With the understanding that most criminal activity is reduced with the alleviation of poverty and decriminalization of drugs and sex work, the need for regular neighborhood policing will be unnecessary. This also reduces the disproportionate ratios of marginalized communities incarcerated as a result of over-policing and petty crime. In addition, the current police force was created with the intention of protecting the property of the elite and not the lives/wellbeing of the people as a whole (historical reference). What signified as property varied based on region, with the origins of policing in the southern US being the former “slave patrol”. Aside from the obvious racial biases that exist within the current doctrine, cities are routinely spending more money on police misconduct and it has steadily increased within the past decade. According to The Washington Post, cities like New York, Chicago, and LA have spent on average over $248 million (collectively) on police misconduct over the past 10 years. That expenditure could be easily divested and utilized for educational programs, infrastructure, and other forms of community support that offers a better quality of life to city residents. Thus a dissolution and rebuilding is needed to create a more effective “police force” for all citizens.
The responsibility of in-neighborhood policing will be replaced with accessible healthcare/therapy for those suffering from mental illness and qualified de-escalation response teams for severe circumstances. The national guard will be enacted for any criminal activity that threatens the safety and well-being of all citizens (such as domestic terrorism, grand theft, murder investigation, etc). The national guard, as a military force, are required to adhere to rules of engagement that allow for better regulation regarding their interactions with the public.
Though they currently support domestic law enforcement missions, ROE does not generally apply in those circumstances due to the extant system. “Formally, rules of engagement refer to the orders issued by a competent military authority that delineate when, where, how, and against whom military force may be used, and they have implications for what actions soldiers may take on their own authority and what directives may be issued by a commanding officer… Rules of engagement must be consistent while also accounting for a variety of potential scenarios and the political and military aspects of a given situation (Britannica).” Members of the current police force across the country are welcome to seek employment within the new system if that is their desired career path. The goal is not to remove the employment opportunities, but to abolish the current system which has proven to be ineffective for the citizens of this nation.