As I walk down the street and see a police officer, I suddenly try to act as normal as possible and become nervous, fearing that the officer will arrest me just because I am suspicious. Many of my fears of the police stem from the fact that they are portrayed by the media as strict and brutal in their application of force. Although law enforcement receives a very negative image that is not always true, they play a vital role in our community. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay As a nation, we choose to have laws that govern the boundaries of our behavior. However, if these laws are not enforced, they are ineffective. To deter crime, we create penalties that individuals face if they break a law. Part of a police officer's job is to enforce the law: he or she can impose a penalty, such as a ticket, on someone who runs a red light. This police duty contributes to the negative view that American society gives to the police, as it is associated with punishing and arresting people to enforce the law. In light of our view that the police are there only to impose sanctions, Inciardi states that its peacekeeping activities even include "areas of public service such as directing traffic, resolving disputes …and childbirth” (Inciardi 182). Thus, it is safe to say that we elect our law enforcement officers for activities that go far beyond simply reducing crime. Commissioning the police is not without cost to our civil liberties. For example, the surveillance activity of a police officer intrudes on my privacy as I walk on the sidewalk. It gives law enforcement authority over individuals who may or may not enjoy losing their autonomy. This is demonstrated when Inciardi mentions a police observer who gives an example demonstrating this loss of autonomy: the person in the example would call the police rather than shoot the individual who tries to cut down his tree, thus losing its right of use. forces and hands him over to the police (Inciardi 184-185). Through biased methods, the media can skew our view of the police towards a more negative view, one of a lack of control over their use of force. A clear example of this is found in an article written by Michael Snyder stating: "Just this week there were stories about police killing a baby deer at an animal shelter, about police killing a WWII veteran world of 95 years in an animal shelter. retirement home…” (Snyder). This bias by omission aims to provoke public opinion that ignores the many other positive contributions such as the safe streets provided by the police during the week. Another key factor in media coverage of law enforcement is that it is biased toward profits. With the George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin affair, according to Jaime Ortega, the media "turned the entire affair into a racially motivated solo prosecution to promote his guilt and sponsor an anti-Zimmerman campaign that would last over a year" ( Ortega). This focus skews the case by twisting and omitting facts such as Trayvon Martin's past, favoring a one-sided view that Zimmerman should be punished. In doing so, the issue can be transformed into a much hotter topic that will raise money for the media and activist groups supporting Trayvon. In..