Bigger Than the Bias: Being a Person of Color in 911
Written by Samantha Hawkins. September 1, 2020
I can only imagine with some degree of horror what the history books will have to say on the year that came after 2019. 2020 also known as the year of fashionable and unfashionable face coverings, shortened MLB schedules, socially distanced weddings and grandparents in quarantine discovering TikTok for the first time. We're only 8 months in and it's already been a whirlwind rollercoaster of a ride. But more than just the challenges we've faced nationally over how to deal with COVID-19 and rearranging our lives and everyday routines around this pandemic, 2020 has also had its share of racial tension and divisiveness. We’ve heard Breonna Taylor and George Floyd become household names almost overnight, and discussions like whether to defund the police or what is acceptable protestor behavior become the new trendy conversations to have over dinner. With so much growing uncertainty these days, the struggle for those in public safety to stay sane and vigilant is more real than ever because in spite of everything one thing has remained consistent: the need for emergency services and law enforcement. Truly, this has been the year of the essential worker. The everyday, unsung American hero who wears no cape and possesses no mutant superpowers; they sit in traffic, run on gas station coffee and work 40 plus hours a week.
Throughout the different departments in many sectors of local governments, while some employees have been furloughed or allowed to work from home, other employees are still expected to show up, physically clock in, and do their jobs with or without receiving hazard pay. The latter has especially been true for those of us who work behind the Thin Gold Line as well as our brothers and sisters who wear other uniform colors in public safety. And due to our current social and political climate, the amount of 911 calls we process daily has gone up incredibly. There are more reports of domestic disturbances, business disputes, and “suspicious” or “unwanted” persons which translate to more calls of service for our peace officers to respond to. So we have a brutally underworked, undermanned, and underappreciated police force struggling to serve the growing demands of an increasingly frustrated, disappointed, and greatly traumatized generation of people. It is challenging enough, but when you add to the mix being a person of color who works in public safety, well, this adds a new level of conflict to personally deal with. I suspect there are many others like me in 911 feeling the impact of this collision of identities. On the one hand, we cannot deny the blatant racial disparities that exist in the criminal justice system nor can we just turn a blind eye to the unfortunate reality of police brutality incidents that sometimes turn fatal. Yet, we do wholeheartedly back the blue, we do not believe in defunding our police departments, and we do not think that doing away with governmentally enforced law and order is the solution.
Personally, as an African American my heart breaks a little each time I have to read a news article on another young black life stolen away by hate or violence; my heart also breaks every time I read another headline calling for or condoning the persecution of our people in uniform. Ironically, us persons of color in public safety already know what it feels like to belong to a group that is a victim of unintentional stereotyping or intentional bias. We know what it's like to be mislabeled or judged as a whole based on the actions of a few, so seeing entire police forces judged as racist because of the racial indifference of a few police officers hits all too close to home. As a 911 dispatcher I feel the enormous weight of responsibility for the safety of my officers, deputies and firefighters during this time of bitter race relations, even with COVID-19 remaining an ever present threat as well. The purpose of this article is to offer an encouraging word to those in my same position, to say that it is altogether possible to do both: to want justice and equality in all aspects of our society and stand tall in solidarity with those on the forefront of public safety. So here are 4 important principles for persons of color in dispatch to remember during these divisive times:
1. No one deserves to be found guilty of a crime they didn't commit.
Persecuting an entire group of people for a single individual or for a few individuals is not morally right or fair. Just as stereotyping an entire demographic because of the actions of a select few is inexcusably wrong. What an officer with another agency in another state might have done does not automatically reflect on our agency, our officers, and our county. We can call a wrong a wrong without moving into prejudice ourselves. The officers and deputies we work with are not somehow guilty by long-distance association just because they too wear a badge and a gun. There isn't some inherent bias that comes with wearing blue. Each cop or sheriff deputy should be judged on his or her own merit.
2. There is no room for shame in the public safety community.
We belong to one of the most amazing, most resilient, and most vital organizations ever. We represent the brave and the strong. We bring civility, provide order, give comfort, offer words of wisdom, deliver life-saving instructions and perform emergency life-saving measures. Still all that we do is hard to describe; it involves a lot of sweat, tears, and patience with an extra generous helping of customer service. I walk into work with my head held high every single shift. I know that my work is for a good cause and that I serve my citizens to my fullest capacity. I am not failing any specific minority group because I proudly back public safety. Even as an African American 911 dispatcher I don't have to be ashamed since I know that the services I provide within my county benefits all people regardless of race, background, and economic status.
3. The change always starts from within first; with educating oneself, changing one's attitude, and resolving to be the difference.
When it comes to the discussion on racial tolerance and cultural acceptance, the conversation should never start with asking what the other person could do better, but what I, individually, can do better. With all the progress that has been made in the push for civil rights and fairer treatment in the criminal justice system, there still remains work to do. So we must each determine in ourselves to adopt a mindset that places love and compassion ahead of bias and strife. Unity has to all be our common goal as well as a desire to reform whatever beliefs we have that might unintentionally divide us from other cultural groups of society. But if we only ever point the finger at others or blame them, we'll never learn, nor will we see what prejudices exist in ourselves. Many times, a disagreement goes both ways, meaning that there isn't just one person at fault; each side shoulders a share of the responsibility for the problem at hand.
4. You don't have to take sides in this debate. You can support your brothers and sisters in blue and support social justice also.
The idea that you cannot both believe in justice being served for those who have been wronged or mistreated by law enforcement and believe in the good of law enforcement as a whole, is a sad myth. You can in fact do both; the two are not mutually exclusive. It isn’t about taking up for a singular side either way, but about taking up a stand for good. So I can say that I feel George Floyd’s life mattered, and also feel that the lives of my police officers matter too. Wanting justice for Breonna Taylor doesn’t make me any less of a police supporter because it is my stance that the majority of police officers are morally just individuals who want justice for all. In my time as a 911 dispatcher I have encountered far more good in public safety than bad, and I am especially proud of the measures my own department and county have taken in respectfully handling protests and rallies in our communities.
The lesson to remember is that as members of public safety we have an important job to do and while some might question our motives and our intentions, we should never feel guilty for doing our job. There will be incidents where citizens feel failed by the system and we can all do our part to fix this. There are minority groups still grappling with issues of distrust and frustration over being stereotyped for so long. But let us never forget that what we do in 911 is vitally central to all of public safety, and the communities we serve are far and wide much better protected with the active presence of law enforcement than without it.
Thank you, Samantha for sharing your valuable perspective! If you are interested in writing a blog, please email 911derWomen@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter on our homepage to stay up to date with 911der Women programming, exclusive content and blog updates. Click here and scroll to the bottom!