American Prestige Re-Post - The Global Turn of American Policing w/ Stuart Schrader
Jan 8, 2026
In this insightful discussion, historian Stuart Schrader, an expert on policing and author of "Badges Without Borders," explores the global roots of American policing. He highlights how Cold War-era police training shaped contemporary practices and led to an intertwining of domestic and foreign repression. Topics include the historical resistance to oversight, the rise of aggressive policing tactics, and the implications of U.S. policies like the formation of ICE. Schrader also emphasizes the ongoing local resistance to these trends, particularly in Los Angeles.
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Cold War Police Training Came Home
- U.S. police training overseas during the Cold War reshaped domestic policing tactics and institutions.
- Counterinsurgency techniques abroad emphasized intelligence, population control, and preventive policing that returned home.
Federal Hub Reshaped Local Police
- Federal programs after the 1960s created a hub-and-spoke model that funneled money, tech, and tactics to local police.
- The Law Enforcement Assistance Administration institutionalized federal influence over municipal policing.
Policing Hardened Around Oversight And Tech
- Policing culture hardened in response to civil rights-era criticism, producing resistance to oversight and stronger insularity.
- New technologies and 911 reshaped expectations and made policing more proactive and intrusive.
