Synopses & Reviews
More than just a chronology of the history of police brutality in the United States, "Our Enemies in Blue is a scholarly work that studies the reality of sanctioned violence against certain segments of society and the ways in which police use brutality to preserve existing structures of inequality. The simplistic myth of police officer as hero is prevalent in our society, and often obscures the facts, and silences those who would question police actions. The author believes the American public deserves a well-researched counter-argument that confronts the realities of policing in modern society. "Our Enemies in Blue examines the strong-arming, racial profiling, and other objectionable tactics used by the police on an everyday basis and provides an intelligent, in-depth critique of police brutality in all its forms.
Synopsis
Our Enemies in Blue examines the history of police violence from a radical but pragmatic perspective. Written for the lay reader but useful for scholars, the book shows that police misconduct isnt just a matter of bad apples but is a function of the very nature of policing in the United States. Author Kristian Williams explains how modern police forces evolved from slave patrols and protection rackets, critiques community policing, explores racism in law enforcement, and suggests strategies for combating police violence. Williams includes a chapter on prison economics, with an emphasis on how police have cooperated with politicians to increase the number of prisons, and offers anecdotes from those who have encountered police brutality while working for social justice.