Race, Space, and Being Policed

Abstract

Research on race and policing has consistently documented the link between race, space, and policing with racial disparities in perceptions and experiences often explained by nature of policing within low-income, distressed communities of color. This study adds a new dimension to past research by examining the relationship between race, racial composition of place, and residents’ experiences with southern police across public and semipublic spaces within a middle-class, low-crime, tourism-driven resort area. Using grounded theory methods, this study combines survey data with in-depth group interviews and structured observations to reveal variability in participants’ experiences with southern patrols. Specifically, African American participants expressed concern for excessive police distribution, differential enforcement, and social exclusion, offering the least supportive attitudes regarding officer demeanor. These findings highlight the importance of using comprehensive measures to access residents’ experiences with police and contribute to the understanding of how various geographic contexts might produce racial disparities, highlighting the salience of race in the policing of ethnically diverse public spaces.