Abstract

Racial disparities in police-community encounters are well documented, with people of color experiencing higher levels of police scrutiny. Far less is known about how police officers perceive the racial dynamics at play in their work. As part of a 2016 study of traffic stops in San Diego, we conducted in-depth interviews with 52 city police officers. Despite evidence of racial disparities in SDPD practices related to post-stop outcomes, officers denied, minimized, or even condemned racial profiling during traffic stops; officers described operating under a neutral policy of “colorblindness.” Our analysis identifies cognitive and discursive mechanisms which explain this complex and contradictory picture. We find that officers’ accounts excuse, justify, or otherwise negate the role of race in routine police work, yet officers’ thoughts and actions are based on racialized and, at times, dehumanizing narratives about people and communities of color. These morally neutral accounts form a pattern of micro-racialized discourse, constituting a layering of racialized processes and practices that cumulatively produce racially disparate outcomes. We argue that rejection of explicit racism alone is insufficient to address the progressive micro-racial aggression that emerges at key points during police-community encounters. We discuss the implications for law enforcement policy and practice.

中文翻译：

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警察流程和实践中的复杂色盲

摘要

警察与社区的相遇中的种族差异有据可查，有色人种受到警察更高级别的审查。对于警察在工作中如何看待种族动态，人们所知甚少。作为2016年对圣地亚哥交通停靠站的研究的一部分，我们对52名城市警察进行了深度采访。尽管有证据表明，SDPD做法与停车后的结果有关，但种族隔离，但警官否认，最小化甚至谴责了交通停靠期间的种族形象；军官描述了在“色盲”的中立政策下进行操作。我们的分析确定了认知和话语机制，这些机制解释了这种复杂而矛盾的情况。我们发现，军官的陈述是借口，辩解或否定了种族在常规警察工作中的作用，然而，军官的思想和行动是基于种族化的，有时是基于非人性化的有关人和有色人种的叙事。这些道德中立的叙述形成了微观种族化话语的模式，构成了种族化过程和实践的分层，这些过程和实践累积产生种族上截然不同的结果。我们认为，仅仅拒绝明确的种族主义不足以解决在警察与社区的相遇中关键时刻出现的渐进式微种族侵略。我们讨论了对执法政策和实践的影响。构成种族化的过程和实践的层次，这些过程和实践累积产生种族差异的结果。我们认为，仅仅拒绝明确的种族主义不足以解决在警察与社区相遇时关键时刻出现的渐进式微种族侵略。我们讨论了对执法政策和实践的影响。构成种族化的过程和实践的层次，这些过程和实践累积产生种族差异的结果。我们认为，仅仅拒绝明确的种族主义不足以解决在警察与社区的相遇中关键时刻出现的渐进式微种族侵略。我们讨论了对执法政策和实践的影响。