Ah, it all started in April when Scott Greenfield, over at the Simple Justice blawg, implanted a bug in my brain which I probably would have been better off without. That bug being the idea that I could do what I do here full time and be paid for it via a grant.
I’ll admit, it was a tempting thought because it started me thinking about how much more I could do if I focused on this effort full time, how much better I could write if I wasn’t rushed all the time, how much more research I could do if I didn’t have to also work a full time job or two to pay the bills…
Anyway, so I went ahead and looked around to try and find an organization out there that was looking to help someone like me do this kind of research… and there were even others out there who were convinced this project was worthy of funding who helped me search for this holy grail too.
But, unfortunately, none of it panned out… in fact, the only organizations who were actually looking to fund research into police misconduct as it’s own issue was, believe it or not, only interesting in looking at police misconduct issues in Russia.
Yes, apparently, only people in Russia are concerned about police misconduct.
The organizations we could find in the US who were interested in funding human rights and justice issues were only interested in focusing on the issues of race and class as it pertained to incarceration rates and police brutality.
Unfortunately, that’s not what we do. We look at the issue of police misconduct as an issue that affects all citizens in the US no matter what racial background or how much money they may or may not have.
So, because of that, it doesn’t look like we can get a grant for what we do here.
Now, you might ask, “why not focus on just the racial issues or specifically look into how the homeless are vulnerable to police abuses?” Well, there are a few reasons.
First, those issues are only part of the problem. The root problem of police misconduct isn’t just about race or class. If it were then you wouldn’t see cases of misconduct that affected white middle-class people, but you do.
Second, by only focusing on police misconduct as a problem that affects minorities or the poor it ignores the real problem and sends a message that it’s ok for police to abuse some people so long as they leave others alone.
Thirdly, by only focusing on police misconduct as a racial issue it turns an issue that really does affect people from all walks of life into what is perceive as a purely racial issue, and it’s not. When people think of something as a problem that only affects someone else, it makes it that much more difficult to convince them that they should care about this issue too.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is that racially-motivated police misconduct is only a portion, a symptom, of a larger problem. Are there police officers out there who are motivated by racism? Sure, but it’s the system that allows them to operate as they do and it’s the same system that allows other police officers to abuse people without regard to their race, sexual orientation, or status.
So, while we do track cases of misconduct that are specifically racial in nature and we do track instances where the financially vulnerable are targeted for abuse, these are not our focus.
Our focus is in looking at the problem in a holistic sense to try and determine just what it is that allows police misconduct to flourish, how prevalent it has become in our society, and maybe even how to reduce that prevalence.
In looking to address the root cause of police misconduct instead of its symptoms it doesn’t just promise to improve the lives of minorities and the underprivileged, but also for the rest of us, and even for the police themselves.
Because, believe it or not, police misconduct can affect anyone. It can happen to you, it can happen to those you love, and it can even happen to police officers, especially those who try to do something about it.
It seems like half the people I talk to about this have to get over an initial reluctance to even believe there’s a problem to track.
I think a lot of people want to think of it as only a race/class issue because if they didn’t, they’d be terrified.
I would not give up on the grant idea so fast. Who have you contacted? Have you tried universities with departments of Law or Criminology. Most grants will likely go to higher education or an established corporation. I was awarded 5 million dollars to feed the meals-on-wheels. I only received it because I applied through a state agengy.
Hats off to all GOOD cops. The people that joined to serve and protect their fellow citizens rather than serve and protect their egos, paychecks, pensions, promotions, and power trips.
The real question is Dan, will those so called good cops protect their fellow citizens from the bad ones? History says NO.
Try some of the libertarian organizations out there — Reason, FFF, Lew Rockwell, etc.
I agree, don’t give up just because you heard a few no’s. All it takes is one yes.
Somehow I doubt they’ll be laughing when some corrupt cop messes with one of their family members.
Publicity might be just as good as funding. Have you contacted any major media outlets (MSNBC for example) about this project?
Dan,
Unfortunately real life demands that I take my attention away from the site and find something with more immediate promise of a paycheck than chasing grants that may come to fruition months from now, if I could even find one.
That’s life, sometimes we can’t make a living doing the things we care deeply about, I wish I could.
There is a handful of regional and national papers that fund projects of this scope. The New York Times, LA Times, etc. NYT in particular loves analytical reportage, and have a newsroom team for this called CAR (Computer-Assisted Reporting.) They employ databases and statisticians in production.
Contact me by email, I’ll send you some names, emails and numbers. I have no part in their decision process myself, I just happen to know some of the players. The unknown variable is whether they’d work with outside contractors. Worth a look, though, considering the extensive work you’ve performed here.
I think Jon is on to something. Don’t give up on that idea. This former NYPD cop got a $10,000 grant for a controversial research center run by ex-cons. They’re studying whether or not proposed state laws are racist.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/08172009/news/regionalnews/ex_con_stitutional_184940.htm