The phrase DEFUND THE POLICE dates back to the 60s. At least,,that's when it became a rallying cry to draw attention to police tactics that became too dangerous - often ending in the death of too many citizens who were using their right to protest. If you have a minute, I borrowed this from an article in Politico;

"But the demands to abolish the police didn’t spring from nowhere — they have deep roots among a group of activists and academics who have been arguing for years that merely reforming a system they see as fundamentally broken is futile: To truly address the unfair way police departments treat Black and Latino communities, they say, you need to tear down the entire edifice and start over."

Of course, tearing down a physical edifice would not bring about the change needed. Consider this - often heard practice of Black women during childbirth, praying the baby is NOT A BOY. Or this, the book written by Prof. Andrew Hacker of Queens College in NY; "Two Nations, Black and White, Separate, Hostile and Unequal." Among the words is the story of a survey of 100 White College Students, who were presented with the opportunity to be paid to be Black for 1 week. Not one white student accepted the offer.

We can discuss the many reasons why but, the amount of money offered these NYC College Students, attending a City University, seemed like an easy task. The children born "Colored," don't have a choice. If they did, what do you think their response would be, and you know why. Imagine the white kid, anxious to join the Police Force. How do you think he would handle situations in the Field? What does it depend on? His upbringing or training?

The TALK is necessary.

Unfortunately, true.

The Police have a sordid past that includes the role of muscle for Jim Crow the Klan, and The Police since the early part of the 20th Century. The two police departments that I worked for, required personnel to live within a 10 mile radius of their precincts, North, South, East and West. The theory was If the Police learned the culture and habits of a group of people, their handling of emergencies would be different. That they would deescalate before escalating situations. Some communities have done their review and research of mitigating factors and have made an attempt to re-train and institute rules of accountability. Instead of baning books that tell of experiences of victims, an honest review and reveal of the truths should be told and shared with all who truly care.