DEFUND THE POLICE

Michigan voters support the Black Lives Matter movement, but are skeptical of the call to defund the police, according to a new WDIV/Detroit News poll. According to the poll, about 58 percent of Michigan voters support the Black Lives Matter movement, with 42 percent strongly supporting it. Party Affiliation Support Oppose Strong Democratic 92.7% 5.0% Lean Democratic 83.4% 7.1% Independent 49.5% 32.1% Lean Republican 30.2% 58.5% Strong Republican 19.3% 70.2%About 94 percent of Black voters support the Black Live Matter movement, while 50.6 percent of white voters support it, according to the WDIV/Detroit News poll. Defund the police lacks support, but voters open to shifting fundsMichigan voters sharply oppose a move to defund the police. Only 17.9 percent of voters support efforts to defund the police while 75.3 percent oppose the efforts. Despite the opposition, Michigan voters support efforts to shift some funding for police to other areas that might fight crime.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Police in Grand Rapids are investigating “Defund Police” messages spray-painted on driveways at the homes of city officials and at a government parking garage. “These bullying and intimidation tactics are unacceptable and won’t be tolerated. “There is a process in place for determining our department’s budget, and we must let that process play out," he said. A member of the city commission, Milinda Ysasi, has proposed cutting the police budget by $9 million. The budget cut could cause dozens of layoffs, according to the Grand Rapids Police Officers Association and Grand Rapids Police Command Officers Association.

We must do more than just condemn bigotry and acts of excessive force committed by law enforcement officers. Mandating law enforcement agencies report use of force data, disaggregated by race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion and age. Creating an independent investigative and prosecutorial process for deaths that involve the actions of law enforcement officers. Requiring continuing education for law enforcement officers as a license requirement; improving and standardizing police policies and trainings (including de-escalation, cultural competence and implicit bias trainings). Whitmer has encouraged continuing education for law enforcement officers, and has supported legislation that requires increased implicit bias and de-escalation training for Michigan officers.

The action is being especially encouraged among marginalized communities, where policing -- and police brutality -- occurs more frequently. “You look at budgets and they’re focused on policing — they should be focused on education, transportation, access to health care, access to skills and leveling the playing field." So, yeah, I mean, the spirit of it, I do support that spirit of it.”Following the interview with The Root, Gov. Whitmer said she’s open to the idea of ending qualified immunity in Michigan. Whitmer also said she was open to legislation that would unseal police records, which New York lawmakers are expected to repeal.

DETROIT Around the country Americans are demanding change following the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a Minneapolis police officer. Americans are now marching and protesting for a second consecutive week to demand justice for Floyd and countless other Black Americans killed by police officers. Activists are calling for more than just justice, though -- they are calling for tangible change to prevent these tragedies from occurring in the future. Below are some resources to help explain what those demands entail and their significance amid the current national unrest. Policing alternative: Community-led public safety initiativesAdvocates believe that a new approach to public safety is necessary to ensure the safety of all American lives -- especially Black Americans who are disproportionately arrested, sentenced and killed by police around the country.

So now you must be wondering what the U.S. would look like without its traditional policing system: Heres what some researchers and advocates are proposing as an alternative. Community-led safety initiativesAdvocates believe that a new approach to public safety is necessary to ensure the safety of all American lives -- especially Black Americans who are disproportionately arrested, sentenced and killed by police around the country. There has been significant research conducted on potential community-based public safety systems as alternatives to traditional policing for years. It is important not to confuse a community-led public safety initiative with community-oriented policing, as these two practices are actually quite different. The reimagined public safety system is designed to exist apart from the traditional policing system, while community-oriented policing is a practice that works in tandem with traditional policing.

Defunding the police means what it says: Divesting funds from police departments and then reallocating them to social services and other community resources where they are needed. According to data compiled by the Urban Institute , state and local governments spend $115 billion on policing in 2017 in the U.S. Though advocates for the movement share a similar goal, the end results of defunding the police looks different to many. Researchers and advocates have suggested reinvesting the funds into housing, education, mental health, homelessness, domestic violence and similar services and programs. In his interview with CBC News, Vitale points out some potential flaws behind the move to reform police instead of defund them.