The "thin blue line" is a term that typically refers to the concept of the police as the line which keeps society from descending into violent chaos. I was actually expecting not to like the book as much as I usually do with books from Christopher Nuttall since it is a departure from the main story and these society falling down, political scheming and dirty backstabbing stories is not really my cup of tea. Mr. Morris and Mr. Harris, a career criminal who is now on Death Row for another murder, met in a honky tonk in April 1985 near Vidor, Tex., and when they were through, Mr. Morris began to think . "The thin blue line symbol was designed to reflect the ideology that police are the "thin blue line" keeping order from chaos," Graham MacDonald wrote in an email to the board. All rights reserved. or redistributed. FREE Grant assistance! Constable Gladstones habit of interrupting a briefing with a story about life in Trinidad is similar to Lance Corporal Jones penchant for reminiscing about Sudan during Captain Mainwarings speeches. [4][5][6] The "thin blue line" has also been associated with white nationalists in the US, particularly after the Unite the Right rally in 2017,[7][8] who fly Thin Blue Line flags at their rallies.[9]. [1] The "blue" in "thin blue line" refers to the blue color of the uniforms of many police departments. And The Thin Blue Line, one of the most influential documentaries of all time, is a gripping investigation into a cop killing in Texas complete with an evocatively tense Philip Glass score . In 40 years as an Appalachian cop, George Erwin Jr. came to this conclusion: Only "a thin blue line separates good from evil." But Mr. Erwin, the former sheriff of North Carolina's Henderson . The black and white flag with a Thin Blue Line is seen on the Police Benevolent Association logo. Euan Thomson attended the counter-protest on Sunday and noticed . February is the second in the series. Many products are trademarked or otherwise protected even though they are widely copied. Starring Rowan Atkinson, Mina Anwar . In Cold Spring, New York, local leaders debated last week whether placing a decal of the flag on a police car would make some people afraid to ask officers for help. Parker left behind a controversial legacy. The U.S. flag should be proudly displayed in our lobbies whenever possible. The thin blue line flag is seen by some as a refutation of the Black Lives Matter movement, as supportive of systemic racism in the criminal justice system, and as emblematic of the authoritarian leanings of many on the right, writes Justin Glawe. Market data provided by Factset. Image Credit: NASA. This page was last edited on 3 January 2023, at 11:01. Some on-duty law enforcement officers were criticized including one who posed for a selfie with the mostly white mob by President-elect Joseph R. Biden and many others for their response to the pro-Trump rioters who breached the Capitol. But how did this flag come to be so pervasive? In 2001, it was placed on the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. It was created and written by Ben Elton, and starred Rowan Atkinson. Photo showing "Thin Blue Line" flag that was ordered to be removed from Marysville Middle School classroom in Washington A former Fulbright and H.F. Guggenheim fellow, he has reported on a range of criminal justice subjects, including jail conditions, sheriffs, wrongful convictions, and art by incarcerated people. Constable Habib falls in love with a fireman and PC Goody is jealous. The event turned deadly when a man plowed his car into a group of counterprotesters, killing a woman. The solo-vehicle crash was reported shortly after 8:15 p.m. on Douglas Road near Pala Road, police said, San Diego police said the victim was shot around 8:45 p.m. on Pyramid Street near Swaner Street; she was taken to a hospital to be treated, Police said the thieves targeted vulnerable victims such as senior citizens in thefts across the county. "Unless youve stood in the shoes of a police officer, you really dont know what we do," one officer said. He has served on a number of advisory and advocacy boards, including the Colorado POST curriculum committee, as a subject matter expert. Fowler reluctantly agrees to let his son Bill stay with him and Patricia for a few days. The addition of the flag, with its lone blue, horizontal stripe can be considered controversial. Gavin Newsom sought to take some of the sting out of high gasoline prices by sending millions of Californians a tax refund. Since 2015, several jurisdictions have issued injunctions against the use of Thin Blue Line imagery on police uniforms or in other official capacities by emergency services. We did it as a morale booster for each other, union president Tony Montoya said, not as a political statement.. Controversy followed when the flag was appropriated by White supremacists and neo-Nazis who flew it among a sea of Confederate flags during a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. He said police need to build bridges of trust with the communities they serve. ", The group which says it represents more than 9,900 members of the LAPD, disagreed with the chief's sentiment that the flag was divisive. [3], The term was used for the title of Errol Morris's 1988 documentary film, The Thin Blue Line, about the murder of the Dallas Police officer Robert W. The "thin blue line" symbol, which has been used for years by police officers as a sign of solidarity and by their families to show pride, has come under growing scrutiny by critics calling . Memorials for our fallen are also authorized in all public spaces," he said. This may be called Tools or use an icon like the cog. We have directly expressed our outrage to the Chief. The most reliable account of the origin of the thin blue line is the story of the thin red line. Roman concluded her email by saying that she understood her decision may upset or anger some officers and that she felt "hurt and disappointed as we confront our current reality. "The supposed 'liberal' answer to Donald Trump has not been as critical of police violence as it should be," she said. Blame politicians for idiotic laws; blame society for racial injustice; blame the war on drugs . Right-click on the blob to give the group a name, to change