Is it time to defund the police?

Defunding police is one step we can take to free up resources and public imagination for more just and humane approaches to community safety and shared well-being. It’s time to defund the police. Tell your governor: Invest in our communities, not policing!

Will defunding the police hurt the most vulnerable citizens?

While people with considerable means tend to reside in gated communities with private security or in other less threatening environments, the most vulnerable among us — many inner-city and at-risk communities — endure staggeringly high crime rates. Defunding will have an adverse effect on citizens most in need of police protection.

What kind of calls do police officers deal with?

Police currently deal with calls about mental illness, homelessness, domestic disputes, barking dogs, neighbors playing loud music, and various non-criminal activities, on top of actual violations of the law ranging from minor shoplifting by kids to speeding to murder.

What contributes to the trust deficit between police and their communities?

A contributing factor to the trust deficit between police and their communities is related to the fact that data collected on police use of force encounters is often incomplete or nonexistent.

Should re-Reformers use ‘defund the police’ as a slogan?

Reformers should abjure using “defund the police” as a slogan, even if the reforms they advocate include cutting some types of funding.

Was Camden a successful example of defunding the police?

Camden, New Jersey is occasionally cited as a successful example of “defunding the police.” But it is actually better understood as an example of replacing a badly flawed old police force with a new and better one. In 2013, Camden did indeed abolish its police department.