In June 2020, the “defund the police” slogan gained widespread popularity during the George Floyd protests. Why We Should Defund The Police? There are pros and cons as well.
Some sociologists, criminologists, and journalists have criticized aspects of the police defunding movement.
What Does Defunding Police means?
“Defunding the police” means, It is a slogan after George Floyd’s death to reallocate the divesting funds to the private, non-policing forms of public safety and community support, such as social services, youth services, housing, education, healthcare, and other community resources.
Why We Should Defund The Police?
In the backwash of the police murder of George Floyd, People came out of their houses and protested against the police demanding black lives matter and many of them were calling defund the police.
The murders of George Floyd, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Michael Brown, and countless other Black and Brown people at the hands of police are not anomalies.
They are evidence of a racist system that disproportionately targets people of color for violence, imprisonment, and death.
The first reason we came across that police are not being neutral bodies. Policing in the U.S. was established to secure people regardless of color, religion, etc.
The second one is Policing doesn’t keep us safe whereas they are meant and trained to keep safe. But the situation has changed everything. Our tax dollars should be invested in more humane and just alternatives to policing.
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Why Defunding Police Is Not The Answer?
We all know the murder of George Floyd has turn the whole situation up side down. Every single person is exasperate over policing departments.
We clearly need to work on building better relationships between law enforcement officers throughout the Country. That’s something we should all get behind.
However, some local governments are taking the wrong steps to fix this important issue. The radical movement calling to defund local police departments that’s gaining momentum is a ridiculous idea that we must all reject.
If local communities start following these rules, it would only end up hurting many of the people who need protection most. Our local leaders must do better.
Defunding local police departments would also destruct communities that are already facing a tough economic situation during this pandemic.
We can do better. We truly believe we can have change without disbanding an essential part of our society.
Cities That Have Deffunding The Police Already?
There are many Cities that have defunded the police already. They started to take action against this some of which are as follows,
Austin, Texas, is the latest city to announce police defunding. They have cut down $150 million (roughly one third) from the budget of police and reallocated in many social services and youth services. I must say it is a better step that has been taken by it is government.
The two largest cities also have taken this step. New York and Los Angeles, approved budget cuts weeks after protests began.
New York reallocating $354 million to mental health, homelessness and education services) while Los Angeles approved a $150 million budget cut from its $1.86 billion proposed budget.
Also in California, San Francisco, Baltimore, Portland, Oregon, Philadelphia, Hartford, Conn, Norman, Oklahoma, Salt Lake City approved this decision. Several other cities are mulling the reallocation of funds within their own departments.
If Police Departments Are Defunded, Will There Be Community Initiatives Ready?
It is not really easy to set up new programs on such short notices. It will be quite difficult to change the whole system in s sudden. If it gets actually replaced with effective programs, it could be really bad for communities that are already suffering.
I think there is going to be a big-budget crunch and we’re going to have to refocus our resources in a lot of ways. We have some really promising models for community initiatives.
Pros And Cons
Pros
Defunding the police can minimise the oppression and the voilation of the police over Common people.
This could stop police being violent against the color and religion which is a great crime. Another advantage is that the police department will get active and will do their duties actively.
Cons
People are getting emotional. This time defunding Police is not the right choice to make. It can ruin and destruct local communities safety. So, Could the government produce such well trained and active police if they defund the police?
If local comunities start following these rules, it would only end up hurting many of the people who need protection most. Our local leaders must do better.
If police departments are defunded, will there be community initiatives ready? That is not easy to recover all in all of a sudden.