How the Media Covered Police Brutality Three Decades Ago
The first stories about the beating of Rodney King in two major newspapers focused on racial injustice. But that changed.
The Black Cops Who Fought Brutality on Their Own Force
In 1960s Chicago, members of the Afro-American Patrolman's League challenged oppressive policing in Black communities.
Why Do We Have Cops in Schools?
In the mid-1970s, police officers were in only about 1 percent of US schools. That changed since the late 1990s.
How Tear Gas Became a Staple of American Law Enforcement
In 1932, the “Bonus Army” of jobless veterans staged a protest in Washington, DC. The government dispersed them with tear gas.
The South African Experience with Changing the Police from Within
In states transitioning from authoritarianism to democracy, resistance to police abuses can make or break the larger democratic project, explains one social scientist.
Police Violence Is a Public Health Issue
Research makes the case that people who fear police violence are less likely to seek out health care.
Calling the Police, without Trusting the Police
A scholar finds nuanced reasoning among poor Black women facing difficult choices about whether to call the cops.
Is Hiring More Black Officers the Key to Reducing Police Violence?
Diversity among officers lags behind the general population. But is police culture a greater problem when it comes to combating excessive force?
Institutionalized Racism: A Syllabus
How can we help students understand George Floyd's death in the context of institutionalized racism?
The Origins of the Police
Sir Robert Peel is popularly credited with the formation of the first modern municipal police force. But the Thames River Police did it first.