An overwhelming number of police officers–something in the order 90 percent, by some polls–supported Donald Trump for President in the past election. And that shouldn’t come as an overwhelming surprise; police tend to break conservative in comparison to their surrounding communities in general. But beyond that, at a time when there is increased attention in media (progressive and social) to anti-police protests and sentiments, Donald Trump was a vociferous supporter of law enforcement.
But the President being a vociferous supporter of law enforcement won’t change the conversation. And let me be clear: I do not think loud, complete, and unqualified support is what law enforcement needs.
For decades, police enjoyed unquestioned authority. In court, our word was gospel. On the street, disrespect could be corrected with a nightstick. In the wrong, we were protected by the “blue wall of silence.” And while you still see echoes of that in popular culture (in the words of Chris Rock, “If the police have to come get you, they’re bringing an ass-kicking with them”), the truth we live in a time where that world is disappearing. Today, an equipment failure that disables a video camera will be met with extreme skepticism. Today, the first, second and third punches might be justified, while the fourth constitutes a criminal offense for which an officer will be prosecuted. Today, a good cop will say what my Field Training Officer said to me: “I will never lie for you. Don’t ever lie for me.”
That’s a damn hard adjustment to make. The very definition of privilege is it becomes so ingrained, so depended on, that its removal will result in absolute outrage. I don’t care how progressive you are, I bet you’re enjoying some privileges that you would absolutely scream over if they went away.
Being maligned in the media, bad-mouthed by politicians, and protested in the streets can be a hard pill to swallow for anyone. But when you’re part of a profession that half the six-year-olds in America want to join when they grow up, it’s absolutely devastating. So when a politician says he will have your back 100 percent, that brings some hope.
But it won’t change anything. In fact, I’ll go one stop further and say it’s the wrong approach.
There are communities in America–largely communities of color–for whom the police are more akin to an occupying army than those who serve and protect. This is born of truth: They’ve experienced being racially profiled. They’ve experienced excessive force. They’ve seen the police aggressively go after people for violations that, in other neighborhoods, are ignored. They’ve had friends or family members killed by the police. They don’t need statistics to tell them that use of force is far higher with Black suspects. And even if we pretend we have magically corrected all of these injustices, that racism is gone, that the police are perfect now, the memory of injustice persists, and it affects the experience of even the most innocent and professional police encounter.
There are communities that align themselves with those mentioned above. They may not have to face those same issues, but they have seen them, they have watched the news, they have read the statistics, and they know there are changes that need to be made in policing. So they join the marches, they wear shirts that say Black Lives Matter, they repost cell phone videos and tweets calling for the prosecution of officers.
As an educated, attentive person who occasionally tries to be objective, I know there are serious grievances that need to be addressed. And as a cop, I know that there are a lot of ways in which both the groups above–particularly the latter–might not see the full picture.
But even as a cop, I don’t want someone to just say “I support the police 100 percent.” Because that person will have no credibility with the people I described above.
If any actual cops are still reading, let’s say all these folks are whiners, haters, and just dead wrong. It doesn’t matter, someone who takes our side isn’t going to help. Think of a time you’ve been in a disagreement with someone, appealed to an authority, and they took the other person’s side. Were you satisfied? Did you say, “Oh, I guess I was wrong?” Or did you bitterly accuse (either out loud or in your head) the authority of taking the other person’s side?
What we need is someone who can make both sides feel heard. Someone who will help both sides understand each other. President Obama tried, but was not really successful.
Our white president siding with the police is not going to make Black Lives Matter or any other anti-police sentiments go away. It’s not going to make the police more aggressive or abusive, either. It won’t change protesters or police. It’ll earn Facebook posts, but if you’re hopeful about, or worried about, it changing how you experience police day-to-day, I suspect you’re wrong.
My next few posts will be about specific, technical ways in which the Trump Presidency might or might not have an impact on local law enforcement.