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A proposal for a bold mayor and a bold philanthropist: Select a set of precincts within a city and establish a community coalition to take over all law enforcement with funding equivalent to what the police department receives.
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Important: This can't be funded for a year or two - a commitment for a given length of time such as 10 years would have to be made at the outset.
Important: This can't be funded for a year or two - a commitment for a given length of time such as 10 years would have to be made at the outset.
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It will be expensive. The community group must be given the same budget, resources, and public buildings that would be devoted to the local precinct, along with additional funding for community planning.
It will be expensive. The community group must be given the same budget, resources, and public buildings that would be devoted to the local precinct, along with additional funding for community planning.
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Funding has to come from a philanthropist to make it work - officers would be shifted out of the precinct, not fired, and resources would be redistributed and not cut. The PD budget would not change.
Funding has to come from a philanthropist to make it work - officers would be shifted out of the precinct, not fired, and resources would be redistributed and not cut. The PD budget would not change.
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The community group would develop plans for its relationship to the police department - it's possible that the PD could still be called for certain crimes if the community decides it is appropriate, for instance.
The community group would develop plans for its relationship to the police department - it's possible that the PD could still be called for certain crimes if the community decides it is appropriate, for instance.
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All police patrol would end. Community guardians or advocates would instead be given the responsibility to be in public space and serve the community.
All police patrol would end. Community guardians or advocates would instead be given the responsibility to be in public space and serve the community.
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The goals would shift to safety and well-being, the community would decide how to achieve those goals.
The goals would shift to safety and well-being, the community would decide how to achieve those goals.
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Lots of models of community guardians exist. Here's the most inspiring example I've seen https://www.nyoongarpatrol.com.au/
Lots of models of community guardians exist. Here's the most inspiring example I've seen https://www.nyoongarpatrol.com.au/
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I walked with the Nyoongar Patrol in Perth, and what I saw there revealed how community members can effectively look out over their own neighborhood with the goal of helping people, not locking them up.
I walked with the Nyoongar Patrol in Perth, and what I saw there revealed how community members can effectively look out over their own neighborhood with the goal of helping people, not locking them up.
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I'm not pretending this is my idea - lots of people have called for these kinds of changes.
I'm not pretending this is my idea - lots of people have called for these kinds of changes.
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But the scenes from the last few days have made me rethink the chapter titled "the next urban guardians" in my book Uneasy Peace.
But the scenes from the last few days have made me rethink the chapter titled "the next urban guardians" in my book Uneasy Peace.
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It may be time for an ambitious mayor out there to take more urgent action to help answer the crucial question of what happens when a community group takes responsibility for safety and wellbeing without the police.
It may be time for an ambitious mayor out there to take more urgent action to help answer the crucial question of what happens when a community group takes responsibility for safety and wellbeing without the police.
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Let's not pretend we know the answer and call for defunding police departments. But at the same time let's not be wedded to a model of public safety that has failed in many communities all over the country.
Let's not pretend we know the answer and call for defunding police departments. But at the same time let's not be wedded to a model of public safety that has failed in many communities all over the country.
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