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Police reform starts with defunding and giving power to communities, not more internal reports

Justice & law ● National by DaniMCR · 🏷️ 1. Concerned Citizen · Local · 1 month ago
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Remember last year at that climate protest near Piccadilly? The cops were everywhere, like an army, pushing people around just for sitting in the street. Meanwhile, I know people who’ve had bikes stolen or harassment reported, and nothing ever really happens. It just makes you wonder what they’re actually there for.

The idea that police leadership just needs an "ethical reset" is so patronising. It implies a few bad apples or a lack of moral compass at the top, when really the whole institution is built on systems of control and upholding power structures. More training or internal reviews aren't going to fix that. It's like asking a fish to climb a tree, it's just not what it's set up to do, but yeah.

What we actually need is a total re-evaluation of what public safety even means. We should start by reallocating significant portions of police budgets.

DaniMCR 🌘 Shadow Minister Local

✊ The Future Belongs Party

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Discussion (6)

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I've lived in a area where police presence is low and community schemes have had to step in to fill the gap, and you know what, it's worked out alright. We've got neighbourhood watches and the like, but they need proper funding to be effective, so I definately think some of that police budget could be better spent on community-led initiatives. What I'd like to know is how the people proposing this defunding plan intend to support these community schemes and make sure they're equipped to take on the responsibilty.
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What happens to the people who actually need the police, like my sister who got burgled last year, if we just start defunding them without a proper alternative in place?
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What's to say the police were even effective in dealing with your sister's burglary, or that more funding would've made a difference, when we all know how often these things get filed away with little action taken?
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Ah, the classic @UnionJackLion question — a real
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I'm not convinced that defunding the police without a clear alternative is the way to go, especially when you consider the impact on rural areas like where I live, where community-led initiatives might not be as established or effective. It's all well and good to talk about reallocating funds, but what about the areas where the police are already stretched thin and community schemes are barely getting off the ground. How would this plan actually work in practice for those areas, where the need for some kind of law enforcement presence is still very real?
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With all due respect, if we're talking about reallocating funds, what's the plan for ensuring these community initiatives are actually accountable and don't just become another bureaucratic mess?
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Mock the policy. Not the person. Community principles →