Police Reform Needed, Not Capitulation To Violence

Police reform is needed in order for policing to be the honorable profession that it should be. It must not be a profession mired in cronyism, clout, political favoritism or where police or police departments abuse or misuse their authority.

The need for police reform does not mean capitulation to violence.

Policing must return to the basics; serve and protect through patrol. Good policing has nothing to do with numbers game policing. In many urban areas, patrol must include cops walking beats on foot, where they are integral parts of the neighborhoods where they serve. This requires dedicated officers that have the physical and emotional stamina to be on foot instead of in a vehicle. This is the nature of true community policing, uncomplicated yet demanding.

Good police know how and when to de-escalate situations, and how and when to escalate situations that require escalation. Being good at one and not the other does not make for a good cop or deputy.  

Police work, especially in high crime areas, means confronting violent people and violent situations. Having police go back to the bread and butter - serve and protect through patrol, without a focus on meaningless numbers - will not remove police from violent people or violent situations. 

Police cannot be afraid or deterred from the use of lawful and justified force when required. There are violent people in society, and violent situations, and no amount of hoping otherwise will wish violence away.