How about "De-Militarize" the Police?

[Yavin4]

It's a police department, not an occupying army. So, there's no need for military grade weaponry or tanks or military style tactics like shock and awe.

But more importantly, just like we shouldn't use our military to solve international disputes when diplomacy is the much better alternative (see the Iran nuclear deal), we shouldn't use our police to solve social problems of unemployment, lack of education, lack of mental health care, etc.

So, no. Don't say "De-Fund the Police" which is a completely unrealistic, politically ignorant slogan. Say, "De-Militarize the Police" which means don't convert our police force into occupying armies.

Finally, end the drug war. That would go a long way towards putting certain populations in conflict with the police.

[Zoonart]

1. How about Reform the police?

[wellst0nev0ter]

6. "Reforming the police since 1970"

try again.

[questionseverything]

12. End qualified immunity

Once their “get out of jail free” card was gone most could at least act reformed

[Zoonart]

22. That's the ticket.

[Ms. Toad]

7. Those most likely to be injured by the police don't trust "reform," because

it never really results in any meaningful reform.

[ananda]

17. Both.. reform and de-militarize

..

[still_one]

3. Reform the police. I will follow the lead of Joe Biden, Jay Clyburn, and Stacy Abrams thank-you

[GulfCoast66]

4. Either work. And can be effective.

Even many right wingers I know are tired of over aggressive cops.

They kill black folks. But many treat the white folks they stop like shit. They are too often high school graduates who saw police academy as the easiest way to make a living and live feeling like a winner in society. Not all I’ve known buy a long shot. But plenty.

[Celerity]

5. reform the police (which obviously should include demilitarising them, but it goes unsaid, so less

provocative)

My fear is that the whole police issue is now considered so toxic that many will be afraid to do much of anything that will have true impact, and we will continue to have white power coppers murdering us PoC, which will in turn lead to more protests (with the RW going agent provocateur again to ensure violence) and the whole cycle starts all over again. There surely are multiple powerful motives for the RW to hope for more killings, as it presents more opportunities to frame us for another kneecapping, it feeds the fear of the other amongst white voters (when mass protests occur), plus they get their nazi bonus of more dead black and brown people.

[Ms. Toad]

8. De-militarize the police is a necessary but not sufficient step.

Defund the police doesn't work for me - not because I disagree with the definition that many use (which is shifting money away from police to other resources more likely to create a truly safe community) - but becase to be effective slogans need (at least) two characteristics: (1) they have to require little to no explanation to convey the gist of what they mean and (2) those using the slogans have to largely agree on what they mean.

"Defund the police" instantly brings to mind taking all the money away from the police - and requires quite a bit of explanation to get to what is really meant - which brings us to the second problem: Many who use the slogan do - literally - mean take all the money away from the police. So some of those using the slogan are promoting the thing that many fear the most - while others are saying, "No, we don't really mean that!"

De-militarize the police is fine on both accounts, but even if we demilitarize the police that doesn't address the problem that existed long before police were militarized: police violence against (especially) minority individuals - and the corresponding lack of community support systems that would minimize the need/opportunities for police intervention.

[Hoyt]

9. If they have to go up against white wing militia, I'm OK with

them having superior resources. If they are going after some kid or supposed petty criminal, not necessary.

Reform seems OK.

[Yavin4]

14. They wouldn't go up against White militia

That would be the job of the FBI.

[Hoyt]

15. Maybe. Good point. Some large cities are often on their own if white

wingers decide to cause a problem.

[brush]

10. I like it. It's a huge improvement over the incredibly dumb defund the police.

[oasis]

11. "Re-imagine policing". I heard that said tonight by an activist. nt

[obamanut2012]

19. Oh, I like that even better than mine!

I have been using "Humanize," but yours is way better.

[relayerbob]

13. That's the phrase I've been using since summer

Ia gree with our analysis. That's the issue, and that phrase focusses attention to the right location.

[JCMach1]

16. I like Reboot, or Reset the police

[obamanut2012]

18. Demilitarize, Humanize, Rebudget, Reform, Reallocate

ALL of these work well.

I am 100% all for defunding the police, but that is a loser slogan and has been since the beginning. It didn't fly even with my friends and family who loathe what LEO are like in this country.

[End Of The Road]

20. I'm all for ending the drug war, for sure.

I haven’t smoked marijuana since waaaay back in the day. I’d be a much happier camper if I had some now.

[genxlib]

21. What's missing in this discussion

Is gun control.

One of the reasons that police are so heavily armed is because the population that they serve is increasingly more heavily armed.

One of the reasons that the police often escalate situations unnecessarily is that they have come to treat every interaction as potentially lethal.

Everything noted above is true and necessary but it really helps to acknowledge the source of the inherent conflict.