The New York Times recently released an article claiming that cop shows have entered the “defund era”, whatever that means. The main point of the article is that, in the aftermath of the George Floyd uprisings, traditionally propagandistic cop shows (Law & Order, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, etc.) have changed, responded to critiques, and focused more on reform and "community policing." But what exactly do they mean by community policing? The answer may surprise you.
For those keeping track at home, there are currently at least 18 crime-related programs slated for prime-time slots on major broadcast networks. Three of the five most-viewed scripted network shows last season featured law enforcement and a fourth was about firefighters (shoutout firefighters, the true unsung heroes, rescuing cats and such). In the past, the majority of these shows have painted police in an extremely sympathetic light, solving violent crimes at breakneck speed and piecing together crimes like modern day Sherlock Holmes. But we all know that’s not how pigs actually spend their time, same way we know police haven’t been defunded.
When I hear community policing, I think of a group of people who know and care about one another looking out for each other. I definitely don’t think about the friendly neighborhood officer walking the streets, because I don’t live in Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. But the "community policing" referred to in the article is much different. This type of surveillance and interference was specifically adapted from military counterinsurgency tactics developed by the French colonial military in Algeria and Vietnam, and has been used by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This remarkable report goes into wonderful depth about what "community policing" has looked like in Los Angeles: devastation of the poorest communities in service of police unions, tech companies, and real estate developers. Those in power have utilized “community policing” as a strategy to control a population through propaganda and co-optation of elites in oppressed groups. None of this is accidental. All of this is a pattern: the news dumbs down to a point of incoherent abstraction the most relevant concepts and histories necessary to actually formulate an informed opinion. Without this crucial context we could never understand the systemic harms of our punishment bureaucracy, and therefore our conception of what the solutions should or even could be are limited.
If all this is too wordy, perhaps this 2 minute video will be easier to understand.
Side Items
Kanye’s Heel Turn: The former rapper/producer/Kardashian and current manic & extremely divorced antisemite has decided to purchase the right-wing Twitter alternative Parler. Ye was kicked off more mainstream social mediums like Twitter and Instagram last week after spewing conspiracy theories and hateful speech. “In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be controversial we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves,” said West. I guess his multiple TV appearances last week really have him feeling silenced
A Bright Spark for Liverpool: Yesterday, at long last, the Reds showed up and matched the level of their opponent, as they took on defending champs Manchester City. Honestly I was expecting a loss, possibly an embarrassing one, as two of Liverpool’s starting defenders and an attacker were sidelined with injuries. Thankfully I forgot that when Mohammed Salah is suiting up for your team, you’ve always got a shot (unless that team is the Egyptian national team, in which case you definitely do NOT have a shot)