As Black Lives Matter #BLM protests shook the US in the wake of George Floyd's murder at the hands of police in Minneapolis in May 2020, the issue of police reform surged to the top of the political agenda. Policing will be a central debate in the upcoming US Election. Who has the better approach?
Donald Trump has the better approach to Policing
Donald Trump vehemently rejects calls to defund or dismantle the police, and describes himself as a Law and Order president. He has also enacted some reforms seeking to improve police accountability.
Trump attacks the movement to 'Defund the Police'
Trump accuses Democrats of engaging in an “anti-cop crusade” while violent crime rises in the cities they control. “We will never, ever defund our police. OK? That I can tell you. We are not defunding police”.
Trump sent in the federal agents to deal with protestors in Oregon. “You have to dominate. If you don’t dominate, you’re wasting your time. They’re going to run over you.”
Trump's June 16th Executive Order sets out clear reforms
Trump's proposed reforms include a) independent credentialling and proper training for officers, b) a misconduct database, c) greater cooperation with social services.
Once a supporter of traditional policing, Joe Biden 's position has shifted in favour of community policing, funding reviews and an explicit acceptance of 'systemic racism' within the police force.
Biden believes in shrinking the US prison population
Joe Biden would reduce the number of prisoners and reduce federal spending on incarceration. "These savings should be reinvested in the communities impacted by mass incarceration."
Biden will tackle inequality within the Criminal Justice System
Biden acknowledges and will address systemic inequality: "Black mothers and fathers should feel confident that their children are safe walking the streets of America."
Biden will pivot the justice system towards rehabilitation
Biden has declared that "Making sure formerly incarcerated individuals have the opportunity to be productive members of our society is not only the right thing to do, it will also grow our economy."
Biden's proposals include preventing choke holds, preventing 'weapons of war' being acquired by local police agencies, and creating a national use-of-force standard.
On both Left and Right, many people believe neither of the candidates have the right approach to Policing.
The only viable option is to Defund the Police
Defund the Police and other progressive groups believe neither candidates' policies go far enough and demand "that the federal government permanently ends and ceases any further appropriation of funding to local law enforcement in any form".