the group colour or to ungroup the tabs. Leah Barkoukis | January 16, 2023 8:35 AM. The flag has no association with racism, hatred, bigotry, he said. I will continue to fly that flag until my very last day.. In his view, the police protected Western civilization from communists, progressive politicians, minorities, anybody who agitated for something that didnt fit his very narrow scheme, said Alisa Kramer, who wrote a 2007 dissertation on Parker's tenure. The thin blue line symbol existed before several of his colleagues were gunned down by a sniper in July 2016, he said. At one level, it is a collection of depositions, in life's cosmic courtroom, that serve as a giant "fuck you" to the Texas criminal justice system. It lasted for two series and a total of fourteen episodes, not long enough to outstay its welcome, and despite being low budget I remember finding it very funny when I first saw it at the time as a teenager. He retired as Chief of Police in Colorado. The "Blue Lives Matter" movement was created in December 2014, after the homicides of NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu in Brooklyn, New York in the wake of the homicides of Eric Garner and Michael Brown Jr earlier that year and in the context of the greater Black Lives Matter movement. In a way, it's as offensive as putting a Confederate flag on a government building., Although the flags manufacturers have tried to keep politics away from the flag, the current protests over the death of George Floyd have thrust the image into larger debates. A man participates in a Blue Lives Matter rally in Kenosha, Wis., on Aug. 30, 2020. a sign of support for law enforcement but has also come to signal opposition to the racial justice movement, waved by "extremists" at the "insurrection" at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, on-duty law enforcement officers were criticized. Sign in. Calgary police officers have been directed to stop wearing 'thin blue line' patches on their uniform as of May 31, 2022. [3][10], An early known use of the phrase "thin blue line" is from a 1911 poem by Nels Dickmann Anderson, titled "The Thin Blue Line". The series was popular with viewers, though it suffered in critical reviews due to "inconsistent character development" and an "overly broad plot line". Boyd said he believes the thin blue line breaks trust with the community. Officers have worn versions of the flag on face masks while clashing with protesters in Baltimore and in Washington, D.C. Those who fly the flag have said it stands for solidarity and professional pride within a dangerous, difficult profession and a solemn tribute to fallen police officers. During the Q&A that night, a student asked Morris how he felt about the death penalty. In 1976, Randall Adams was wrongly sentenced to death for the murder of a Dallas policeman. Despite that language, the American flag is depicted in many other ways for a number of purposes, many commercial. He added that he views the flag as a showing of pride the same way other professionals, such as doctors, take ownership of their work. Grim declares war on drugs. is a staff writer for The Marshall Project. An attack on the thin blue line is perceived as an existential threat to working policemen and women. The phrase gained another boost with Errol Morriss 1988 film The Thin Blue Line, in which a Dallas judge quotes a prosecutor describing what separates the public from anarchy. The title was ironic, if not sly, since the film depicted how law enforcement sent an innocent man to death row. The Thin Blue Line symbol is a pro-police emblem that is said to represent the thin line between order and lawlessness in society that is maintained by law enforcement who wear blue uniforms. Thats maybe why it came to my eyes, he said. Australian users, for example, were enraged by Facebook's initial refusal to take down an Aboriginal Memes page last year, although Facebook also [] Copyright 2023 For those viewing this canonical film . According to news reports, police Chief Bill Scott ordered officers to no longer wear the union-provided masks, citing concerns that they may be perceived as divisive or disrespectful. The department provided officers with neutral face coverings. [2] This action was widely publicized by the press and recreated in artwork, becoming one of the most famous battles of the Crimean War. Nonprofit journalism about criminal justice, A nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. While in high school in West Bloomfield, Michigan, he had attended a memorial service for a police officer who had been killed on the job. The Thin Blue Line is a British sitcom which aired on BBC One from 1995 to 1996. [3] In the 1950s, Los Angeles Police Chief Bill Parker often used the term in speeches, and he also lent the phrase to the department-produced television show The Thin Blue Line. King said morale within the Calgary Police Service has been declining during the terms of the past several police chiefs and the thin blue line directive is a catalyst for that coming to the . ][11], It is unknown when the term was first used to refer to police. TV sitcom; BBC One; 1995 - 1996; 14 episodes (2 series) Police sitcom about fastidious Inspector Raymond Fowler, his array of uniformed officers, and the oafish CID Inspector Grim. In 1992, New York police Commissioner Richard Enright used the expression as part of a public relations effort. [13], The Oxford English Dictionary records its use in 1962 by The Sunday Times referring to police presence at an anti-nuclear demonstration. It seems to have been inspired by a British regiment, called the Thin Blue Line, that stood against Russian cavalry charges during the Crimean War of 1854. The thin line of Earth's atmosphere and the setting sun are featured in this image photographed by the crew of the International Space Station while space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-129 mission was docked with the station. The American flag and blue line have often been blended with the image of a skull associated with The Punisher, an ex-Marine turned vigilante who first appeared in Marvel comics in 1974, combatting crime through extrajudicial murder and torture. But Jacob, the flag's creator, argues that such opposition is wholly