The Thin Blue Line — Unity or Division
In the recent months of this pandemic, many have been sharing thoughts and sentiments of the issues that arise from wearing or supporting the thin blue line; however, what exactly is the thin blue line and what does it really mean?
Upon a quick google search, the first few links identify the thin blue line as Blue Lives Matter while others suggest it’s a notion or a nod towards the continuity of systematic racism as well as the cause of the continued divide between the community they serve. Nevertheless, rage and anger have been sparked, at the University of Ottawa amongst other cities and areas, protection and police officers have come underfired for wearing the thin blue line flag on their uniforms and police cruisers, so much so that it was reported that some families were also targeted.
This still leads me to wonder why does this patch and uttering the words thin blue line create so much rage and controversy, in addition, what does the thin blue line actually mean?
In 2015, I had the opportunity to be employed by the Toronto Police Service as a Youth in Policing Initiative student. Prior to this experience, I was absolutely terrified of the police due to the teachings passed down to me by family members. Truly, I never really wanted to interact let alone work for the police services, it wasn’t until I met my mentors who are Toronto Police Officers that I was able to create a bond. At the time of mentorship, I had no idea that they were Officers.
The Youth in Policing Initiative was truly an experience that I would never forget or take for granted, as this was an opportunity for me to step into the policing realm and learn more about their job. It was here that I was introduced to the policing family and learned the meaning of the thin blue line. Policing itself is more than boots on the ground, it’s not what you see in movies and tv shows, in fact, it’s much more. I never really understood the service and what they did prior to working with them, I always thought that all they do is lock people in jails simply because at a young age I saw this with a family member, in addition to being told that if I did anything remotely bad or my parents didn’t approve of my behaviour that the police would take me away. YIPI allowed me to see the different units such as K-9, Mountie unit, forensics, Victim services, Pro Actions Cops and Kids. Here, I would like to distinctly highlight that the police is more than just locking people up because this was my perceived conception before emerging myself in a sliver of their world. I was placed at Headquarters where I got to see the bureaucracy and work with the charity that they are partners with. Pro-action Cops and kids fund cops working in communities to service programs for youth that will: 1) develop life skills 2) make lasting friendships amongst other youth 3) take them off the streets away from violence 4) strengthen and build a bridge between the community and the police. Aside from educating myself with first-hand experiences with the world of policing I also learned the true meaning of the thin blue line.
The Thin blue line is a family, it’s a community, it is honouring the sacrifices of officer killed in the line of duty, it is remembering their sacrifices and honouring their families, it’s a reminder; the thin blue line serves as a reminder that there will always be someone holding the line, serving and protecting the people and enforcing the law.
Every year, offices are killed in the line of duty, every year, someone dies by suicide due to mental health-related injuries and other pressures that come with the job, even so, every year we celebrate and welcome the new recruits that enter this sector of work, equally so this thin blue line that has become politically and controversial over the past few months represents them and their sacrifice.
The thin blue line was never meant to be a political statement, it was never meant to create a divide in communities, it was never meant to do harm, yet it has become so. The thin blue line as previously said and argued through my statement is simply one way of unifying a group of people who put their lives on the line to maintain peace in society.
As a member of a minority community myself, I am fully aware and completely understand that not everyone has like or has had a positive experience when dealing with a police officer. I am not writing this piece to say that we should all love the police, personally, I believe that this is a system that needs to be reform in such a way that meets the needs of communities that addresses a wide range of issues. Instead, here I am challenging the spread of misunderstanding and misinformation that has been widely spread over the media including such platforms as Twitter and Facebook. I completely disagree with those who insist and continue to believe that the thin blue line is racist, because if so, we must also make the same claims to the thin red line that represents the Fire Fighter community, the thin green line that represents the military, the thin yellow line that represents security guards and the thin white line that represent EMS and EMTs all of which serves to represent first responders. The sentiment that the thin blue line is racist has not been adequately justified nor has it spoken truthfully about the community it represents.
In all that has been said, I hope that this piece is able to shed light on an issue that many feel silent on because truthfully we have silenced people from sharing their perspectives and from discussions that do not match the current trends or ideology. In no way shape or form do I support bullying or harassment of any sort, we need to create and allow for a dialogue of explanation and not just pointing fingers. If the goal is to create unity and better safer society we need to allow one another to be heard, to engage in dialogue and educate, instead we have done the exact opposite.
I implore those who wish to be in future professions regardless of the areas (policing, politics, medical, etc.) to take a second, analyze and have an open mind, cooperation is a two-way street. I challenge you to ask questions, I challenge you to spark discussions, but most importantly I challenge you to seek change in the places you wish to see them. The youth in policing program (YIPI) was not my only source of information, I have spent my undergrad taking courses in criminology and community policing, showing up to events and engaging with both civilians and officers working with various police services. I have spent time and made the efforts to educate myself, and I hope that by reading my reflection you would understand why we must think critically, we must not silence someone because we don’t agree with them. We were taught this in the basics of elementary and by the teachings of our parents.
Expressing my experiences and reflecting on this subject of the thin blue line meaning does not take away from the issues of systematic racism or the concerns of mental health that police services across this country are struggling with. The same way that I ask that you take a moment to understand the matter of the thin blue line is the same way I would ask those at the decision making tables to do better.
When I think of the thin blue line, I think of the officers that never made it home to their families, I think of those that worked on serving their communities, those who were bridge makers, and those who I am grateful to call my mentors, although I am not an officer, I had the immense opportunity to work as a civilian in the service and I think of those who were part of my YIPI class, to the YIPIs that I became an older sister too, and finally to those arguably I call family. The thin blue line for me is a stark reminder of unity, past, current and future.
