A New Model For Policing

We need police reform. A new model of policing would narrow the mission of policing and assign the task of responding to certain crisis to social workers, school nurses, drug abuse professionals. In many countries, such as “In Norway, Iceland, New Zealand, Britain, and Ireland, police officers generally do not carry firearms. It is legal in Iceland for citizens to carry guns, and there’s an estimated rate of 30 privately-owned guns per 100 people.”

My late husband was in law enforcement. Through him, I understand the tremendous stress and challenges of the daily work of law enforcement officers. I also witnessed the bond that he shared with his fellow law enforcement colleagues. Nationwide protests in 2020 brought nationwide visibility to the dark side of policing. Frankly, there are some individuals who become police officers who do not have the temperament or the judgment to have that level of authority. There are others who started out with goals of being dedicated public servants, who become corrupted over time.  It is horrifying that the current laws shield them from the consequences of their actions and allow them to continue working in jobs that put us at risk.

We cannot allow police who break the law to be above the law.  We need to eliminate qualified immunity and ensure that law enforcement officers who are a risk to the public are permanently removed from that career.  Additionally, law enforcement officers need training and emotional support to stay healthy and deal with trauma, and the daily stress of the job.