My 30+ year old children introduced the phrase “defunding the police” to me a few weeks ago. Actually, it must have been the week of George Floyd’s death. I was a little alarmed and very confused. What! What are you talking about!? What a ridiculous thing to say! Within these few weeks this phrase has become part of our daily headlines. In DC a road now carries the phrase! There is much conversation online and a Twitter about Defunding the Police. Hmmm … what are we taking about?
Much has been written in the last few weeks so I have started reading to help me get a handle on this phrase. The article below is one of the most helpful articles I have found.
Here is what I have gleaned from my initial research What defunding the police is NOT:
• a specific policy • dismantlement of police departments
• lessening public protection from violent crime
• leaving communities to protect themselves
• a very good phrase
What defunding the police is:
• a movement or theory in national conversations
• reallocation of funds to include social workers, interpreters and counselors to ride with police officers and help with disputes.
• offer police more awareness about mental health issues to diffuse situations
• have cities adopt plans that are working now such as RIGHT Care plan highlighted in this article.
The San Francisco Chronicle says, “…the concept refers to shrinking police responsibility and delegating some of law enforcement’s duties to other experts – for example having social workers respond to homelessness complaints and health care workers handle people with substance abuse.”
Where will the police unions stand in this new call to Defund The Police? I have more research to do on this question.
Alicia Garza said on NBC’s “Meet the Press”, “When we talk about defunding the police, what we’re saying is, ‘Invest in the resources that our communities need’.”
I cannot imagine having the responsibilities of a police officer. It seems to me that each officer must get ready for their shift knowing they are going to be called into the unpredictable, into danger and into situations unlike I have ever imagined. Having the additional resources of social workers, mental health counselors and health care workers would seem to be good start to to improving life in our communities.
I believe we are being called to a new way of understanding how to successfully live in community with one another. The social contract may have worked for my family and me in the luscious green hills of suburbia but until the social contract works for ALL of us we need to keep thinking, reading and pushing through the discomfort of radical changes. It will all be okay when it is okay for all.
Mr. Biden nor President Trump are onboard for defunding the police. It is a movement that by its very name scares us. However, last week, in Nashville (lasted past 1 am) and Chattanooga council meetings (7.5 hours) budgetary agendas were scrapped and epic long city council meetings resulted with the citizens demanding attention to these issues. I wonder how it will play out in Nashville, Tennessee. I hope our grandchildren will look back one day and say we were on the right side of history on this.
The Chocolate Drawer 