Accepted Answer

Hi, and thanks for giving me the opportunity to answer your question.

One of the most famous events in recent history was the arrest of Rodney King by the Los Angeles police department in 1991. The incident was caught on tape by an onlooker, and the police involved were charged with using excessive force. The acquittal in 1992 of the officers on virtually all charges sparked violence in the African-American community, which led to rioting in South Central LA. 55 persons were killed, and many were injured in the melee.

The police could have responded differently by: 1.) Subduing King in a more professional manner, calling for more backup if needed before attempting to arrest King, 2.) Removing King from the scene immediately, 3.) Making the general public more aware of the basis of the acquittal. There was 13 seconds of the videotape that the media did not expose to the general public, in which King was shown violently charging the officers.

There are many references to this incident on the web, but here's a good, concise summation of the whole thing from start to finish:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_King

I hope that this has answered your question. Please let me know if there is anything else that I can do to help.

Good luck, and best regards,

Michael

(I would very much appreciate your clicking on the green 'Accept' button, as it is the ONLY way that I get compensated for my time. Thanks VERY much!)