Civic beacon or bunker? Photographer Kris Graves documents all of New York City’s 77 police precincts.

2018-03-13T15:06:00-04:00

What’s the difference between a school, a library, and a police precinct? They’re all civic institutions designed to communicate their contribution to a well-functioning society. [...] Kris Graves photographed every one of New York City’s 77 precinct station houses for Urban Omnibus. The blue and white car, the badge, and the uniform all communicate “police” on city streets, but the building, the police’s permanent home in the neighborhood, conveys a particular message. What does it say?

If you enjoyed photographer Kris Graves documenting the grid-disrupting topography of the Bronx for Urban Omnibus a while ago, you'll love his latest piece: Beacon / Bunker, a series of photographs of every one of New York City’s 77 police precinct station houses across the five boroughs. "Whether the precinct is a reassuring beacon of safety or a bunker of malfeasance may depend more on individual or collective associations than on the architecture."

40th Precinct, Bronx. © Kris Graves.

23rd Precinct, Manhattan. © Kris Graves.

105th Precinct, Queens. © Kris Graves.

Find the complete set of all 77 NYC precincts over at Urban Omnibus.

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Civic beacon or bunker? Photographer Kris Graves documents all of New York City’s 77 police precincts.