City councils in many communities, along with protesters, are calling for “defunding” the police departments. But what does that really mean?

Social Services

Primarily this means shifting financial resources away from the police department that might better be served with mental health counselors, community diversion programs and other services not directly tied to armed policing service.

What Would This Look Like?

I think the makeup would vary greatly community by community. But  I can offer an example. Here in San Marcos, TX, the city recently reorganized emergency services under an umbrella called Public Safety. The former police chief heads it, and police have an acting chief for now.

Mental Health Officers

However, for a long time, the police department has included a specially trained mental health unit that is called out as needed. A friend of mine has a daughter who is paranoid schizophrenic. On occasion this unit has been needed. My friend has nothing but praise for those specially trained officers. Her daughter seems to be doing well now, by the way.

Cite and Release

San Marcos also was the first city in Texas to adopt a Cite and Release Ordinance that allows those accused of lower-level crimes to be given a ticket rather than booked directly into our overly crowded jail. The individual cited will still appear before a judge.  But he or she need not spend time in jail beforehand, thereby interrupting jobs, school and  family responsibilities.

Police Union Opposed

I should mention, however,  that the police association opposed Cite and Release. And I think police associations and police unions may prove to be formidable obstacles as needed reforms occur throughout the country. Let’s hope this isn’t the case.

Cite and Refer, Other Reforms

At the same time, county government is looking into Cite and Release as well. And it is looking into a citation and refer program that would single out those in need of mental health care or drug/alcohol rehabilitation service. Another reform being examined is the establishment of a public defender officer to help serve indigent accused offenders. Our county spends far less on such services compared to peer counties. Yet, it spends far more on jail services within the county and through outsourcing services elsewhere as the local jail its often filled above capacity.

Time for Change Is Now

But we really can’t wait. With the unfortunate murder of a drunken driving suspect in Atlanta over the weekend, the time to act is NOW. Yes, the man who was killed was Black and was shot by a white now-fired officer. The officer with him has been assigned to administrative duty. And rioters burned the Wendy’s hamburger stand where the shooting occurred. The Atlanta police chief resigned in the wake of the slaying. And Atlanta is trying to move toward police training reform quickly. We all need to move quickly, do a better job of officer selection and officer training and end the brutal treatment of Black Americans by law enforcement.

So Defunding Really Means…

Defunding doesn’t mean opening communities to lawlessness. Instead, it means diverting resources to social services, mental health services and other resources that can be used in place of force. As Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said today police need not be warriors but guardians. “It is clear that we do not have another day, another minute, another hour to waste,” Bottoms said. She’s oh so right.