it's an age old problem. The pendulum of change swings back and forth too wildly
I think most people would agree that generally, for a variety of reasons, police departments have accumulated too much power while insulating themselves from accountability. Reasonable reform movements kept butting up against the thick blue line of immunity and opposition of militant police unions, completely unwilling to engage in reasonable compromise. The situation was only getting worse while the list of minority victims of police misconduct grew larger and larger
frustration in minority communities has been growing for decades. Finally, there was enough motivation for change in communities that had spread outside of the minorities. And the resistance by police unions and those against change was even stronger and more militant. There was no spirit of compromise. It was just a big blue fuck you. Thus, about the only avenue of leverage those communities have is the leverage of the budget. Unfortunately, that's not a scalpel, it's an axe....and those cuts ain't pretty
but blaming those wanting to "defund" is pointing the finger in the wrong direction. The police are supposed to serve their communities. But for too many police departments, especially big city departments, the police stand against communities instead of with them. If a city like Seattle can't get the police union to compromise even a little, and from what I've read, the police have been obstinate...what is left for them to try?
