Listen Now - Empire City: The Untold Origin Story of the NYPD

Update: 2024-09-09

Digest

The podcast "Empire City" explores the complex and often hidden history of the NYPD, challenging the widely held perception of the department as a bastion of heroism. The episode begins by acknowledging the NYPD's strong brand awareness, built on iconic imagery and tales of bravery. However, it promises to unveil a darker side, revealing the department's true origins and motivations. The host's attempt to research the NYPD's history at the police museum is met with resistance. The museum's director, an active NYPD sergeant, refuses to allow the use of words like "violence" and "corruption" in the museum's narrative, highlighting the institution's agenda to protect its image. This censorship underscores the power of institutions to control the narrative surrounding their history. The podcast then emphasizes the crucial role newspapers played in shaping the public perception of the NYPD. For over 180 years, newspapers not only reported on the police but also influenced their actions and the narratives surrounding them. This influence extended beyond mere reporting, shaping the public's understanding of the police and contributing to the department's image. By exploring the influence of media and institutional censorship, the podcast sheds light on the complex relationship between the NYPD and the public, revealing the hidden history that often goes untold.

Outlines

00:00:00

The NYPD's Brand Awareness and Hidden History

The podcast introduces the NYPD's strong brand awareness, highlighting its iconic imagery and tales of heroism. However, it promises to reveal a hidden and darker history of the department.

00:00:46

Censorship and the NYPD's Hidden History

The host's attempt to research the NYPD's history at the police museum is met with closed doors and censorship. The museum's director, an active NYPD sergeant, refused to allow the use of words like "violence" and "corruption" in the museum's narrative, highlighting the institution's agenda to protect its image.

00:07:59

The Power of Newspapers in Shaping Police Narrative

The podcast emphasizes the crucial role newspapers played in shaping the public perception of the NYPD, not just reporting on it. They influenced the police's actions and the narrative surrounding them for over 180 years.

Keywords

NYPD Brand Awareness

The strong recognition and image of the New York Police Department, often associated with iconic imagery, heroism, and media portrayals.

Police Museum Censorship

The suppression of information and narratives about the NYPD's history, particularly regarding violence and corruption, by the police museum's director.

Institutional Agenda

The influence of an organization's goals and values on its actions and the information it presents, often leading to biased or selective narratives.

Newspaper Influence on Policing

The significant impact of newspapers in shaping public perception of the police, influencing their actions and the narratives surrounding them.

NYPD History

The historical development and evolution of the New York Police Department, including its origins, practices, and controversies.

Q&A

What is the main theme of the podcast "Empire City"?
The podcast explores the hidden and often dark history of the NYPD, challenging the common narrative of heroism and revealing the department's true origins and motivations.
Why was the host unable to access information about the NYPD's history at the police museum?
The museum was closed and its director, an active NYPD sergeant, censored any mention of violence or corruption in the museum's narrative, highlighting the institution's agenda to protect its image.
How did newspapers play a role in shaping the NYPD's history and public perception?
Newspapers not only reported on the NYPD but also influenced its actions and the narratives surrounding it, shaping the public's understanding of the police for over 180 years.

Show Notes

At a time when we’re debating where policing is going, we’re going to tell you where the police came from. Guided by Peabody award-winning host Chenjerai Kumanyika, Empire City will provide the ﬁrst accessible narrative history of the American police and its place in popular culture. Who are the police? And why were police departments created in the ﬁrst place? To ﬁnd answers, we’re going to tell the origin story of the largest police force in the world: The NYPD. We begin in the late 1800’s at a moment when the entire police force was on trial. It’s the biggest corruption scandal in the history of the NYPD, and it all plays out like a high stakes courtroom drama. What follows is the action-packed account of how the NYPD got to this point and what happened next. It involves Black abolitionists ﬁghting slave patrols in the courts of Gotham; two rival police forces duking it out for power at City Hall; the origins of the true crime genre; and how the NYPD spread their tactics worldwide.

Listen to Empire City wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/Empire_City.

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