In All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, Quinn Collins must come to terms with an incident of police brutality, and he moves from trying to remain neutral to taking a stand for justice. Let's look at this in more detail.

At the beginning of the novel, Quinn witnesses police officer Paul Galuzzo beat Rashad Butler. Rashad has done nothing wrong, but a clerk at a gas station accuses him of stealing. Quinn is a close friend of the Galuzzo family, and Paul has sometimes been a father figure to him.

At first, Quinn determines that he will remain neutral, even as the students at his high school are quickly taking sides. Quinn's neutrality, though, reflects his unwillingness to deal with the issue and his desire for everything to remain as it was.

As the story progresses, however, Quinn realizes that things are not and will never be as they were. He must choose a side. He must discern what is right and what is wrong. He learns to put his emotions and his attachment to Paul to one side and look at the situation more objectively. When he does, he understands that Rashad has been badly mistreated and that Paul is guilty of brutality.

At the end of the novel, Quinn joins Rashad in a protest against police brutality. This is costly for Quinn, for his best friend has turned hostile toward him, but Quinn has learned that he must stand up for what is right. And he does.