Unions Reduce Fatal Police Shootings In White Communities. For Black Communities They Increase Them.

As Black communities across the country prepare to honor Michael Brown, the teenager who was publicly executed 10 years ago tomorrow by former Ferguson, Missouri, police officer, Darren Wilson, a recently published study by Georgia State University and fellow scholars found that police unions, which bring job protection and increased salaries, generally reduce the incidence of cop killings.

Higher rates of pay suggest better educated and more professional people joining the force and better job satisfaction. But generally is the key word here because specifically, that finding was only applicable to white communities.

For Black communities where police were unionized, fatal cop killings rose.

From the study:

“Higher salaries can attract more professional officers who avoid reckless behaviors… not necessarily out of compassion but to keep their jobs.

Strong job protections from collective bargaining, however, can make some officers less worried about consequences. This might explain why better pay didn’t benefit Black people encountering unionized police forces.

Union agreements often include rules that delay questioning officers after incidents or let disciplinary records be hidden or erased. Even after being terminated, problem officers are often rehired through arbitration.”

Unions are good. Until they’re not.

The pioneering study analyzed data from around 282 U.S. city police departments. Of these departments, roughly 74% allowed collective bargaining, a process where employers and employee groups negotiate salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of compensation and rights.

Researchers believe that unionized police forces, with their established cultures, may be resistant to change and less accountable due to reduced fears of disciplinary actions or job loss. In contrast, officers in non-unionized departments may be more vigilant due to the threat of losing their high pay.

The murders of George Floyd and Sonya Massey, for example, show us how cops with poor records are skirt discipline and stay on the job. Certainly that was the case with Floyd’s and Massey’s killers, but just as certainly it’s true for so many other cop killings of unarmed Black children, teens, adults and elders.

Black people have always been the target.

The recent findings are especially concerning given that Black Americans already experience higher rates of fatal police encounters compared to other ethnic groups in the U.S., according to a recent Statista poll.

As of May 27, 2024, there have been 469 civilian deaths resulting from police shootings. Nearly 30 percent of those killings were of Black people who represent roughly 13 percent of the American population.

The recent death of Sonya Massey, the 36-year-old mother who was shot by former deputy Sean Grayson in her home while trying to turn off a boiling pot of water, has called for even more police reform.

Before Grayson shot Massey, his record revealed several issues. According to CNN, the 30-year-old officer had a troubled history, including being discharged from the Army for serious misconduct and pleading guilty to two DUI offenses, one in 2015 and another in 2016.

Since 2020, Grayson has worked for six Illinois law enforcement agencies, including three part-time positions. Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell noted that he was aware Grayson lacked adequate training before joining the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.

Notably, during his tenure with the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, a chief deputy reported that Grayson showed “insufficient caution” when driving through stop intersections. Despite being instructed to halt his pursuit and turn off his emergency lights, Grayson continued speeding at 110 mph in a 55 mph zone before hitting a deer.

Eh. Don’t make a big deal of everything, ‘kay?

Sonya Massey might still be alive if Grayson’s prior behavior  had been addressed. Adding to built-in racism and sexism, union agreements typically complicate the process of removing unqualified officers. They can include provisions that delay questioning officers after incidents, obscure disciplinary records, or even allow problematic officers to be rehired through arbitration after being terminated.

Grayson, who initially lied–and was apparently believed–about Massey’s murder, was dismissed from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department only after attorney for the family, Benjamin Crump, forced the release of Grayson’s bodycam video. It proved the officer lied and that the shooting of the mother of two was unprovoked and cruel.

However, white Missouri police officer Darren Wilson was not charged for the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson in 2014. Brown, who was unarmed, had his hands raised according to many witnesses. But Wilson contended, without credible proof, that Brown had attacked him and that he had acted out of fear for his life.

Beyond the opacity of union protections, cops like Wilson have something else working in their favor: qualified immunity. The doctrine has often been criticized for shielding officers like him from prosecution. The legal principle allows state and local officials to avoid personal consequences for their actions unless they violate “clearly established law,” the Legal Defense Fund notes. It has been frequently used by police officers to evade accountability and civil liability for acts of violence and misconduct.

For all the reform and changes since 2014, no broad changes have yet occurred.

Let’s hope it is a priority come Election Day.

SEE MORE:

National Day Of Action Against Police Terror: Racial Justice Organizations Unite To Demand Change

‘For Our Children:’ Trailer For Documentary About Black Mothers And Police Brutality Released By Ava Duvernay’s Company

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, The study examined data from 282 U.S. city police departments.
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