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Police speak less respectfully to black drivers, study suggests

G

GK86

Homeland Security Fail
Link.

Link to the study.

A new study suggests that police officers in Oakland, California, are more likely to speak to white community members with a higher level of respect than black community members. The study, which published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, used police body camera footage as data.

More research is needed to determine whether this racial disparity in language occurs in other communities across the US but Rob Voigt, lead author of the study, said that it's worth investigating.
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The study involved 183 hours of body camera footage taken during 981 routine traffic stops by 245 different Oakland Police Department officers in April 2014. The footage of the officers' interactions with community members was transcribed.

The researchers then randomly selected 312 utterances spoken to black community members and 102 spoken to white community members for volunteers to analyze.

The researchers asked the volunteers to read the transcript of one community member's utterance and then the utterance by the police officer that followed in response. The volunteers rated on a four-point scale how respectful, polite, friendly, formal, and impartial the officer was.

Each interaction was rated by at least 10 volunteers, who did not know the names or races of the officers, community members, or any other contextual or identifying information.

Next, the researchers developed a computer model to rate how respectful each interaction was based on pre-existing scientific literature about respectfulness and politeness.

For instance, the computer measured how often police officers introduced themselves, used formal titles such as ma'am or sir, used words like please and thank you, apologized, such as saying "sorry to stop you," and reassured safety, such as saying "drive safe, please" -- all of which are utterances that show signs of respect, according to the study.

For example, the transcripts in the study included these sentences: "Sorry to stop you. My name's Officer [name] with the Police Department." "There you go, ma'am. Drive safe, please."

Less respectful utterances included using informal titles like "man" or first names, or asking for agency, such as saying "do me a favor."

The transcripts in the study included these sentences: "All right, my man. Do me a favor. Just keep your hands on the steering wheel real quick." "[First name], can I see that driver's license again?"

After analyzing all of their data, the researchers found that white community members were 57% more likely to hear an officer say one of the most respectful utterances in the dataset, such as apologizing. Whereas, black community members were 61% more likely to hear an officer say one of the least respectful utterances, such as informal titles.
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C

CazTGG

Member
Xtl8ePh.png
 
R

Redd

Member
I know this as a fact. I've been known to speed here and there in my youth. Cops were nothing but courteous to me. Got pulled over once with a close friend who was driving and it was a different experience.
 
U

UnemployedVillain

Member
Guys I feel like we need to wait for all the facts before we say it's about race. It could be...cultural differences, anxiety, hell I bet some of those drivers were no angels
 
T

theWB27

Member
Were people thinking they'd lull us to sleep with sweet talk before unloading on us for >insert everyday activity here<
 
M

mortal

Banned
You don't say?

Construct of race was a mistake, it's truly nothing but trash.

Made even worse with poorly trained, ignorant, psychopathic police officers, that have absolutely no business wielding authority over others.
 
C

commedieu

Banned
GK86 said:
Obviously it is because Black people break the law more.


/s
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I mean.. u joke.. but.. it's likely to come up.

But their testing methods, blind, seem damning enough. That's how they speak to me for sure. Like I'm just charging up my jungle strike.
 
E

Elegant Weapon

Member
Somnium said:
You don't say?

Construct of race was a mistake, it's truly nothing but trash.

Made even worse with poorly trained, ignorant, psychopathic police officers, that have absolutely no business wielding authority over others.
Click to expand...

You say this as if the concept of race was constructed for any other purpose than to justify dehumanization & colonization
 
E

Ethelwulf

Member
Guys, having a study corroborating what is evident is a nice step forward. Like so people can say "studies have shown" instead of using own experience. Don't think this is irrelevant these are actually good news.
 
E

Emperor_Uriel

Member
"Less respectfully"

To white driver: "Good afternoon, you were going a bit too fast there. May I please see your license and registration?"

To black driver: *Draws gun* "Keep your fucking hands where I can see them! One of your headlights is out. Get out of the car now, place your hands behind your head!" *Calls for backup*
 
S

shandy706

Member
Redd said:
I know this as a fact. I've been known to speed here and there in my youth. Cops were nothing but courteous to me. Got pulled over once with a close friend who was driving and it was a different experience.
Click to expand...

I got pulled over in my Corvette on the way to work by a State Trooper about 16 years ago and was pretty worried. I was doing 15-20 over on a back road. He asked why I was speeding. I just said "I'm on the way to work." Officer said "I know this thing is fast, try to keep it near the speed limit."

He was almost telling me he was sorry he pulled me over. He didn't even give me a warning.

Heh...wonder how that would have gone if I were black.
 
C

commedieu

Banned
Ethelwulf said:
Guys, having a study corroborating what is evident is a nice step forward. Like so people can say "studies have shown" instead of using own experience. Don't think this is irrelevant these are actually good news.
Click to expand...

There's been evidence for decades. Moderates don't care.

#bluelivesmatter
 
M

mortal

Banned
Elegant Weapon said:
You say this as if the concept of race was constructed for any other purpose than to justify dehumanization & colonization
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Well...duh :p

It's amusing how we generally have come to accept it as a natural part of being human in most societies, even though it is incredibly detrimental and counterintuitive for us as a species.
 
G

Gotdatmoney

Member
Ethelwulf said:
Guys, having a study corroborating what is evident is a nice step forward. Like so people can say "studies have shown" instead of using own experience. Don't think this is irrelevant these are actually good news.
Click to expand...

I mean it's positive but this aint changing anyone's mind lol. The people who didn't believe it before aren't gonna let a lil thing like facts fuck up their point.
 
S

SpecX

Member
Surprised? What's even worse is a black cop pulling over a black person. I've been spoken to poorly by a white cop, but damn are black cops even more ruthless and out to get you.
 
E

Elegant Weapon

Member
Somnium said:
Well...duh :p

It's amusing how we generally have come to accept it as a natural part of being human in most societies, even though it is incredibly detrimental and counterintuitive for us as a species.
Click to expand...

I don't think amusing is the word I would use. It's less something we have come to accept and more we've been taught & reinforced through school and mass media
 
?

____

Member
SpecX said:
Surprised? What's even worse is a black cop pulling over a black person. I've been spoken to poorly by a white cop, but damn are black cops even more ruthless and out to get you.
Click to expand...

Yep. It's true.

I remember a black cop pulling me over, and I shit you not, his words:

"When's the last time you were arrested?"
 
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