Exploring the role and function of American policing: A historical and qualitative study

The institution of American policing is at an inflection point. While most Americans connect the police with safety, highly publicized police killings of unarmed people of color have brought racial disparities to the forefront of the American consciousness, and pushed many people to question the fundamental role and function of the police. The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the institution of American policing, starting with its historical origins, to develop theory on the role and function of police in an attempt to identify strategies for safety. Combining historical analysis with qualitative data collected from police officers and community members in a mid-sized American city, this dissertation identifies new insights into how deeply rooted racial divisions are to the establishment and structure of American policing, the centrality of communication to the role and function of police and how police use communication as a strategy to create and maintain safety, perceptions of safety for community members, and community-based strategies for safety. Findings from the historical analysis indicate that police violence persists because it is operating within larger systems of structural violence exerted against racialized and marginalized groups. Additionally, findings from the qualitative research signify the importance of communication for police officers and community residents and the central connections between communication and safety for both groups. Taken together, these findings can inform policy intended to create greater safety, both for police officers and community residents.