Black History Month police cruisers spark backlash online
At least two police departments — one in Columbus, Ohio, the other in Miami — are celebrating Black History Month in a way some observers are not happy with.
At least two police departments — one in Columbus, Ohio, the other in Miami — are celebrating Black History Month in a way some observers are not happy with.
The Columbus Division of Police unveiled its “History 1” cruiser this month designed in colors and symbols reflecting Black pride and culture. A short video shared by the department on Twitter shows the cruiser with red, black, yellow and green stripes behind the words “Black History Month” on the front and side and the Martin Luther King quote, “Be the peace you wish to see in the world,” on the rear window. The video includes audio of King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech.
The cruiser is aimed to “celebrate the achievements of African Americans & recognize their roles in our history,” a tweet by the police department read. It also said that citizens should stay on the lookout for the cruiser as it patrols through their community and neighborhoods this month.
More than a thousand miles south, in Miami, the city’s police department introduced its own Black History Month-themed car on Thursday, according to the Miami Herald. The vehicle is decorated in red, yellow and green with symbols of Black fists and an outline of Africa. A ceremony took place in Overtown, a historically Black neighborhood in Miami, while police honored the first Black men to join the force in 1944.
Some Twitter users also shared articles about Black police officers experiencing racism within Columbus’ police department, while others expressed concerns over the department’s spending habits — with one user tweeting, “Imagine cops spending however many thousands on THIS instead of say — spending public resources to house, feed and meet peoples basic needs.”
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