instead of unleashing cops against marginalized communities in the name of pandemic response...

paying unemployed people $15/hr to hand out masks and gloves and connect people to social services/food banks would be (1) cheaper, (2) better for public health, and (3) less violent

i can't emphasize strongly enough that governments are just using cops for public health purposes because they're the only adequately funded government intervention at the municipal level. we could use covid-19 to finally dial back the carceral apparatus. but we won't, i'm sure

SEVEN THOUSAND new york city cops are out sick right now. That still leaves a solid THIRTY THOUSAND cops on the public payroll.

Imagine all of the housing, healthcare, and employment that could be funded by the NYPD's $5.xb budget. https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/07/us/nypd-coronavirus-out-sick/index.html