Street Cops
In 1978, after spending years photographing firefighters, Jill Freedman turned her camera toward New York City’s police officers. Though initially harboring a deep skepticism of law enforcement, meeting officers at fire scenes softened her view and sparked a desire to look past her own prejudices. For nearly two years, she embedded herself with the NYPD in Manhattan’s 9th Precinct and Midtown South, walking the beat and riding in patrol cars during a period of severe economic hardship and rising crime across the city. Overcoming early hesitation from officers unaccustomed to photographers in their cruisers, Freedman earned their trust through her grit, humor, and unflinching presence.
Published in 1981, Street Cops delivers a gritty, deeply human portrait of law enforcement on the front lines of a metropolis in crisis. Stripping away media stereotypes, Freedman captured the full spectrum of urban policing—balancing high-tension arrests and street violence with quiet acts of compassion, surreal humor, and the tragic isolation inherent to the job.
