Much has been said — and much more should follow — about the militarization of the police inAmerican cities. The images coming out of Ferguson, MO these past weeks testify to the distribution of military-grade hardware, gear, guns, and vehicles to your everyday police officer.
Here I’d like to focus on just one small part of this distribution of military-grade equipment: the uniform. It’s not, by a long shot, the most straightforwardly dangerous, but it is a powerful symbol. It’s a “dead giveaway,” writes a political scientist at Gin & Tacos, that there is something amiss with the “mindset of law enforcement.” He’s referring to the swapping of blue or tan in favor of camouflage, like in this photo by Whitney Curtis for The New York Times:
From Gin & Tacos:
Of what conceivable practical use could green or desert camouflage be in a suburban environment? Gonna help you blend in with the Taco Bell or the liquor store? Even if they did wear something that helped conceal them, that would be counterproductive to the entire purpose of policing in a situation like that; law enforcement wants to be visible to act as a deterrent to violent or property crimes in a public disturbance.
He concludes that “[t]here is only one reason those cops would wear camo” and, if I can put words in his mouth, it’s to be frightening and intimidating. And, perhaps, to enjoy being so.
This is clear when we think about the role that camo plays in everyday fashion. For women, it’s a fun appropriation of masculinity. For men, it’s a way to signal “I’m tough” by reference to hunting or soldiering. What irony, after all, that black men in Ferguson were also photographed wearing camo during the unrest that followed Brown’s death.
On their bodies, of course, the camouflage is much more benign. In contrast, alongside kevlar, automatic rifles, and riot shields on cops, it’s terrifying. It sends a clear message to the people of Ferguson: you are now enemy combatants.
i think that cops shouldnt beable to walk around with military wepons and camo on, it makes people think the police are fighting against them and arnt there to protect them, it sends the wrong message to the community
ReplyDeleteI can understand how citizens may find policemen wearing camouflage frightening. i agree with what was said above: how does camouflage blend in with the suburban environment? I think that camouflage should stay the military's uniform and not the police force's, unless there are special circumstances.
ReplyDeletepoliceman wearing camo uniforms in the suburban environment has sent strong messages. Many people are frightened by the actions these policeman are making. In ways the actions and symbols the policeman are showing are frightening. I feel the police should wear normal police uniforms, not full on camo.
ReplyDeleteObviously police officers wearing camo got the attention of many people. Wearing camo in this specific region may have sent the wrong message. When the officers wore camo it frightened people more than anything because they did not blend in with there environment. It was more of a message of power than anything. They did not need camo they are just fine wearing normal police uniforms unless there is durastic measures.
ReplyDeleteHaving law enforcement walk around in camouflage and carry around large weapons is only sending the citizens a message saying that they're not in control. Growing up, we're told not to fear cops or military personnel; but when something like this happens, it's almost like they're taking back what they told us.
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