“Police Officer Playing with Children, Harlem 1978 ” by Leonard Freed (October 23, 1929- November 29, 2006)

When I saw this photograph I was instantly mesmerized by the joy and happiness radiating from it. Memories of my carefree elementary school days came flooding back. I was reminded of a time where I was once this young and innocent, oblivious to the harsh realities of the black and white world in which we live. This photo, taken in 1978 by Leonard Freed shows a white police officer (most likely on duty) playing a game of what appears to be  “Duck, Duck, Goose!” with a group of kids, who are all minorities (black and Latino). What initially drew me to this photo wasn’t the shades of gray melanin on the children, or the lack thereof on the police officer. On every visible face, there is a glowing smile (studium). From the background, with the trash littering the streets and the graffiti stained, broken down buildings, it is clear to see that these children do not live in the best neighborhood or conditions. In these urban areas, the sight of a police officer may leave people feeling uneasy. Whether she knew it at the time or not, by just playing a harmless game with these children, she could have changed how they viewed the police, and also possibly could have had a positive influence on their lives in the future.

The gun in the officer’s holster pierces something inside me (punctum). It makes me view this entire image as a power dynamic. The magnitude of the grins and laughter of the people in the photo significantly outweighs the fear or intimidation one might feel from seeing a gun, especially a white officer with one. In this brief moment in time captured by the camera, she is so absorbed in her own glee that she has no use for the deadly weapon that she carries so nonchalantly. In comparison to the children she plays with, the officer holds a higher position of power and privilege in society. She is white and a member of law enforcement, whereas the children she surrounds herself with are at the bottom of the societal totem pole. The only thing fighting against her is the fact that she is a female. The gun is a symbol of the unspoken hierarchy that lingers within not only the image, but society as a whole.

Minorities are no stranger to police brutality in America, and this is definitely not a recent nationwide epidemic. This picture was taken during a time where desegregation in America was less than than thirty years old, crime in NYC was rampant, and the relationship between the NYPD and its citizens was often less than congenial. Yet, this photo seems to blur any and all black and white lines put forth by society, and illustrate a softer side of the country’s most notorious police department.