The “cop on the beat” and a city’s police force have changed roles and techniques over the years, due in part to a reflection of modern technology and an expanding cultural diversity. Americans’ responses to their police officers are conscious and unconscious reactions to authority figures sworn to protect their citizenry. Both sides experience the same or similar attitudinal conflicts. With that in mind, we will read Blue Blood, the 2004 best-selling memoir by Edward Conlon, a fourth generation, Harvard-educated New York City police officer. We will discuss the ways his experiences reflect current policing and how they differ, in the hopes of gaining a clearer perspective on problems and possible solutions.
Suggested Reading: Blue Blood, Edward Conlon, Riverhead Books (Penguin Group)
Special Note: An early draft of the catalog announced that class sessions would be held 2 weeks apart. That is no longer the case, and the class will be held two weeks in a row.