Sanders rejects dismantling police departments

[sandensea]

Sen. Bernie Sanders, the runner-up in this year's Democratic presidential nomination, rejected dismantling police departments, as Minneapolis seems poised to do, in an interview with The New Yorker published on Tuesday.

"There’s no city in the world that does not have police departments. What you need are — I didn’t call for more money for police departments. I called for police departments that have well-educated, well-trained, well-paid professionals," Sanders told The New Yorker.

"Anyone who thinks that we should abolish all police departments in America, I don’t agree."

Sanders, an independent from Vermont, wants to "redefine" police departments because officers often deal with people struggling with issues like mental illness or addiction that "should be dealt with by mental-health professionals."

At: https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/bernie-sanders-defund-police-reform

Sen Bernie Sanders: "What you need are police departments that have well-educated, well-trained, well-paid professionals."

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. He's taken mostly pro-cop, anti-prisoner, pro-carceral state stances throughout his career, so this

is utterly unsurprising.

[sandensea]

2. We do need police departments - but we also need oversight.

You wouldn't want to visit a city with even a severe shortage of police - much less live in one.

But we do need reforms to enhance community-oriented policing, curb the power of police unions, end qualified immunity (basically a white card), etc.

Even that, as you know, will be a very steep climb as it is.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

5. As someone who has come around to police abolition, I don't agree with you.

[Autumn]

7. Biden does not support police abolition. He, like Bernie knows we need them but they must be

reformed.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. I know he doesn't.

[sandensea]

8. If someone can find a truly practical replacement, sure - but could they possibly?

Societies, unfortunately, still need policing in some form - or eventually you'd get a Mad Max situation.

Of course though, police need oversight and accountability just as much. That's what's lacking in many places (and not just the U.S.).

[WhiskeyGrinder]

10. I believe we can.

I do not believe we'd have a Mad Max situation if it weren't for the police.

[sandensea]

11. I hope you're right.

I agree that humanity's goal should be, among many other things, to be able to function safely without police or armed forces - but that's a goal for the long term, most likely for well after all of us have passed on.

It's a very long-term goal because, for now, it's a rough world out there. We need police - and they need accountability and oversight.

[Phoenix61]

3. Well bless his heart.

So much for being a progressive. I swear, I like him a little less every day.

[Autumn]

4. He and Biden are in agreement on this, both men seek reform and know that we need

the police.

[sandensea]

6. +1

I was just making the same point to WhiskeyGrinder.

As they say, mend it but (for Heaven's sake) don't end it.