It’s Fundamental

The news covered a story about the Governor of Minnesota’s decision to out proponents of defunding the police, releasing their names and addresses.  Naturally, this ticked off more than a few people so protests were mounted.  By the time it attracted media attention, the Governor was making halfhearted justifications and her neighbors were pointing guns at the crowd. 

There kinds of reports frustrate me because they show just how low the most mild-mannered person can stoop when they feel a loss of control.  I presume neither of them have ever committed a murder, and yet there they were acting like Rambo or something.  It makes you wonder how they acted the last time a girl scout came by to sell cookies. 

I’ll go into the numerous reasons why the castle domain and self-defense laws don’t apply in this situation later, today we are going to talk about the idea status quo advocates would like to rebrand as a great, big sin: defunding the police department.

Often associated with wackos and anarchists, opponents would like to see the idea of reducing state and local police department budgets as potentially threatening and intimidating as leaving your phone number at a bus stop.  Why else would Minnesota’s governor publicize a list of supporters?  And that’s exactly why the protesters came marching.  They had enough retaliation at the hands of those charged with public service.

Releasing personal information is a common tactic to discourage people from speaking their minds.  It’s one of the ones the government cites ANTIFA of using.  I find it ironic when both sides are guilty, but either way the intent is the same. They put you and your offensive beliefs out there with your contact information in hopes that public harassment soon follows.  

When states started issuing licenses for concealed carry, different interest groups toyed with the idea of making lists of those applying public.  That’s the main reason I have one.  I figure if someone wanted to go digging, they should know I may be packing.  It’s also why I don’t mind putting myself on another list.

I support defunding the police.

Now before I get accused of being snowflake or just a plain flake, let me repeat that I am a big supporter of the police.  Many of my buddies have either served or currently serve in a number of departments and jurisdictions.  I am not naive to the fact that their jobs are dangerous and sometimes next to impossible.  And it’s because of my back-stage view that I feel the way I do.

You see, a police officer’s time is taken up by plenty of things besides protecting and serving.  They are often backup for emergency medical, disaster response, and public works departments.  Does a bitey dog roam your neighborhood?  Call a cop.  How about a disruptive kid in the lunch room?  He/she gets called in for that too.

Your local police department is also the go-to place when you need a wellness check, a credit breach or lock your keys in your car.  They are the first called when the homeless population gets a little unruly downtown, just ask them.  They also put in an appearance at any of a number of local community meetings as well as the City Council. 

They don’t just arrest and detain child abusers-they often look after the children themselves.  They also monitor cross walks and do locker and car searches when schools suspect on-campus drug use. And as if that weren’t enough, they are often responsible for finding young victims overnight and temporary placements, providing transportation and even acting as a drop-off or safe space location for exchanges.  But you won’t find any of that in a city’s charter anywhere.  

In the middle of all that, they are called to physically detain the mentally ill, locate missing elderly, and mediate disputes.  They give medications for people who are overdosing, inspect properties for ordinance compliance-even detain animals that escape from the zoo.  No big deal. They are well trained, right?  Sure they are.  The minimum requirement is a high school diploma.

For decades, the local police department has been the catchall for all needs not otherwise met.  Imagine administering medication without a license? Disciplining special needs students without formal training? Heck, most departments will not allow their officers to perform lockouts on vehicles for fear the airbags could go off but still expect them to respond every time that sweet little old lady up the street gives her social security number to a scammer on the phone.  Nation-wide, the fact is that most police departments are so busy doing everything else but the job they were hired to do that by the time they do get to act like police officers, they end up treating a neighborhood traffic stop like Mogadishu.  People get hurt and lives are lost.

So instead of continuing to dump more and more money into the police budget to handle things they were never trained and prepared to do anyway, let’s shuffle those funds to the people and departments that are.  Let’s give the money used for school security back to the schools and let them hire their security.  Why is that unheard of?  These same kids go in and out of businesses staffed with security officers all the time and not one of those officers has ever been reported for hog-tying and tasing an elementary student.   

Let’s funnel the funds used to talk to those who are mentally ill, suicidal or just plain lonely to the local community mental health agencies.  There is solid evidence that a licensed trained professional dedicated and educated in the field of mental health and human services can serve those populations much better than an overworked cop who is late for his patrol.  The same conclusion can be drawn between the number of traffic stops police make over the ones performed by social workers.  Let’s let them do the jobs they are good at.

Let’s give back the portion of money to EMS and animal control so that the police don’t have to administer oxygen or chase stray dogs.  Maybe then they won’t feel so stressed and overwhelmed much less be walking the streets stressed, overwhelmed and armed?  It just makes sense.

With the money we save in manpower and providing redundant services, let’s invest in our officers’ mental health, provide better health care, compassionate training and more education.  We expect police to recertify their ability to fire a gun every year-why don’t we require the same kind of competency when it comes to knowing when not to shoot? Then let’s arm them with non-lethal training and armaments.  They are not licensed to kill, why are those the only tools issued?   

Then while we are at it, let’s give them housing stipends to live in the neighborhoods they serve.  Let’s encourage them to be good neighbors, join a church, join a club and send their kids to those schools.  Let’s put every extra dollar we can into making them members of their community instead of just its protectors.  It’s a lot harder to choke your neighbor than a perp. 

These guys signed on because they were called to a service, let’s them do it.  And feel free to share that, I won’t protest!

My name is Jennifer Beck and I’m Jenuinely Jennifer.

Writer, Researcher and heretic!