Yes, We Mean Literally Abolish the Police

Policing in the US

• Police brutality against Black people is a historical problem in the US.
• The origins of policing in the South lie in slave patrols, which apprehended and returned runaway slaves.
• In the North, early police departments were used to suppress strikes and riots.
• Police have consistently been used to protect the status quo and suppress marginalized populations.

Calls for Police Reform

• Calls for police reform have existed for centuries, but have yet to effectively address police violence.
• The Lexow Committee in 1894 and the Wickersham Commission in 1931 investigated police misconduct.
• The Kerner Commission investigated police violence in 1967, finding that police actions were often the trigger for subsequent riots.
• Numerous reports following numerous incidents of police brutality have resulted in incremental reforms.
• These reforms include implicit-bias training, community-police meetings, use of force policies, and early-identification systems.
• These reforms have generally failed to curb police brutality.

Defunding the Police

• Protests across the US are highlighting the need to rethink policing.
• Many police departments are focused on non-criminal issues like noise complaints and traffic violations.
• The author argues that instead of focusing on criminal activity, the focus should be on reducing opportunities for police actions to occur.
• The author advocates for cutting police budgets and the number of police officers in half.
• This approach is gaining traction in cities such as Minneapolis, Dallas, and Los Angeles.

Imagining a Different Society

• The author advocates for redirecting police funding towards social programs such as healthcare, housing, education, and job creation.
• This restructuring would create a safer and more just society by minimizing the need and opportunities for police intervention.
• Community-based approaches to harms, such as mental health checks, restorative justice, and community care workers, would reduce dependence on police.
• Existing systems for dealing with harm, such as police responses to sexual assault, are often inadequate and victims are often dissatisfied.
• Law enforcement should not be the primary solution to societal problems.
• The author envisions a society that focuses on cooperation, mutual aid, and collective well-being, rather than individualism and self-preservation.
• This transition would require a shift in perspective and an understanding that current approaches to safety and justice are inadequate.
• The author encourages individuals to embrace different visions of safety and justice and to remember that past attempts at police reform have been largely ineffective.

This quiz explores the historical context of policing in the United States, including its origins and the persistent issues of police brutality. It also examines the calls for police reform and the various investigations conducted over the years. Test your knowledge on the complex relationship between policing and marginalized communities.