Policing Through History: Race and Control

This chapter explores the historical evolution of policing in the United States, focusing on its shifts towards crime prevention, community control, and militarization amid social anxieties. It examines the racial and political dynamics shaping law enforcement, including the origins of policing linked to slave patrols and the suppression of marginalized groups. Additionally, the narrative highlights the struggles of Black migrants in northern cities and the systemic police brutality they faced, as well as the advocacy efforts of civil rights organizations to document and combat such injustices.