COM Outlook Winter 2021

20 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE BY APURVA SRIVASTAV racial profiling and the police T he issue of racial bias and race relations seems to have reached a zenith in 2020. With the focus on police brutality and abuse of power by police, I feel like this is a good time to pull back from the extreme displays that often appear in the national media and bring light to smaller interactions, which is where I believe the cognitive dissonance that occurs with racial bias becomes attenuated. I am a Brown man, and through- out much of my adult life, I have been racially profiled. However, I have also been in a few interactions I believe were not initially racially motivated, but could contribute to a tolerance for racial bias moving forward. I think we can glean valuable information by reflect- ing on encounters like these. For example, I was pulled over for running a red light after leaving a relatively upper-class neighbor- hood in what could be considered a higher-end car late at night. Shortly after taking my license and registra- tion, the officer started asking questions about my school and what kind of student I was, and if I had any previous history of bad behavior at school or criminal activity. It is very likely that the officer had no malice behind these questions. The officer could have justified his behavior by saying he was trying to put me at ease through conversation. However, these questions were jarring. This was a traffic stop that should have been over relatively quickly with a ticket or, hopefully, a warning. So, why were these questions being asked? Was the officer look- ing for a reason to escalate the situation? Was this a normal part of interacting with him? Does he ask everybody this? At this point, the situation had the potential to go south because my body language displayed uncomfortableness. Had the officer simply asked if I knew why I was pulled over, explained what I did, and told me what the consequences were, this would have been a much smoother experience. I understand the professional barrier between me and the officer. I am not trying to be his friend, and I understand that he wants to do his job. I also think this is how most other citizens who find themselves in my situation also feel. Just as most officers are good, most offenders are aware they did something wrong and are willing to accept the consequences. Citizens should, and often do, view interac- tions with law enforcement as an unfortunate business transaction. However, for this ideal to be upheld, both parties must do their part to actively ensure that the entire interaction is focused on the situation at hand. As it currently stands, citizens feel they have no real way to voice their concerns about issues such as profiling or bias. Police are meant to serve the people, so a regular forum between police and citizens may lead to overall and increased positive interactions on both ends. Apurva Srivastav is a fourth-year KPCOM student.