“Slave patrols” became police departments. “Slave barracks” became prisons. These institutions must be abolished because their foundation has nothing to do with public safety and rehabilitation and everything to do with oppression, forced labor, people seen as property, capitalism, family separation, terrorism, etc. Too many of the individuals in leadership and on the ground in these institutions are still loyal to their original purposes. And the majority of the policies and procedures are in place to maintain the intended outcomes.

When these institutions are abolished, we will still need folks who are devoted to public safety, but not in its current form. The public must determine what systems support safety. People must be actively creating these new systems now. In the meantime, as we redirect funds away from these institutions into community-generated solutions, we must also be holding officials accountable. In this article about 3 cops in Wilmington, NC who made horrid and violent comments, the police chief and City government acted fast and bold. This must be the norm right now.

My questions for White folks, which of these things are you doing? And to anyone what would you add to the list:

• Educating yourself about the history of policing, prisons, incarceration, courts, sentencing, bail-system, conditions in prisons, …
• Advocating for the release of wrongfully convicted folks and folks incarcerated for lack of bail money, debt, missing a court date, and other non-violent crime
• Advocating to address the inhumane conditions inside jails and prisons
• Holding police chiefs and sheriffs accountable for explicit and effective measures to identify White Supremacists, White Nationalists, and other racist officers and ensuring that they are fired and necessary steps are taken to ensure they are not able to be rehired elsewhere
• Holding City officials accountable for defunding police/sheriff departments and investing those funds in community-led solutions
• Holding City leadership accountable for ensuring that departments do not own and are not using military equipment, chemical weapons, public surveillance, …
• Advocate for citizen review boards and to get rid of the civil service board
• Advocate for transparent data about courtroom and judges sentencing choices and accountability for inequities
• Research who your local elected judges are, how they are doing in their sentencing outcomes, and get rid of the ones who are racially biased
• Talking to your family and neighbors who work in these institutions, particularly the ones who you disagree with. Your discomfort in talking to someone who has different views than you (but actually cares about you or even loves you) could mean the harm or death of someone that looks different from you
• Advocate for suspended paid administrative leave for officers under investigation
• Advocate for the withholding of pensions and don’t rehire officers involved in excessive force
• Advocate for requirements that officers are liable for misconduct settlements

Additions from other folks:

• “I’m interested in conversation about “non-violent” and “violent” with regard to crime, protest and people. I’m coming to believe much of that is built on a false narrative/ dichotomy. And Specific to mass incarceration we have to create paths toward repair in the wake of violence. We miss the point each time we limit our focus to “non- violent”. Also big shout out to all this being deeply embedded in trauma informed.”
• Also, specific to the article, this is really important: “Consultation with the District Attorney’s Office regarding these officers being used as witnesses in cases and reviewing any previous cases they might have testified in to determine any bias that might have been exhibited.”
• “Reform needs to include a national eligibility program for officers.”

I believe that some folks need to be working to get the systems in place for abolition while others are reforming the existing systems for current day harm reduction. Anyone who is doing nothing must admit that you are okay with these abusive and violent institutions.

From the article:

“Officers have been fired from the department after dash-cam footage recorded two phone conversations — accidentally — and a supervisor conducting a routine audit of the videos found the disturbing content. Michael ‘Kevin’ Piner, James ‘Brian’ Gilmore, and Jessie E. Moore II were all terminated from the force. The announcement came from the new Chief of Police Donny Williams — not even 24-hours into his first day as chief.

In North Carolina, public records laws typically prevent government agencies from handing out information on personnel; however, in extraordinary circumstances, details can be released to the public. The former officers actively tried to prevent a release of the information, and an attorney filed an apparently unsuccessful motion for a temporary restraining order, but ultimately the city decided it was the right thing to do”

** I still have so much to learn in this arena. If anything I’ve said is off or troubling or misinformation, please correct me/educate me. Thank you.