"The police are not here to create disorder, they're here to preserve disorder"

Richard J. Daley’s assertion that the police “are not here to create disorder, they're here to preserve disorder” presents a sharp, ironic observation about the role of law enforcement in society. Ostensibly, police institutions exist to maintain peace and uphold the law, projecting an image as keepers of order. However, Daley’s phrasing suggests a more critical, perhaps cynical, reality: rather than remedying fundamental inequalities or genuinely resolving societal unrest, the police serve to sustain the established state of affairs, even when that condition is inherently disordered or unjust.

The word “disorder” in this context carries a dual significance. On the surface, disorder implies chaos or criminality, conditions the police are meant to oppose. Yet, Daley implies that what is termed “order” by authority figures is itself a structured form of disorder, marked by persistent social inequities and systemic imbalances. The preservation of this disorder ensures that power dynamics remain largely unchallenged, that marginalized voices are suppressed, and that disruptive change is contained.

This interpretation aligns with critiques of policing that highlight its function as a tool for maintaining existing hierarchies. Police actions, especially during periods of protest or dissent, are often justified as efforts to re-establish “order,” but they may also serve to protect the interests of those already in power. Rather than addressing root causes of unrest, such as poverty, discrimination, or political exclusion, the system enforces a superficial stability that masks ongoing tensions and injustices.

Daley’s statement serves as a provocative commentary on the complex relationship between authority and social order. It urges reflection on whose interests are truly served by the structures meant to enforce order, and challenges assumptions about justice, power, and societal stability. Through this lens, the function of police transcends mere law enforcement, instead revealing their role in perpetuating societal structures that may themselves be fundamentally disordered.