In the midst of discussions about combating racism, the conversation about police brutality is often a key point. People’s opinions on the police system are widely divided: some believe that our police force is essential to community safety, some object to their current practices, and others call for its complete upheaval. When taking a stance on such a controversial issue, it’s important to first understand each perspective, even if it seems extreme. This article will dissect what defunding the police really means, why it’s been so greatly popularized, and what this could realistically look like.
Why would anyone want to defund the police?
For understandable reasons, many are immediately cautious when hearing the phrase “defund the police”. At face value, defunding the police simply means reallocating police funding to go to other government agencies, specialized in other subjects of public safety. Most people who argue for the defunding of the police aren’t looking for the abolishment of law enforcement, but rather a more diversified array of social services. Lots of people have lots of different ideas of what this could look like—ranging from departments specializing in mental health to homelessness to substance abuse to domestic violence. Much like the suicide hotline, each social service would have trained professionals ready to assist with whatever specific issue was called in.
Our current system has police officers as the go-to call for everything, including situations that police officers may not have proper training in. When regarding violent police reactions with civilians, much of it involves a lack of training in how to handle the situation. By expanding the range of specialized first-responders, many believe it will help to avoid the mishandling of situations. Outside of just emergency situations, defunding the police could have some potentially good long-term solutions. Advocates believe that by providing funding to a wider range of social services, it could help to decrease rates of addiction and homelessness.
How was this popularized?
The murder of George Floyd in May 2020 brought a new wave of people protesting against police brutality. The phrase “Defund the Police” began to circulate through social media and gained widespread traction quickly. Activists who participated in the phrase’s circulation argued that it marked a new era of the BLM Movement, saying “we’re no longer asking for convictions or folks to be indicted. We’re asking for an actual narrative shift…in the systems of police.”
What would this look like?
The short answer is that it depends on who you ask. People arguing for the defunding of the police have very different interpretations of what this could look like. The most extreme is the complete abolition of our police system as it is, relying solely on the designated social services to act as first-responders. People who advocate for police abolition are frustrated by the slow progress that the government is making, and are pessimistic about the effectiveness of just cutting a chunk of their budget.
However, the partial reduction of the police budget is a plan that’s drawn more traction. Several cities quickly took action after the murder of George Floyd, including L.A., New York, Baltimore, and Minneapolis. Back in July, the Los Angeles City Council approved a $150 million cut to the LAPD, reallocating the funds to go to services for Latinx, Black, and “disenfranchised communities.” The $150 million represented about 8% of the total $1.8 billion of LAPD’s proposed budget, creating controversies on whether the cut was too much or too little. Budget cuts in the NYPD also started similar controversies. In June 2020, $1 billion of the $88 billion budget was reallocated to monitoring homeless people, illegal vending, and school safety. Some believed the cut wasn’t large enough, while others were cautious due to rising crime rates in the city.
Some politicians are also looking at alternatives to defunding the police that could help prevent police misconduct. Several Democrats in Congress looked to introduce legislation that takes other measures in police reform. This includes the restriction of police officers from using deadly force unless absolutely necessary and dissolving current measures created to protect police officers from accountability and make it easier to prosecute them for misconduct. This legislation, the Justice in Policing Act, outlines these, along with many other new laws that are in support of what some activists seek. However, many activists also believe that legislation doesn’t go far enough, perceiving the police force as an inherently corrupt system that needs more than just reform. As the debates continue, it becomes more clear that the response to police brutality, whether it’s retraining, new legislation, or defunding, will be a complex one.
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