History Memes

Cops had a less intense sense of identity back then. It wasn't until the late 60s and 70s that it really solidified, and has been getting worse ever sense. Back in the 50s, cops were just locals with power - most of whom were racists and untrustworthy thugs, mind you, but because most people were racist and most people are untrustworthy thugs when given power.

Now there's a whole bizarre siege-mentality subculture that cops have embraced which includes an even more racist view than your average American, who is... not typically entirely free of racial prejudice themselves. Nowadays, cops don't see a 9 year old Black kid at the library checkout - they see a 'civilian', 'Black male, about 16 or 17'. Another self-feeding statistic about 'dangerous' suspects who 'cause trouble' and 'resist arrest'. Not only that, but most cops don't live near their precincts anymore - these people aren't their neighbors. They're 'outsiders' who they don't need to imagine as human beings. In the 1950s, most cops lived closer to their precincts, and so might sometimes feel a pang of conscience for people who were often their literal neighbors.

The average cop nowadays might be less racist, on the whole, than the average 1950s cop. But the average cop nowadays is more racist compared to the average American than the 1950s cop.

... though considering how horrifically racist 1950s Americans in general were, that may be not much more than damnation by faint praise.