BLACK COPS PROVIDE DILEMMA, SOLUTIONS IN MODERN POLICING

-- E-book "Controlling Blue" Examines Dangers of Being a Black Cop --

-- Citizen Responsibility, Leadership Seen as Solutions for Better Policing --

"Controlling Blue: Race Media and Policing" is a first of it's kind research about the plight of black cops and community control of local policing.

Jacksonville, FL (BlackNews.com) -- A black police officer in plain clothes chasing a dangerous suspect can cause citizen onlookers to think that the black cop is the bad guy. A white police officer viewing this very same scenario may shoot the black cop. A consistent dosage of negative depictions of African American males on TV, radio and in movies are partly responsible. The second edition of Controlling Blue: Race Media and Policing is the first book to take a look into the plight of black police officers and to examine the effects that race and media have on policing.

Many police departments are experiencing racial issues; both in the communities they are serving as well as within their departments. Black officers often walk a line between two social realities - dealing with being black as a cop and being black as a person in the society. As more blacks have become police officers, some interesting occurrences have taken place. Among them is the previously mentioned killing of black police officers in plain clothes by white officers. Negative perceptions can cause some black officers to show a similar fear and hatred toward other Blacks. Author Opio Sokoni states that leadership has been one of the most important factors in addressing these problems. A chief can determine whether racism by officers will be addressed swiftly or considered a minor priority.

The second half of Controlling Blue is ambitious in its layout of an improved citizen review of the police. Sokoni states that a strong board should have majority civilian input and investigatory and subpoena powers. In addition, he writes about the effectiveness that civil lawsuits and the U.S. Justice Department can have in bringing about change within local law enforcement. Finally, this research looks at informal mechanisms such as citizen surveillance and a better method for good cops to report bad cops. Opio Sokoni states, "This is an important book for anyone looking to understand and decrease racism within an important area of the criminal justice system - policing."
Controlling Blue (2nd Ed.) is independently published and is currently being released exclusively as an e-book. This short and highly interesting work can be found at Amazon.com ($9.99) and in PDF format at www.Poli-Tainment.com ($9.50).

Sokoni is an activist and a political commentator. His writings include books about the Seminole Wars, pioneering aviatrix Bessie Coleman, and a history about black music genres created in the United States. Opio Sokoni holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of North Florida and a law degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C.

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