Police brutality is understood as a form of systemic misconduct and unjustified use of excessive force or other forms of oppression by law enforcement agents, specifically targeted towards individuals, typically from minority backgrounds and socio-economically vulnerable communities. This form of violence is often inflicted with impunity, allowing for a continuous pattern of physical and psychological brutality that has dire implications in terms of human rights, and is indicative of a power imbalance between law enforcement officials and civilian populations.

See also: black lives, slave trade, white supremacy, intergenerational trauma, racial justice