HowlRound: No hot-button social issue is bigger right now in the US, it’s safe to say, than the fractured relationship between policing and racial justice. A new play takes direct aim at that explosive topic, through the lens of New Orleans’ complex history of law enforcement, crime and punishment, race relations, and the empowerment of women.
2 comments:
I for one would love to see this play. Although, I think I would prefer a more accurate telling of Mrs. Bechet’s life than what appears to be portrayed in this text. I have a background in political science and criminal justice, I studied these alongside theatre in my undergrad. I spent time in and out of class surrounded by police and those who aspired to become cops. I went on ride-a-longs with campus police, and the Montgomery County Sheriffs dept in Montgomery County, MD. I have seen first hand the relationship between police in the community and have seen how that relationship differs between cops and the back community or cops and the white community. I think there needs to be more plays, more dramatic readings into this world of police/community relations. So many lives have been touched by police action (or even inaction) that plays like this throw back the veil of life behind the blue line. Yes, there is corruption in the police department and yes it is hard to investigate because officers tend to protect their own. Projects like this can shed a light on that and many other aspects of the fragile relationship between police and community. Bravo!
This is an incredibly inspiring story. Ms. Bechet is an American hero and deserves all of these plaudits. For her to enter the New Orleans police force in 1968 during a period of substantial civil upheaval is a testament to her bravery and perseverance. Not only that, but she did this during a time when much of the Southern United States was in the process of repealing Jim Crowe era laws that disenfranchised black Americans. Furthermore, this was a period where women were especially treated unfairly in the workplace and not seen as equals. To also have the burden of raising four children while taking on such a Herculean task is truly admirable. Perhaps most importantly is the fact that she managed to make a significant positive impact as an officer by fostering better community relations and rising through the ranks of the department.
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