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By Darius Spearman (africanelements)
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| KEY TAKEAWAYS |
|---|
| The Parma police frisked a 5-year-old boy during a routine traffic stop. |
| Police justified the frisk based on a false alert from a drug detection dog. |
| Studies indicate that police dogs have a high rate of false alerts. |
| The incident has ignited debates about systemic racial bias in policing. |
| Community trust in law enforcement is deeply affected by such incidents. |
| Transformative public safety reforms are needed to address systemic racism. |
Racial Profiling and Police Overreach: The Frisking of a 5-Year-Old Black Child in Ohio
On December 26, 2024, a routine traffic stop in Parma, Ohio, turned into a troubling incident, sparking fresh debates about racial profiling and police overstep. Brandon Wilson, a Black father, faced public scrutiny when police officers frisked his 5-year-old son during a stop for an expired tag and tinted windows. This event has shocked the community and beyond, showing ongoing issues of racial bias in law enforcement and the impact on Black youth.
The Incident: A Father’s Outrage and a Child’s Trauma
Brandon Wilson’s encounter with Parma police started calmly but quickly became a nightmare no parent should endure. Instead of issuing a simple ticket for the expired tag and window tint, police created a distressing scene for Wilson and his young son. Police claimed probable cause, based on a K-9 alert, to search both the car and its occupants— including the 5-year-old child.
The justification for this intrusive search was weak. The Parma Police Department said a police dog alerted them to drugs, giving probable cause for a thorough search. However, this claim was unfounded, as no drugs were found. This brings up questions about how trustworthy police dogs are in justifying searches.
Studies indicate that police dogs can give false alerts 50% to 85% of the time, questioning their reliability as a tool for probable cause (Atlanta Black Star).
Exploring Racial Bias in Policing
This incident is part of a larger problem affecting law enforcement across the United States. The unequal targeting of Black individuals for traffic stops is well-recognized and continues to damage trust between communities of color and police.
In Ohio, Black people were 75% of traffic stops for illegal tints, showing the racial bias in these actions. This bias extends beyond traffic stops to interactions between police and youth of color. The 2025 RIPA Report Draft by the California Department of Justice showed Black and Hispanic/Latine(x) youth faced more stops and were subject to force by law enforcement (2025 RIPA Report Draft).
Legal Concerns and Police Accountability
The use of force by police during traffic stops follows the “objective reasonableness” standard under the Fourth Amendment, as seen in the Graham v. Conner case. This replaced the “shock the conscience” rule with the “objective reasonableness” standard for judging force against people stopped by police (Ethical Use of Force).
While this standard aims to evaluate police actions fairly, incidents like the one in Parma call into question its ability to prevent overreach and protect citizens’ rights. The frisking of a 5-year-old pushes the limits of what is “objectively reasonable,” pointing to the need for better guidelines and accountability.
Understanding Racial Profiling and Police Overreach
Racial profiling occurs when law enforcement targets individuals based on race, ethnicity, or national origin, rather than on behavior or evidence. This practice often leads to biased policing, which can damage community relations and violate citizens’ rights. It persists in various forms despite legal standards, affecting how officers interact with different communities. (Racially Biased Policing: A Principled Response)
Police overreach refers to situations where officers exceed their legal authority, leading to abuse of power. This can include excessive force, unlawful searches, or civil rights violations. Such actions undermine public trust and can have serious consequences for both officers and citizens. (Law Enforcement Abuse of Power)
What is Racial Profiling?
Racial Profiling: When police target people based on race or ethnicity rather than behavior or evidence. This leads to unfair treatment and harms trust between law enforcement and communities.
