by Jeff Smith
Recent events have got me thinking about the public perception about the role of law enforcement in this society. This is not an easy topic to talk about since it can be quite emotional, but it is interesting to see how both news and entertainment media have constructed the image of cops. First, lets look at the constructed image of police in entertainment media, then news media and finally how some local events were reported on when it comes to the role of law enforcement in West Michigan.
Historically, police have predominantly been portrayed in a positive light on both TV and in film. In both of those mediums police have been a constant figure, especially with prime time TV programs. The list of these shows is too long to mention, but one thing they all have in common is showing police in a positive light. Here is just a sampling: Adam-12, Baretta, Cagney & Lacey, Charlie's Angels, Dragnet, the FBI, Hawaii Five-O, Hill Street Blues, Kojak, Law & Order, Magnum PI, The Mod Squad, NYPD Blue, Starsky & Hutch, The Shield, The Untouchables, and Walker: Texas Ranger. TV has always been driven by advertising and in a 1965 FCC hearing one of the largest advertising companies made it clear about how police would be portrayed on shows they ran ads for. Procter & Gamble advertising manager Albert Halverstadt said during those FCC hearing "Men in uniform shall not be cast as heavy villains or portrayed as engaging in any criminal activity." (The Media Monopoly) Of course it is absurd to suggest that cops are never portrayed in a negative light on TV, but the majority of the time they are honorable men and women. Not only are their representations generally positive, popular culture has embraced the personas of many of these characters. Think about how catch phrases and personalities of TV cops have been reproduced in pop culture, whether it was Kojak's "who loves you baby," the deadpan humor of Sgt. Friday, the Bad Boys song that accompanies Cops, or the fashion influence of Miami Vice characters - TV cops are woven into pop culture.
On the big screen police have also been predominantly portrayed as heroes, the good guy, the person who rescues the cat up in the tree. It wasn't until the 1973 film Serpico that police were portrayed in a negative light. Serpico, of course, was based upon the real life of NYPD officer Frank Serpico. To be sure, there were some negative portrayals of police prior to Serpico, but Serpico was the first to critique the institutional corruption of police departments. Since the early 70's more films have shown police in a negative light but few have challenged the very nature and legitimacy of law enforcement agencies. Kristian Williams demonstrates in his history of US policing (Our Enemies in Blue) that many police forces throughout the country evolved from armed groups that were hired to hunt down runaway slaves and to keep poor working class movements in line. Williams also shows that corruption and pay-offs have been a constant in the history of US policing. One recent example in cinema that dramatizes this historical corruption was the 2002 film Gangs of New York. Even the FBI, often referred to as the premier law enforcement agency, was an outgrowth of the federal government's crackdown on labor organizers and other internationalists during what is known as the Palmer Raids in the early part of the 20th century. In the book Agents of Repression, author Ward Churchill shows how the FBI has historically targeted revolutionary groups like the Black Panthers and the American Indian Movement through its counter-intelligence program known as COINTELPRO. Not surprising is the fact that both city police forces and agencies like the FBI have as their origins the mission of monitoring and controlling dissident or subordinate groups throughout the country.
In looking at news media representation there isn't much of a difference. In tracking local news for more than 9 years now I have noticed that police are a regular source for reporters, primarily as the front line in reporting on street level crime reporting. Police, in this capacity, provide much of the narrative for how the public views crime and criminal behavior. From time to time we hear from victims and witnesses, but police dominate the narrative. When news agencies attempt to expand reporting beyond just reactions to individual acts of crime, reporters often accompany cops in what are referred to as "ride alongs," thus extending the narrative through the lens of law enforcement. I have seen local TV stations use police video footage from cameras that are standard on all cruisers, but often the video is not sourced on the TV screen and what they provide to news people are what they want the public to see. In addition, police departments have well trained media spokespersons, issue their own press releases, and in some cases produce their own media, such as an educational video that the GRPD created with their take on the new hindering and opposing ordinance adopted by the City of Grand Rapids.
A good example of how local news reports on police was the tragic shooting of a police officer in Grand Rapids this past July. An officer who was responding to a house with numerous domestic abuse calls was shot while parked behind the home of the perpetrator. The news media all but canonized this police officer, with coverage that included front page and opening stories for days. What was interesting about the coverage was the news media's use of language that would suggest that they were reading from media releases put out by the GRPD. The reporting referred to the murdered officer as a hero, someone who sacrificed his life, and someone who epitomized service to the community. A question to ask here is why do police officers killed on duty deserve the kind of reverence that the news media gives them? I'm not saying they shouldn't, but why do other people not receive the same recognition? For instance, my mother has been taking care of my younger brother, who is developmentally disabled, for 45 years. She has sacrificed her life in order to care for him, yet when she dies there will be no public grieving in the news about her service to humanity. Police officers, like military personal are the products of meritocracy...the belief that some professions in life are more important than others. Thus the police mantra of "To protect and to serve" is never in question.
This notion that law enforcement officials protect society was further demonstrated recently in the news coverage of a White Supremacist rally in Kalamazoo. A White Supremacist group got a permit to hold a public rally in the parking lot of the Kalamazoo police department even though they were not shy about calling for "the lynching of Black people." The police department put up fencing around the perimeter and a metal detector at the only entrance with signs stating that people would be pepper-sprayed if they touched the fence. The police also escorted the White Supremacists from highway 94 near Battle Creek all the way to Kalamazoo and back again after the rally. There were 400 police officers, less than 50 White Supremacists, and about 250 counter-demonstrators. http://www.mediamouse.org/features/080507racis.php The entire time that the rally took place the police put themselves between the White Supremacists and the protesters, in some cases using cops on horses. During the verbal exchange between both groups the police had numerous officers video taping and filming, but the cameras were mostly targeted at the protestors, not the White Supremacists. WZZM 13 begins their news coverage of this event by saying "Protestors clashed with White Supremacists at a rally held in Kalamazoo. But, thanks to a heavy police presence, it ended peacefully." Yes, thankfully the police went out of their way to allow the White Supremacist a forum to spew their hate. The Kazoo police department said they do not support the message of the White Supremacists, but I wonder what they would do if a group of African Americans held a rally with the purpose of stating that some White people should be lynched?
Lastly, I wanted to mention that the nations top cop, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was in Grand Rapids on August 15 to speak at a conference organized by the US Attorney's office and the GVSU School of Criminal Justice. Gonzales was brought to the Eberhard Center with a highly militarized motorcade of protection. Police officers used dogs to sniff cars in the area for possible bombs and the event was by invitation only. Gonzales is currently under fire for committing perjury, for promoting the government plan for spying on US citizens and for encouraging the Bush administration to ignore the Geneva Convention's prohibition on the use of torture. In a sense, Gonzales has pretty much decided to shit on the constitution, but instead of the news media reporting on his actions in a critical matter they provided him with the benefit of the doubt.
We are constantly told that this is a country of laws and that no one is above the law. It would seem from any astute observer of the media, both news and entertainment media, that the laws are selectively enforced and that police departments primarily protect and serve privileged sectors of society.
