This class is an opportunity to explore the black box that is law enforcement in New York City. From its origins in the Dutch night watch system, past the pugilistic and corrupt cops of the Tammany Hall era, through the sporadic attempts and reform, and into the current era of policing, learn about the mechanics of the police force and the politics that drive it.

In the first session (8/31) we’ll study the policing efforts of the past and how we got to where we are today – a time when the NYPD pays millions of dollars annually to settle civil rights and police brutality lawsuits, and citizens are apparently unable to control the trajectory of the force that they bankroll. By examining structural tensions that are built in to the relationship between the police and the people, the class will help build an understanding of the many obstacles to good policing in New York City.

In the second session (9/1), we’ll examine recent trends in crime and criminality: The sharp spike in crime from the 1960s – 1990s, followed by the sudden and unexpected reduction in crime in the 1990s and 2000s. This unexplained shift means that we’re living in a city that is possibly safer than ever before, but has also left poor communities shattered by the thirty year long war on drugs, zero tolerance policies, and statically driven policing tactics.

Finally, we’ll respond to the material by working together to develop something – a manifesto, a work of art, a studio piece – that expresses our conclusions, our emotions, and our vision for the future of New York City policing.