The shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., has brought police abuse of power to the spotlight. Conflicting witness stories and a non-existent police report have left many believing the officer was abusing his power when he shot Brown. Outraged protesters have wreaked havoc in the suburb of St. Louis and many questions surrounding the shooting remain.

Members of The Spectator Editorial Board were split between stating the police have been abusing their power and the power used has been necessary, with some speakers not making a decision.

One member said it comes down to a lack of transparency. Since the police force is a public entity, the speaker said the police report and the circumstances surrounding the shooting should be public.

“Someone needs to come out and say, ‘This is what happened,’” the speaker said.

Another member said sometimes the power goes to peoples’ heads and suggested a mental assessment to see if the person is suitable to serve on the police force.

One speaker said there is no reason for these kids to be shot. Another member expressed concern that while police officers carry other weapons on their belts, they are often quick to jump to a gun.

One speaker said there are many instances of abuse, but pointed out there are also conflicting witness reports in the Brown case. Another member said the shooting in Ferguson is about more than the police being too brutal, but spreads to other circumstances. The speaker pointed out that Brown had a criminal record.

While members were not able to come to a consensus on the way police officers are dealing with their power, one speaker said people in many communities have lost trust in the people who are supposed to be protecting them. Another speaker agreed and suggested communities take a second look at how little or how much trust they put in the police force.

“If people are seeing these things,” one member said, “why isn’t there a change?”

The staff editorial reflects the majority opinion of the Editorial Board and is written by the Op/Ed Editor. Columns, cartoons and letters are the opinion of the author/artist and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Spectator as a whole.