Black in Blue: A Study of the Negro PolicemanIn-depth interviews with experienced black New York City policemen show that they face a unique set of problems directly related to race. It was found that blacks were often motivated to enter police work by the lack of alternative opportunities in other middle class professions. The black policeman sees the force as dominated by a white officialdom, while white offenders often deny that a non-uniformed black man can be a policeman. Since he is most frequently assigned to ghetto communities, the black policeman becomes the target for expressions of rage and frustration by inner city residents who perceive him as an agent of white repression. His chosen profession also affects the black policeman's social relations. He sometimes avoids the friends of his youth so that he will not learn of criminal behavior and they may avoid him for similar reasons. On and off-duty, the black policeman is drawn into an enclave of other black policemen and becomes a member of a minority group within a minority group. This book will provide additional insights for the police administrator who is directly affected by the problems faced by minority members of his organization. |
Contents
THE POLICEMAN IN THE COMMUNITY | 3 |
THE RECRUITMENT OF NEGROES | 23 |
THE POLICE IMAGE | 57 |
Copyright | |
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arrest assigned attitudes authority become policemen behavior Bill Epton civil rights movement civil service oriented civilian review board color conflict considered crime dilemma discrimination ethnic fact feel force function ghetto Guardians Harlem identify identity ideology Kapo law and order lower-class means ment middle-class minority groups mobility negative Negro and white Negro areas Negro citizens Negro community Negro cop Negro detective Negro offenders Negro officer Negro police officer Negro policeman occupational official role opportunity oriented policemen patrolmen Patrolmen's Benevolent Association person petite bourgeoisie plainclothesman police brutality police department police oriented police role political position precinct prestige problems profes profession Progressive Labor Party race racial radio car reasons recruitment of Negroes repressive response riots situation social stereotype talk tell thing tion Uncle Tom uniform white community white cop white neighborhood white police officer white policemen York youth