The rallying call to defund the police could not be more clear in this time of rebellion and uprising for Black lives, justice and liberation. For those of us who are thinking about this strategy for the first time, or are new to lineages of abolitionist work, here are some resources to guide and deepen understanding of where this call comes from, what it is, and how to contribute to this movement in the short and long term.  These protests that have reverberated around the world have put to rest the “bad apple” myth of policing, as the root rot in the entire apple orchard is plainly evident. 

ABOLITIONIST FRAMEWORKS: BUILDING A POLICE-FREE AND PRISON-FREE FUTURE

The institution of policing is designed to enforce white supremacy and protect property. Massive budgets are poured into police forces with increasingly militarized gear, weaponry and armored vehicles. Defunding the police means redirecting funding to where it is needed to create true safety and security and community-based alternatives. Disinvestment in police is investment in re-envisioning public safety. Defunding police is defending Black lives. 

Definition of Policing – from Critical Resistance:

“Policing is a social relationship made up of a set of practices that are empowered by the state to enforce law and social control through the use of force.  Reinforcing the oppressive social and economic relationships that have been central to the US throughout its history, the roots of policing in the United States are closely linked the capture of people escaping slavery, and the enforcement of Black Codes.  Similarly, police forces have been used to keep new immigrants “in line” and to prevent the poor and working classes from making demands. As social conditions change, how policing is used to target poor people, people of color, immigrants, and others who do not conform on the street or in their homes also shifts.  The choices policing requires about which people to target, what to target them for, and when to arrest a book them play a major role in who ultimately gets imprisoned.”

Already there have been significant concrete wins, with so much underway. This is time for us to study and struggle, engage in conversations, directly support local Black-led initiatives to defund and abolish policing, and live into the many questions that this visionary demand inevitably brings up. 

• Abolish Policing – Critical Resistance 
• The answer to police violence is not “reform”. It’s defunding. Here’s Why. – by Alex Vitale
• #DefundThePolice: 10 Days of Articles to Read and Share – by Julie Quiroz, Movement Strategy Center

• Powerful compilation of resources from MPD 150

“Of course, this list is not exhaustive; but these are some great places to start if you’re looking to learn more about what a world without police might look like, and how we might get there.” – MPD 150 

• 10 Action Ideas for Building a Police-Free Future

Imagine that you were asked to help create stability in a newly-founded city. How would you try to solve the problems that your friends and neighbors encountered? How would you respond to crisis and violence? Would your *first* choice be an unaccountable army with a history of oppression and violence patrolling your neighborhood around the clock?

— from Enough is Enough: A 150-Year Performance Review of the Minneapolis Police Department

• Reformist reforms vs. abolitionist steps in policing

These charts break down the difference between reformist reforms which continue or expand the reach of policing, and abolitionist steps that work to chip away and reduce its overall impact. As we struggle to decrease the power of policing there are also positive and pro-active investments we can make in community health and well-being. – Critical Resistance