Dressed for Conflict or Safety? Police Officers' Perception of Their Attire During Racial Justice Protests

• In Event: Protest, Policing, and Public Narratives

Abstract

Extensive research examines the relationship between race and policing, specifically as it relates to the emergence of the Black Lives Matter Movement. In this paper, I analyze officer responses about their protest attire through the lens of structural violence and procedural justice to understand further the dynamics between community members and the police, particularly during the George Floyd protests. The themes discovered are related to officers' perceptions of threat and personal safety at protests, as well as the effects of their attire on police-community relations. This paper examines the complex relationship between policing, race, and justice, and it concludes with a reflection on how the police can collaborate in social justice efforts rather than solely responding to these efforts, enhancing police-community relations during periods of unrest.

Author

• Joshua R. Ruffin, Towson University