Police Are Not the Only Option for Public Safety
Police officer fired gun while clearing protesters from Columbia building, prosecutors say
According to BBC - 109 people at Columbia University were arrested when police stormed the school to quash the pro-Palestinian protest, police said at a Wednesday press conference that they arrested another 173 people at a similar sit-in at the City College of New York later in the evening.
(https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68940438)
According to AP news - Police used pepper spray to clear a pro-Palestinian tent encampment at George Washington University and arrested dozens of demonstrators on Wednesday just as city officials were set to appear before hostile lawmakers in Congress to account for their handling of the 2-week-old protest.
It’s important to note that there are other alternatives to police and evidence-based solutions that prevent crime and strengthen communities.
We need to end our overreliance on police to fix problems that should not be their job in the first place. We should rely more on social workers or mental health professionals trained to de-escalate protests. During this time, it’s easy to think that maximizing funding for police is a solution, but it’s not. Congress should focus more on where these issues stem from.
Most of the arrests and police interference have not de-esclated but angered protesters even more.
Alternatives: The ACLU had the idea of taxpayers funding programs that foster safety by addressing the root causes of crime. This means we should invest more money in mental health programs, opportunities for at-risk youth, etc.
If you are participating in protests, make sure you know your rights.
