There is one police department we could dissolve, not because of corruption or malfeasance allegations, but because its Black History Month spectacle was sheer embarrassment. I thought this was a parody—it’s genuine. The Miami Police Department unveiled an honorary police vehicle to commemorate the occasion, decked out in UNIA flag colors with the lettering ‘Black History Month’ on the side, with the African continent placed by the gas cap. I hope this is just for show because if this ever took to the road on an actual patrol—everyone deserves to be fired, including the mayor. The ceremony for this special car was held on February 2 (via CBS News):
#BREAKING: In honor of #BlackHistoryMonth Miami Mayor Ponzi Postalita Francis Suarez just unveiled a Black History police cruiser with images of Africa all over it. #BecauseMiami pic.twitter.com/Mo5QYHeUVU
— Because Miami (@BecauseMiami) February 2, 2023
Today we honor and celebrate Miami Police Black History with unveiling of our new Black History vehicle. Among all of the officers who were in attendance to commemorate the unveiling were some of our very first black police officers. #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/Vi6blGVYha
— Miami PD (@MiamiPD) February 2, 2023
Join us for the unveiling of our Black History Vehicle today at 2PM. Unable to make the unveiling, tune in and watch it live via ⬇️ https://t.co/1kAeKpLw9v pic.twitter.com/eB3PLBRYmY
— Miami PD (@MiamiPD) February 2, 2023
The Miami Police Department and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez have received criticism after unveiling a cruiser this week with Africa-themed images to kick off Black History Month.
The red, green, yellow and blue vehicle includes Black fists raised in protest, as well as an outline of Africa. Officer Kiara Delva, a department spokesperson, said at the unveiling that the design is meant to honor the history and legacy of the Black police precinct and the officers who served there.
The unveiling took place Thursday at the Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum, which at one time served as a separate police station and municipal court for Black police officers, judges and defendants — until its closure in 1963.
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Sherrilyn Ifill, former president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, took to Twitter, writing, "THIS CANNOT BE!"
MSNBC legal analyst Charles F. Coleman Jr. tweeted that "this type of tone deaf performative action is what provokes a 'war on wokeness' when we are made to accept the unacceptable."
Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah tweeted, "I AM WHEEZING."
It is pandering at its worst, and to compound things—it’s totally shameless. A cop car with the African continent on it: are we trying to insult the entire community? Also, with the recent Tyre Nichols fiasco up in Memphis, Tennessee—police cars designed like this is appallingly tone-deaf. Police officers are trained to be observant and read the room—this was the antithesis of that. Did the Miami Police Department just cancel Black History Month? No, but they’re making the argument for it. If this is the path, I wouldn’t be shocked if black leaders and activists scrapped the whole idea if it meant catering to such gross displays like this; it’s offensively bad.
Now, it may not reach the level of outrage from the woke mob frothing like the fungi-infected zombies in the show The Last of Us, but it’s certainly reaching the level of second-hand embarrassment.