“Why do riot police get to work early?”/“To beat the crowd.”

A pun is told about riot police:
 
Q: Why do riot police get to work early?
A: To beat the crowd.
   
A form of the joke existed in California after the police beating of Rodney King (1965-2012) on March 3, 1991. A

soc.culture.african.american newsgroup post in 1992 read: “Why did the LAPD leave the ballgame early? They wanted to beat the crowd.”
 
Denver (Colorado) hosted the Democratic National Convention in July 2008, and in October 2008, the Denver police union sold T-shirts stating: “We Get Up Early to Beat the Crowds.”
 
“JOB OPPORTUNITY: Riot Police officers needed. Interviews are being held tomorrow. Come early…beat the crowd” was cited on Twitter on November 21, 2010. “The riot police got to #Disneyland early so they could beat the crowd” was cited on Twitter on April 20, 2011.
         
 
Google Groups: soc.culture.african.american
Rodney King Verdict: NOT GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS  
Lisa Koh
5/1/92
(James Douglas Del Vecchio) writes
>
>
> BTW, here’s one for you:
> Q:        Why did the LAPD leave the ballgame early?
> A:      They wanted to beat the crowd.
 
here’s another!
 
did you hear that the LAPD is changing their logo now?
yeah, from a shield to a pinata.
 
Alternet
DNC Police T-Shirt:‘We Get Up Early to Beat the Crowds’
Talk about bad taste.
By Lindsay Beyerstein / Firedoglake October 2, 2008
The Denver police union is selling t-shirts DNC commemorative t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “We Get Up Early to Beat the Crowds:” ...
   
Twitter
Andy Webb
‏@webbyand
JOB OPPORTUNITY: Riot Police officers needed. Interviews are being held tomorrow. Come early…beat the crowd.
1:35 PM - 21 Nov 2010
 
Twitter
Alan Spencer
‏@MrAlanSpencer
The riot police got to #Disneyland early so they could beat the crowd.
7:54 PM - 20 Apr 2011
 
Twitter
Such Swagger
‏@Danish_Oil
I like to get to wrk early and beat the crowd…
That’s the best part about being in the riot police!
7:44 PM - 3 Jan 2013
 
Twitter
Andy R
‏@wolfeeboy999
I try hard to get to work early to beat the crowds,
loving my new job with the riot police.
1:13 PM - 3 Jan 2013
 
Twitter
Justin O’Neill
‏@dzstin
Why did the Riot Police Officer start work early ? - He wanted to beat the crowd , - I’m here all night 😊
10:40 AM - 16 Jan 2014
     
reddit
Why did the riot police show up early to the protest?
submitted November 16, 2014 by PeculiarThomas
They wanted to beat the crowd.
 
reddit
Why do riot police get to work early?
submitted June 19 2016 by DeathFromWithin
To beat the crowd