What are some abolitionist steps we can take to decrease the power of policing? How is thinking through an abolitionist lens more effective than reformist “solutions”?
Police reforms almost never decrease police budgets. Our goal is to defund. Reforms increase the scale of policing in our neighborhoods, increase the tactics police have at their disposal, & do nothing to challenge the notion that policing increases safety (spoiler: it doesn't).
Here are some abolitionist solutions that will be effective in ending police violence and terror.
1. Suspend the use of paid admin. leave for cops under investigation: this reduces police funding, challenges the notion that the administrative costs of policing violence are essential to safety, & reduces the overall support for policing by removing their financial support.
2. Withhold pensions and don’t rehire cops involved in excessive force: this decreases police funding, challenges the notion that police killings are exceptions rather than the rule, and reduces the ability of police forces to re-engage with cops known for their use of violence.
3. Require cops to be liable for misconduct settlements: this saves community budgets a lot of money, rejects the notion that the costs of policing are essential to safety, and creates financial pressure for police to be accountable for their actions.
4. Cap overtime pay for military exercises & withdraw participation in police militarization programs: this saves our communities money, rejects the idea that we need cops trained for “counterterrorism”, and stops police from increasing their capacity/reach over our daily lives.
5. Prioritize spending on community health, education & affordable housing: defunding police decreases their resources. This creates space for us to learn about resources that create well-being. Decreasing police funding means decreasing the size, scope and capacity of policing.
All of these steps work to reduce the size of the police force and minimize the role it plays in our society, which gives us more space and resources to invest in Black communities.