misplaced. ", LAPD Chief Michel Moore defended the controversial move in an email sent to Fox News Digital, saying, "Yesterday, we received a community complaint of the presence of a Blue Line Flag" with "the view that it symbolized support for violent extremist views, such as those represented by the Proud Boys and others.". Gov. Enter https://www.police1.com/ and click OK. Fowler leads a camping trip for young offenders, but Grim plans a short sharp shock. For example, the biggest cut is from the S2E7 "The Green Eyed Monster" episode, which is cut from 40:45 UK/R2 runtime to 30:05 Region 1 runtime. ", "I know this is hard. Officers with "Thin Blue Line" tattoos are not required to cover them, she said, adding, "my intent is not that we reject outright the symbol for what we understand it to represent, nor do I believe it to be inherently racist/fascist as many purport. The decision to ban the symbol came after nearly two years of controversy and debate over the issue. Flag Code, which specifically states: The flag should never have placed upon it, nor any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.. (Jason Rantz). In addition to service with the U.S. Army military police and CID, Shults has done observational studies with over 50 police agencies across the country. Some Homeowners Associations have opposed the flags, and even some police agencies have removed the image from their patrol cars, station houses and uniforms. He worries that the concept of the thin blue line influences police culture and, in turn, affects the way communities are policed, especially Black communities that so often are criminalized, he said. Stephen Bishopp has a doctorate and has studied police stress, use of force and officer misconduct. Generally the uniformed section triumphs over the detectives, although not without their own foibles. [2][self-published source? Overview System Requirements Related. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Each episode, released on the first of every month, is a guide to what to look out for in the month ahead - from the sky above to the land below. "Lets all remember what the Thin Blue Line flag is and what it represents: The Thin Blue Line flag features a black and white image of the American flag with the horizontal stripe beneath the field of white stars on the black background. It is also a desecration of the American flag. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Those are tab groups. Can PC Goody take her place? University of Wisconsin-Madison's police chief has banned officers from using "Thin Blue Line" imagery while on duty. Movie Info. That "thin blue line" is indeed thin, but critical to life as we know it. What "The Thin Blue Line" did was combine an investigation with a way to bring it to public attention at a much earlier time when we had fewer vehicles for creating that kind of media hoopla. (Photo by Los Angeles Police Protective Union), Substitute teacher compares 'Thin Blue Line' to Confederate flag. Why do the police need their own tribal City-Data Forum > General Forums > Politics and Other Controversies: LAPD's Thin Blue Line flag ban spurs outrage amid recruitment struggles: 'Morale's in the gutter' . Theyre there as warriors, as an occupying force.. I don't care and am not arguing about the actual meaning of the Thin Blue Line flag, or politics. Mourners wore blue neckties and hair ribbons at the funeral service, but the fallen officers caskets were draped with American flags. Brian Montague . "Be very cognizant of the consequences that jovial interaction, selfies, and the like, will have for the department and our broader community in the context of everything I've pointed to in this not-so-brief email," she said. When they come (into our communities), they see us as criminals, they see us as threats, he said. A Calgary criminologist says rising tensions between the Calgary Police Commission and members of the city's police service is doing a disservice to all Calgarians. ", He added that the black and white American flag with thin blue line was relatively new and "while intended to support police departments everywhere, it has been co-opted by extremist groups and used to counter the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement.". Police officers in the township decried the move, arguing that the board didn't understand what the symbol meant to them. On that list: the banning of any thin blue line flags from San Diego County Sheriffs Department uniforms and patrol vehicles. 'As the Season Turns' is a podcast created by Ffern and presented by the nature writer and author of the Seasonal Almanac Lia Leendertz. Joel Shults operates Street Smart Training and is the founder of the National Center for Police Advocacy. Legal Statement. In the 1970s and 80s, the phrase was popularized in books and films, including the 1988 documentary, The Thin Blue Line, which tells the story of a mans trial and wrongful conviction in the killing of a police officer in Dallas. Stars Rowan Atkinson, David Haig, Serena Evans, James Dreyfus, Mina Anwar and more. He had seen the image of the flag on patches and stickers, he told The Marshall Project, but not an actual flag. 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That doesnt make it racist," he said, according to the media outlet. I dont really care if it bothers people or hurts their feelings to see that flag. Last month, San Franciscos chief of police Bill Scott banned his officers from wearing face masks emblazoned with the thin blue line flag, worrying they would be seen as divisive and disrespectful. The masks had been distributed by the local police union, which accused the department of failing to provide masks. Cancel 0 Cart 0 items in shopping cart. A "thin blue line" symbol was created to allow the community to show support for law enforcement, and those attempting to hijack the symbol for their own purposes ("hate groups such as the . Other references include in the episode Rag Week, when Fowler is briefly seen walking out of a shop called Mainwarings. Caskets were draped with American flags and Patricia for a few days caskets draped. To 1996 relations effort a man plowed his car into a group counterprotesters... 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