In 1999, Amadou Diallo was killed in the Bronx N.Y. for pulling out his wallet to show police that he was not an alleged rapist.

In 2006, Sean Bell was killed on his wedding day for pulling out a phone. In 2012, Trayvon Martin was killed in Miami, Fla. for suspicious activity involving skittles and iced tea by a neighborhood robo cop.

In recent news, former FAMU football player Jonathan Ferrell was shot and killed by officer Randall Kerrick. Police received a call about a man attempting to break into homes.

When the police arrived, they found what was described as the “suspect.” In reality it was Ferrell seeking help after surviving a severe car accident.

Supposedly, Ferrell charged at Kerrick and two other officers on the scene. With one officer failing to control Ferrell with his taser, Kerrick fired multiple shots resulting Ferrell’s death.  

Kerrick was charged with voluntary manslaughter. According to the Charlotte Observer, this incident is one of five deaths within 12 months, dealing with Charlotte Mecklenburg Police. Police ruled the remaining four deaths as being justified.

In a post about Redefining Criminology on Iambored.com, it showed that since 2011 there have been 3, 445 cases reported of misconduct and 258 incidents of police brutality that resulted in fatalities.

The people who are supposed to protect and serve our community are the ones causing the most trouble.

With family in law enforcement, I have the advantage of understanding the concept of when to pull and shoot your gun.

 According to a relative who is in the police force, “the gun is the last resort in a situation. You are only supposed to shoot when you actually see the threat, or if your life is in danger. You have to be focused to make the right judgment. You cannot be nervous or trigger-happy. I think a lot of police officers get intimidated and react by shooting unnecessarily.”

An officer’s job is to protect and serve the community, and take the proper precautions to protect themselves.

Police Officers become untrustworthy when they take the law too far.

The sad part is, the majority of police brutality is geared toward the African American community.

Dressing a certain way, having a certain car, and the color of your skin is what makes you a suspect.

My father, a headstrong deacon in the church, has been pulled over numerous times for driving a car that officers associate with drug dealers.  

The fourth amendment gives citizens the right “to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects. Against unreasonable searches and seizures, not be violated and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause supported by oath affirmation and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be searched.”

The New York Times reported that if an officer questions a civilian, requiring a search, the Supreme Court could rule that the fourth amendment does not apply because the suspect is free to walk away.

How many people know that they have the right to say no and walk away?  When police officers read our rights, we know that we are allowed to remain silent, but when they require a search do they tell us that we have the right to walk away? No. Why? Because the Supreme Court rules that people do not have the right to know that they can say no to an officer.               

The fourth amendment fluctuates which is the reason why most officers legally get away with murders all the time. If a civilian runs from police for any reason the fourth amendment right is of no use. It permits the officer “reasonable cause” to suspect the person as a “criminal.”    

I find it a major contradiction that citizens do not have the right to know their own rights.  The average person does not spend their time reviewing the constitution. If a part of a police’s job description is to tell the suspect that they have the right to remain silent, they can include the right to say no in the case of a search with no warrant. If communities are educated about their rights, justice will be served.

—Email Meagan at [email protected] and follow us on twitter @TheATRegister

• Megan Jordan, Opinions Editor