Public outcry against police brutality is a growing global phenomenon. People are demanding accountability when excessive force is used, and are calling for a rejection of racial profiling and discriminatory policing practices.
Police violence is a systemic issue that erodes public trust and disproportionately impacts racialised and marginalised communities. Excessive use of force, particularly against marginalised groups, is a direct challenge to the rule of law and violates human rights, such as the rights to life and to be free from torture and other ill-treatment. The consequences are far-reaching and include:
- Pain and suffering: The unlawful use of force leads to physical pain and psychological trauma, sometimes amounting to torture or ill-treatment or arbitrary killing.
- Less effective policing: Good policing is built upon information provided by the public. When trust and confidence in law enforcement erodes, people are less likely to provide information to the police, and public safety suffers.
- Disorder and polarisation: In the long term, discriminatory policing practices lead to mistrust in institutions, and can foster collective grievances which can fracture communities and find expression in widespread unrest.
At Omega, we’re committed to tackling police violence on multiple fronts:
- Global Monitoring: We track and highlight trends in the use of force by police around the world, building a comprehensive picture of the negative human rights impacts.
- Equipment Scrutiny: We identify police equipment inherently prone to abuse or subject to widespread misuse, advocating for prohibitions, restrictions and safer alternatives.
- Building Capacity: We provide judicial authorities with the knowledge and tools they need to exercise more effective oversight over police and enable accountability for abuses.
- Raising Standards: We work to strengthen international use of force standards and advocate for police policy and practices that align with these principles.
