In the US political divide between Black racial justice organizations and police departments, backing the badge means to support the police. After many years of widespread popular support for the police, and increasingly visible examples of police brutality against Black Americans, US citizens are beginning to question the role of police in civic life. To "back the badge" is to reaffirm your support for the police, specifically in light of recent criticism of what many critics describe as institutional racism. Typically seen on bumper stickers, lawn signs, online profiles, the phrase is loosely associated with American conservative political ideology.

Hi Baboon! Backing the badge means addressing the systemic shortcomings in policing that sometimes result in deaths like that of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, but it also means addressing funding strategies that can result in poorly trained, underpaid, ill-equipped, inexperienced officers being thrust into situations and places most people fear to tread.