The Role of Probable Cause and Objective Reasonableness
Probable cause is a legal standard that requires a reasonable belief that a person has committed a crime or that evidence is present in a place. It is essential for justifying searches, seizures, and arrests. Without it, law enforcement actions may be unlawful. (Racially Biased Policing: A Principled Response)
Objective reasonableness assesses an officer’s use of force based on what a reasonable officer would do in similar circumstances. This standard considers the facts known to the officer at the time. It aims to balance public safety with individual rights. (8.050 – Use of Force Definitions)
Examining the Use of K-9 Units in Policing
K-9 units involve police dogs trained to assist in law enforcement tasks such as detecting drugs, tracking suspects, and finding missing persons. While they can be valuable tools, concerns exist about their reliability, especially when dogs falsely alert to the presence of drugs. Studies indicate that false alerts can occur frequently, raising questions about their use for establishing probable cause. (Atlanta Black Star)
These false alerts can lead to unwarranted searches and infringements on individual rights. Therefore, evaluating the dependence on K-9 units is essential, ensuring their use does not contribute to unjust policing practices. (How to Become a K9 Officer)
Addressing Disproportionality in Policing
Statistics showing that Black individuals make up a large percentage of traffic stops for specific violations highlight disparities in policing. For instance, when Black people account for 75% of stops for illegal tints, it suggests uneven enforcement. These disproportionalities point to potential bias and require an examination of policing practices to ensure fairness. (Racially Biased Policing: A Principled Response)
Understanding and addressing these disparities is crucial. It involves analyzing data, engaging with communities, and implementing policies that promote equitable treatment for all individuals, regardless of race or ethnicity. (Racially Biased Policing: A Principled Response)
The Importance of Cultural Competence in Law Enforcement
Cultural competence refers to an officer’s ability to understand and respect the cultural differences within their community. Officers can improve their interactions with diverse populations by receiving training in cultural awareness. This training helps reduce biases and fosters better relationships between law enforcement and the public. (Racially Biased Policing: A Principled Response)
Moreover, cultural competence promotes effective communication and can prevent misunderstandings that might escalate situations unnecessarily. Investing in this area is key to building trust and ensuring just policing practices. (Racially Biased Policing: A Principled Response)
The Impact on Community Trust
Incidents like Parma’s have impacts beyond the immediate trauma on those involved. They erode trust in law enforcement, making it harder for police departments to protect everyone effectively.
Search Rates and Outcomes by Race
Search Rates During Vehicle Stops
Hit Rates for Contraband
The ACLU Illinois found white drivers more likely to have contraband during consent searches than Black and Hispanic drivers, suggesting racial bias in search practices. This disparity emphasizes the need for transparent investigations and accountability in law enforcement to fix systemic problems (Atlanta Black Star).
Questioning the Foundations of Systemic Racism
The Parma incident reminds us that minor changes aren’t enough to solve systemic racism in policing. We must address the very roots of these biased practices.
This means rethinking and changing the policies, training methods, and cultures in police forces that allow racial bias. It requires us to rethink public safety and the role of police in our communities.
Pushing for Major Reforms
Instead of small reforms, this incident calls for a major shift in public safety, which may include:
- Reallocating resources from traditional policing to community-based efforts that tackle crime and social issues at their roots.
- Ensure real accountability measures involve more than internal investigations and provide clear, independent reviews of police actions.
- Changing police training to focus on de-escalation and understanding different cultures and communities rather than military-style tactics.
- Enacting rules that ban racial profiling and enforce strict penalties for violations.
- Investing in education and economic opportunities in marginalized communities to tackle systemic inequalities that lead to over-policing.
The frisking of a 5-year-old Black child in Parma, Ohio, is more than a case of police overreach. It reflects a system that continues to allow racial injustice. This troubling event shows that small changes are not enough.
FAQ
Q: What incident is highlighted in the article?
A: The article discusses an incident involving a Black father, Brandon Wilson, whose 5-year-old son was frisked by police during a routine traffic stop in Parma, Ohio, raising concerns about racial profiling and police overreach.
Q: What led to the frisking of the child?
A: The police claimed probable cause for the search was based on a K-9 unit’s alert suggesting drug presence, although no drugs were found after the search.
Q: What questions arise from the police’s actions?
A: The incident raises questions about the reliability of police dogs in providing probable cause for searches, with studies indicating high rates of false alerts.
Q: How does this incident reflect broader issues in policing?
A: It highlights systemic racial bias in law enforcement, evidenced by the disproportionate targeting of Black individuals during traffic stops and the impact on community trust.
Q: What recommendations does the article propose for change?
A: The article advocates for transformative changes, including reallocating resources, robust accountability measures, and policies banning racial profiling to address systemic inequalities.
Q: What does the article conclude about police reform?
A: It emphasizes that superficial reforms are inadequate to combat systemic racism in policing, calling for deep-rooted changes to create a fair and equitable society.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Darius Spearman is a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College, where he has been teaching since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.
