The police When building my collage, I approached several difficult decisions as space and relevancy collided. My most challenging dilemma came when deciding to add the image of a police officer into my “Hero-llage”. The most striking and immediate thing that I think about, is how it was not automatic to include the image. Many people would think of a police officer as the most obvious example of a real-life hero - but my first thoughts challenged that very Idea. The notion of a police officer being a hero was there - indicated by the very thought of adding it, but was instantly counteracted with the thought that all police are not heroes.
This was not the superficial challenge that ousted many images - Spiderman, Malcolm X, and a plethora of others who didn't make the cut for reasons of diversity, repetition, color - sometimes I simply couldn't find a good image. But none of these omissions had their heroism questioned like that of the police officers image, and for that I decided to devote an entire entry to them.
First of all I want to say that as I built the collage, I tried to include those who, without question would be seen as a hero. Characters who’s very story is a great tale of heroism or struggle. But the image of the urban police has transformed over time into one to fear - a main antagonistic trait. Over time, the image of the police has changed from a protective force to combat neighborhood tyrants, to the oppressors themselves, the cause of resent and distrust.
Over the years, the image of the “crooked” cop has been perpetuated in movies and shows. Since film itself, crimes committed by the servants of justice are all too familiar in media. Far less common is the image of the “good cop”, and when there is, they usually end up losing a great deal in sacrifice.
“The police officer” is not a hero. There are heroes within the title of police officers - everyday citizens who sacrifice themselves (sometimes their lives), but I believe these to be a minority. Legitimate heroes that do it not for the money, but for the honor in protecting the innocent.