Sonoma State University: Economic Inequality, Gender Bias, Racism, Police Brutality, and LGBTQ Discrimination

Summary of a research project done at Sonoma State University. We were interested in finding out whether students at Sonoma State were experiencing police brutality. Students at Sonoma State were asked questions about their interactions with the police department in Rohnert Park, Cotati, and Sonoma State.

In ​our​ ​research​ ​project,​ ​I​ ​found​ ​that​ ​police​ ​brutality​ ​is​ ​not​ ​really​ ​present​ ​at​ ​Sonoma​ ​State.

When​ ​I​ ​conducted​ ​my​ ​surveys​ ​I​ ​found​ ​that​ ​there​ ​was​ ​more​ ​positive​ ​than​ ​negative​ ​experience among​ ​Sonoma​ ​State​ ​students​ ​and​ ​the​ ​police​ ​department.​ ​Most​ ​people​ ​who​ ​reported​ ​having​ ​a negative​ ​experience​ ​was​ ​because​ ​the​ ​police​ ​officer​ ​gave​ ​them​ ​a​ ​ticket​ ​or​ ​the​ ​officer​ ​had​ ​a​ ​bad attitude.​ ​I​ ​interviewed​ ​a​ ​Latina​ ​female​ ​and​ ​a​ ​Latino​ ​male.​ ​The​ ​male​ ​had​ ​a​ ​neutral​ ​experience​ ​with the​ ​police​ ​officer​ ​because​ ​he​ ​got​ ​pulled​ ​over​ ​for​ ​doing​ ​something​ ​illegal​ ​but​ ​said​ ​the​ ​officer​ ​was respectful​ ​during​ ​the​ ​process.​ ​The​ ​female​ ​student​ ​said​ ​she​ ​had​ ​a​ ​negative​ ​experience​ ​because​ ​she got​ ​a​ ​ticket​ ​and​ ​the​ ​officer​ ​was​ ​being​ ​rude.​ ​Through​ ​the​ ​surveys​ ​and​ ​interviews, ​I​ ​have​ ​come​ ​to the​ ​conclusion​ ​that​ ​police​ ​brutality​ ​is​ ​not​ ​an​ ​issue​ ​at​ ​Sonoma​ ​State.​ ​However,​ ​it​ ​does​ ​seem​ ​that police​ ​officer​ ​in​ ​Rohnert​ ​Park,​ ​Cotati,​ ​and​ ​at​ ​Sonoma​ ​State​ ​have​ ​a​ ​bad​ ​attitude​ ​when​ ​pulling students​ ​over.