The Intersection of Design and Policing

Episode 062 • 47 min

What role does design play in policing?

Illustrated by Sophia Richardson

In this episode, Sam is joined by Jennifer Rittner, a writer, educator, and Principal at Content Matters. Jennifer was the guest editor of our latest Design Museum Magazine Issue, The Policing Issue, which explores how one of the most powerful institutions functions by design. Jennifer shares more on how she chose the contributors for the issue and the role of design in policing. Later on in the show, they are joined by Timothy Bardlavens, a design leader, cultural strategist, and diversity, equity and inclusion consultant and writer. Currently, he is a Product Design Manager at Facebook and he co-founded &Design with Antionette Carroll. In the Policing Issue, Timothy and Jennifer wrote the essay “Designed for Harm: How Products of Policing Enforce Extra-judicial Practices of Control and Submission.” Timothy discusses the products and practices of control and submission and how design can be used for harm. Together, they discuss how to design against harm and rethinking the current framework. 

Weekly Dose of Good Design

• Sam: Little Island
• Jennifer: All My Loving Relations and B.Yellowtail

Links

• Magazine: The Policing Issue is out now!
• Timothy’s website: Bardlavens.com
• Podcast: The Crazy One: Dismantling White Supremacy in Design by Antionette Carroll