOST every police brutality....."

There are exceptions to every rule. But that is no reason to abandon ALL rules. We always need a list of rules to become a civilized society.

[LanternWaste]

64. Who specifically is arguing rules are unnecessary to a society?

Who specifically is arguing rules are unnecessary to a society or to abandon "ALL" of them?

[stephensolomita]

34. How the Irish Became White

There's a book out there entitled "How The Irish Became White" by Noel Ignatiev. He argues that, for Irish immigrants in the 19th Century, the price of admission to the white coalition was an embrace of white supremacy. His argument, too complex to analyze here, is persuasive, but the same argument works for Italians, Jews, Poles, Greeks and the rest of the Europeans who came to this country. The first step, of course, is to blame the victim. African-Americans living in New York, are poor because of a defect or character flaw. West Virginia coal miners, on the other hand, are victims of reverse racism.
Praise the Lord and pass the chicken.

[JHan]

48. ++++++

[golfguru]

58. My role models are...

African Americans who have succeeded in spite of discrimination. And there are perhaps 10 million or more of them living better standard of living than average. Those are the people to emulate, not the others. Most prominent of course is Barack Obama.

[JI7]

61. you don't know much about Obama as Obama does not separate himself from these black people you try

to put in a different category from Obama himself.

he said it all when he said if he had a son he would have been trayvon martin.

i know it feels nice to believe you got where you are because you are better than others but that just isn't the case.

and obama knows it also.

[Billy Jingo]

51. "My man" ???

Who talks like that? It sounds like something out of a Starsky and Hutch episode.