Defund the Police? What that Means, and What it Doesn’t

Brooklyn College

Alex S. Vitale is Professor of Sociology and Coordinator of the Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College. His academic writings on policing have appeared in Policing and Society, Police Practice and Research, Mobilization, and Contemporary Sociology, and his essays have been published in The New York Times, Washington PostThe Guardian, The NationVice NewsFortune, and USA Today. Professor Vitale has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, NPR, PBS, “Democracy Now!” and “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” and is the author of City of Disorder: How the Quality of Life Campaign Transformed New York Politics and The End of Policing.

Overview

Last year’s protests over the police killings of George Floyd refocused the nation’s attention on the problem of abusive policing and its connection to larger issues of racial justice. The protesters’ demands raise several questions: Can the police be reformed? Can defunding the police be a viable alternative to police reform? What would it mean for high crime communities that have had to rely on police as the only resource for addressing crime and disorder? Alex Vitale will answer these questions based on 30 years of experience in both studying policing and advising community-based movements for police reform. He’ll discuss the historical role of police and their relationship to contemporary policing, and he’ll look at the current movement to defund the police and the specific policy proposals it supports, including initiatives to reduce gun violence, fix schools, and deal with substance abuse and mental health crises.

 

 

Recommended Readings:

“How Much Do We Need the Police?” by Alex S. Vitale

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/06/03/457251670/how-much-do-we-need-the-police

“How I Became a Police Abolitionist,” by Derecka Purnell

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/how-i-became-police-abolitionist/613540/

“Yes, We Mean Literally Abolish the Police,” by Miriame Kaba

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/opinion/sunday/floyd-abolish-defund-police.html

“A New World is Possible: Defund Police and Fund Black Lives,” by Kayla Reed and Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson

https://www.essence.com/feature/defund-police-fund-black-lives-m4bl/

 

Reviews

5.0

2 reviews
5 stars
100 %
4 stars
0 %
3 stars
0 %
2 stars
0 %
1 star
0 %
Dean Dibias

Defund the Police? What it means, what it doesn't.

In the final analysis, I agree with Professor Vitale conclusion. However, given the sensitivity of this topic, I would have liked to see data from both “sides” of the topic! Recent upticks in violence have moved efforts to create a more just policing environment backwards and without proof from both sides justifying what is needed I don’t believe we will ever more forward.

9 months ago
barbara ann.fields

Honest Assessment

Policing started, I believe as slave catchers, and we have not moved far from that mentality. There seems to be a new form of slavery but this one provides jobs to more overseers. People who are made to feel better than those they “serve”. Keep them in their ” place” and you can enjoy some of the “benefits” of the “Master”. I don’t believe that your ideas will work without a major change in the mentality of America and the correct teaching of this country’s history.
Thank you for your prevention and it’s honest assessment of the situation.

6 days ago
Scroll to Top