Black Police, White Society

Book excerpt: This book presents an historical overview of black police in the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the working conditions experienced by black police officers in the NYPD today, based on interviews with 46 officers. The historical overview looks at the accomplishments and failures of black police officers in terms of the racial barriers they faced regarding promotion and career advancement. It considers the social, political, and legal events of the 1960's and early 1970's that have shaped the present character of American race relations in general and police race relations in particular. Data are presented documenting the attempts made by organized black police groups and the courts to redress officers' racial problems. Particular attention is given to the efforts of the Guardians Association in New York City to establish through the Federal courts a racial quota system in hiring and promotion. The interviews portray the gains officers have made over the past few years. The working relationships between white and black police officers are explored, with special attention devoted to the variable nature of police race relations. The final section examines the social variables and processes involved in police relations with the black community. Traditional causes of conflict between blacks and police are identified; the impact of adding more blacks to the police force in the early 1970's and assigning them to racially sensitive areas of the city is considered. Specific views are presented on the issues of 'integrated police precincts' and 'working teams.' The last chapter addresses the various meanings policing seems to hold for black officers as well as the black community. Particular attention is focused on those problems which police (both black and white) routinely confront in attempting to reconcile their work role with the expectations black citizens attach to police. Black youth and black offenders are also discussed.