With Democrats now in power, the far Left hopes it can finally defund the police.
Proposals range from completely abolishing policing to incisive reforms of the profession. Many are relying on the ideas of critical race theory. As a proud Republican and person of color, I understand both sides of the argument and see how racism manifests in society.
Black and brown people are disproportionately incarcerated in this nation, with the most prisoners in the world. On the other hand, the vast majority of law enforcement officers act in accordance with the ethics of their profession. They are crucial to the functioning of a peaceful society. The question follows: How best can we reimagine policing to support communities and support law enforcement?
First, let’s pay our law enforcement officers substantially more. We should make police officers’ pay commensurate with all of the hats we expect officers to wear. We should also require more training in the range of alternative skill sets that officers are expected to display. This approach will simultaneously promote competitiveness within the ranks and mitigate potential corruption.
Second, why don’t we allow for compensation structures that address criminal activity without incarceration? Why don’t we reward a police officer who helps a troubled youth out of a gang, for example? My point is that arrest and prosecution shouldn’t be the ultimate yardstick in measuring successful anti-crime activity. This is what I call the abolishing of adversarial policing. You are no longer pursuing a person toward incarcerating him or her; you are directly helping them cease certain activities.
Third, sting operations and operations just short of entrapment should also no longer be practiced. In fact, legislation should be expanded to limit these practices further. In an age of technology, the government no longer needs to be a party to potential crimes. Too often, the FBI and police pick up some mentally troubled person and then facilitates his or her entry into the criminal justice system. Law enforcement should be focused on stopping the real threat actors.
We have a long way to go as a society. However, the solution is not to abolish policing but to change how we approach policing. If we’re bold, we can help create an evolved profession that advances true equality.
Sabtain Ali works across U.S. and Pakistani politics. He is a former precinct committeeman for the Seminole County, Florida, GOP and a supporter of the Pakistani Muslim League (Noon). He enjoys studying foreign languages and is a contributor at the Washington Examiner. He resides in Los Angeles, California, and is working toward his lifelong goal of attending law school and being active in politics.
