Read the PDF of our statement here.
NAACP Legal Defense Fund Statement on New York Police Union’s ‘Blue Racism’ Video
Late yesterday, the New York Sergeants Benevolent Association released a video suggesting that police officers are subject to ‘blue racism.’ Monique Dixon, Deputy Director of Policy and Senior Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, provided the following statement:
“We’re deeply troubled by the New York Sergeants Benevolent Association’s reprehensible video suggesting that police officers face ‘blue racism.’ This video demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of our nation’s sordid history of racism, including law enforcement’s role in perpetuating past and current discrimination. Being a police officer is a choice. The uniform’s blue shirt can be taken off at the end of the day, the color of one’s skin cannot. Indeed, some officers of color have bemoaned how, out of uniform, they have been seen as a threat by their fellow officers as well as members of the public.
“Communities of color face racism every day, and have been victims of hate and other crimes across this nation because of the color of their skin. To say that members of law enforcement are victims of ‘blue racism’ because of the color of their uniforms is offensive and uninformed. The conversation around policing should focus on implementing policies and practices that will ensure that everyone returns home safely after a law enforcement interaction. Any other conversation is counterproductive and will only widen the gulf between police and the communities they serve.”
Press
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.
