"Are people of color more suspicious? I mean...it's in the back of your mind. Personally, for me, it comes down to what we are fed, the criminal statistics, what you see on the media and social media and how African Americans are portrayed in terms of crime. But aside from all of that, as an officer, you still need to have professional courtesy. It's self before service. Always. And no one should be a beating post."

Police brutality is without a doubt on the rise, with new cases being brought to the media's attention daily. The Black Lives Matter movement not only fights to bring police brutality into the light but they fight to be seen for their character, not their color. The BLM movement was rooted from the rising of police brutality but has grown into a movement not just to end police brutality, but the stereotyping and injustice placed on them by the rest of society, that often times poses them as more of a threat.

Statistics back up the belief that men and women of color are dealt with in the lowest terms of trust.

For example, 30 percent of black victims were unarmed in 2015 compared to 19 percent of unarmed white victims in terms of police brutality.

1 in 3 black people killed by police were suspected of a violent crime and armed while 69 percent were non-violent and unarmed.

Wilson county Sherriff's deputy and SWAT team member, Justin Smith, sat down to express the pressures and procedures of protecting the public, the disappointment in officers who abuse power and the eagerness to be trusted by all communities.

"Are there bad apples within the force? Absolutely. And I can't speak for those guys, but I know within my department, it's an embarrassment. But if you look at our statistics, police brutality isn't as prevalent here in Tennessee. There has been one case of fatal force against a black woman and she came at the police with an ax."

He continued on to say " In Wilson county, I don't arrest more blacks than I do whites, but when I pull over a black person, they immediately throw their hands up, which is courteous, but I don't want to be seen as a threat. I'm here for the people. Not just ones of certain color. I don't want to profile because I know it isn't based on skin color."

The question lies in why there is tension lying between people of color and people who wear the badge.

Smith blames the media.

" Both sides are fed such bad about the other. You see crazy riots in the media. You see the damage bad cops have done on social media, but something that is consistent on both sides is the lack of the whole story. And that's the media's fault."

In regards to how officers handle situations and the term "excessive force" Smith feels not enough information is given and questions where the definitions come from.

"Who is saying it was excessive force? Was it excessive or was it just necessary to use a high level of force? If a guy that's twice my size isn't complying then I have to go one step beyond. Whether you're guilty or not, 'under arrest' isn't an option; you still have to comply with the law, and if you are under investigation, then you are required, by the law, to comply, or we are responsible to make you, in order to protect the rest of the public. And when we give someone a command there are laws we have to go by ourselves, and I take those seriously. None of the officers I work with want to use force that exceeds the situation. We seek peace, and that's accounted for in the number of complaints and reprimands we have for using too much force. Personally, I have never been told by a suspect or a supervisor that I have used excessive force. 90 percent of the time I can talk someone into a pair of handcuffs."

He also explained the continuum of the police force.

"We are taught service before self, before anything else, from the moment you step into the academy. But once you become an officer there is a continuum we follow. The most important thing in any situation is to arrive to the call safely. It goes police presence, verbal, physical, chemical, taser, and then deadly force. Do you always have the chance to follow the continuum in that exact order? No. Situations can go from 0 to 100 in a second, but you have to react to the suspect."

Within Wilson county, officers receive 40 hours of in-service training each year. Within that training, Smith stated that officers spend at least half of the hours participating in de-escalation training and scenario-based situations using role play, to see how officers respond and how they can improve. The officers are trained to realize when force is necessary and how to read their suspects to the best of their ability. The SWAT team also undergoes 16 hours of training a month.

Though he can't speak for every department and their training, he has confidence in the in-service training he is provided and it is reflected in his performance as an officer.

Though brutality isn't a problem within his department, Smith agrees that there is a problem at hand, and it isn't just with a number of officers going too far.

"I think racism is absolutely an issue and I support the BLM movement in some ways. Everybody needs to have a voice. I also think excessive force is an issue. Excessive force, but not use of force is a problem. There are many types of force, from verbal to deadly. I think many people consider physical force to be excessive when it really is necessary."

When it comes to creating change within the mess of race and officers abusing power, Smith strives to serve the people the best he can and keep situations from getting out of hand.

"I hold myself and my coworkers to a higher standard. We need to be more accountable because we are the ones out here upholding and enforcing the law. That goes hand in hand with not allowing situations to get out of control and with de-escalating situations with minimal force as long as it's possible. We look for peace, and we want the community to trust us. Because at the end of the day, when they're in a crisis, it's us they are calling and trusting for help."