FEATURE: Defunding the police

For racial justice advocates, ‘Defund Police’ remains central rallying cry

People protest in Brooklyn, New York on June 7, 2020. Photo by Fiora Watts.

When a mob of pro-Trump insurgents accountability when such violence occurs, carrying Confederate flags and neo-Nazi have increased calls by Black Lives Matter insignia violently stormed the U.S. Capi- activists in recent years to defund police. tol on January 6, video footage of a Cap- The idea: if police aren’t making comitol police officer taking a selfie with a munities safer, then why not shrink rioter went viral. their budgets and reallocate funding

As the day wore on, many were quick toward things that do? to contrast the underwhelming response by law enforcement toward predominantly white terrorists, with the tear gas, rubber bullets, pepper spray and violence mostly Black and Brown activists were met with last summer while peaceAdvocates argue incremental reforms, like restrictive use of force policies, don’t go far enough and should take a backseat to the more transformative solution of slashing law enforcement budgets, to free up funding for quality healthcare, Denver’s Support Team Assistance Response (STAR) program sends a medic and mental health clinician to respond to emergency calls. Photo by: Mental Health Center of Denver fully protesting police brutality following housing and other programs that centu- by police officers and firefighters. In the George Floyd’s murder. ries of racist policymaking have denied first six months of the program, the STAR

For racial justice advocates, the treat- Black people and communities adequate team responded to 748 emergency calls, ment by law enforcement none of which led to arrests. was predictable. Multiple studies have demonstrated Black people are 3 times more likely than Austin is diverting money from its police budget to Black Americans’ distrust of white people to be killed by police and fund supportive housing. police—distrust rooted in Southern “slave patrols” and 1.3 times more likely to be unarmed when Seattle is using participatory budgeting to give residents a long history of discrimina- killings occur. In 98.3% of killings, police a say in where to redirect tory policing. According to Mapping Po- officers are not charged with a crime. funding cut from its police budget. lice Violence, Black people Almost a year after last are 3 times more likely than white people access to. summer’s protests for racial justice, adto be killed by police and 1.3 times more Some cities are putting this theory to vocates remain committed to building likely to be unarmed when killings occur. the test. Denver’s Support Team Assis- public and political will for reimagining In 98.3% of killings, police officers are not tance Response (STAR) pilot program, community investment and rethinking charged with a crime. which launched last June, allowed a the power and scope of policing.

The police violence experienced by medic and mental health clinician to take Written by Aditi Ramaswami. Follow Black Americans, coupled with the lack of emergency calls traditionally answered her on Twitter @aditiramaswami.