Defund Police, Fund Communities

Police brutality is the result of governmental institutions that are steeped in racism. We have seen how attempts like body cameras and diversity training are not effective in limiting police brutality. I am writing to demand that measures to decrease funding for police departments are introduced at the state level. Funding for police departments should be redirected to support programs that can dispatch emergency response mental health professionals, public education, food security, and public health. It is beyond time that we condemn institutional racism and focus on investing in our communities.