How Can We End Police Violence?
Whether it is the recent deaths of George Floyd and Breona Taylor at the hands of officers or the numerous violent demonstrations against peaceful protesters , recent police violence against members of the public is becoming painfully clear that the problem is systemic and that it will take an integrated approach to its solution.
Many of us wonder what we can do today to counter systemic police violence. The good news is that a number of organizations are already working in this direction, and when it comes to finding solutions, there is already an existing body of research that says what works and what does not.
One organization that is actively working on evidence-based strategies to tackle police violence is Campaign Zero, which has a number of proposed policy solutions .
Evidence of what is effective and what is not
According to the Twitter thread of Campaign Zero co-founder Samuel Sinyangwe, some of what we think will work have not proven to be effective, while there are other solutions that many of us have not thought about.
Xinyangwe notes, for example, that there is no evidence that covert bias training is effective in reducing police violence. This is not to say it has no effect, but at this point we still need more evidence to call this a potential solution.
What has been shown to work are strategies such as more restrictive policies governing the use of force , as well as tighter accountability in contracts with police unions . There is also a direct relationship between the number of military grade weapons in the police force and the number of reported cases of police violence . Other strategies that have proven to be effective are in fact aimed at limiting police involvement where possible, from strengthening community organizations that focus on crime prevention to creating alternative non-police responses to emergency calls. related to mental health . When these measures are taken, it has been shown that police violence will decrease.
Campaign Zero has fact-based policy proposals
When it comes to taking action now, the good news is that Campaign Zero has compiled a list of fact-based policy decisions and actions you can take to push legislators to take them. You can now pledge your local support for the # 8CantWait campaign hosted by Campaign Zero. It is also worth taking the time to review what has been proven, as your efforts may affect your own advocacy efforts. The Campaign Zero website is a good starting point as they have a number of reports on various strategies for dealing with police violence.
Campaign Zero is a national organization. There are also a number of local ones, many of which are small and may not have the resources or infrastructure for a fancy website or communication group, but are nonetheless working on solutions for your particular community. Beyond the larger organizations, it is worth researching and reaching out to those who have worked on solutions in your own community.
Throughout the country, community organizers have worked very hard and for a very long time to end police violence. It’s time to support them.
Looking for ways to protect black lives? Check out this list of resources .