The Policing Machine: Enforcement, Endorsements, and the Illusion of Public Input

The Policing Machine provides a revelatory look at how the NYPD has resisted change through strategic and selective community engagement. Cheng spent nearly two years in an unprecedented effort to understand the who and how of police-community relationship building in New York City, documenting the many ways the police strategically distributed power and privilege within the community to increase their own public legitimacy without sacrificing their organizational independence.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2023
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

The past few years have seen a growing demand for police transformation in the United States, fueled by concerns about issues such as no-knock warrants, chokeholds, and body cameras. However, despite the widespread discussion of these issues, meaningful changes to police procedures have been slow to come. In his book "The Policing Machine," Tony Cheng offers a revealing look at how the New York City Police Department (NYPD) has resisted change through strategic and selective community engagement.

Cheng spent nearly two years conducting an unprecedented investigation into the who and how of police-community relationship building in New York City. Through his research, he documented the many ways in which the NYPD strategically distributed power and privilege within the community to enhance its own public legitimacy without compromising its organizational independence.

One of the strategies employed by the NYPD is the establishment of community councils that are conveniently run by police allies. These councils are designed to promote the police and their activities within the community, and they often receive funding and support from the police department. By setting up these councils, the NYPD can cultivate political capital by distributing public resources, offering regulatory leniency, and deploying coercive force.

Another strategy used by the NYPD is the distribution of favors to local churches that will promote the police to their parishioners. This involves providing financial support, equipment, and training to churches that are friendly to the police. By promoting the police through these churches, the NYPD can increase its public legitimacy and build support within the community.

In addition to these strategies, the NYPD also offers additional support to institutions that are friendly to the police. This includes providing security for police events, offering discounts on police equipment, and providing legal assistance to officers who are facing disciplinary action. By building alliances with these institutions, the NYPD can further enhance its public legitimacy and resist change.

The fundamental challenge with police-community relationships, as Cheng shows, is not to build them from scratch. Rather, they already exist and are motivated by a machinery designed to stymie reform. This machinery includes political interests, institutional biases, and a culture of resistance to change.

To overcome this challenge, Cheng suggests that there needs to be a shift in the way that police-community relationships are approached. He advocates for a more democratic and inclusive approach that involves engaging with all segments of the community and building trust through transparency and accountability. This approach requires a commitment to reform from both the police department and the community, as well as a willingness to address the underlying issues that contribute to police misconduct and violence.

In conclusion, "The Policing Machine" offers a valuable insight into the ways in which the NYPD has resisted change through strategic and selective community engagement. Cheng's investigation highlights the need for a more democratic and inclusive approach to police-community relationships, as well as the underlying issues that contribute to police misconduct and violence. By addressing these issues, we can work towards creating a safer and more just society for all.

Weight: 286g
Dimension: 216 x 140 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226830650