CRACKS IN THE "THIN BLUE LINE": POLICING, DEMOCRACY, AND INSURRECTION

Abstract

With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, Americans may face an increased threat of violence from alt-right, racist groups or armed Trump supporters. Whether it be from another “Unite the Right” march or an effort to keep Trump or his successor in power when their term ends, similar to the January 6, 2021 insurrection, the question looms: Will police protect us from these mobs? To answer this question, we must grasp the policing failures of January 6 at the Ellipse, almost two miles away from the U.S. Capitol. There was a six-hour window before the crowd began storming the Capitol during which a strong police response might have mitigated the danger. This article shows how under-policing on the National Mall that morning enabled a more virulent attack on the Capitol that afternoon.

If Trump or his successor refuses to leave after their term ends, what will police do, given the incoming administration’s plans to federalize the local police department in Washington D.C.? Those who care about democracy should embrace the metaphor of the “thin blue line,” that is, a police force that will stand up to armed militias and white nationalists. Supporters of democracy often focus on the military, hoping for independent military leaders who will refuse to obey illegal presidential commands. This article demonstrates that continued democracy in the U.S. also rests in the hands of police.

Ross, Josephine, Cracks in the “Thin Blue Line”: Policing, Democracy, and Insurrection, 31:3 Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law 1 (2024).

Keywords: policing and democracy, January 6 insurrection, white nationalists, under-policing, race and policing