Ferguson and Baltimore Residents’ Experiences with and Perceptions of Black Officers

• In Event: Civilian-Police Encounters: Contemporary Implications for Race, Gender and Place (Organized by Division on People of Color and Crime)

Abstract

In most police departments across the country, racial minorities make up a small percentage of the police force. Following the death of Michael Brown at the hands of a White police officer, many have proposed that hiring more Black officers is an effective way to diffuse long-standing tensions between police and African American with the assumption that Black officers will connect with Black citizens and treat them well. This study examines Ferguson and Baltimore residents’ accounts of their experiences with and perceptions of Black officers. Findings show that even though Black residents share similar racial backgrounds with African American officers, that does not guarantee positive police interactions, and that Black citizens can be very dissatisfied with Black officers. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.

Author

• Jennifer Cobbina, Michigan State University