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Poll: Michigan voters support Black Lives Matter movement, oppose defund the police
Read full article: Poll: Michigan voters support Black Lives Matter movement, oppose defund the policeMichigan voters support the Black Lives Matter movement, but are skeptical of the call to defund the police, according to a new WDIV/Detroit News poll. According to the poll, about 58 percent of Michigan voters support the Black Lives Matter movement, with 42 percent strongly supporting it. Party Affiliation Support Oppose Strong Democratic 92.7% 5.0% Lean Democratic 83.4% 7.1% Independent 49.5% 32.1% Lean Republican 30.2% 58.5% Strong Republican 19.3% 70.2%About 94 percent of Black voters support the Black Live Matter movement, while 50.6 percent of white voters support it, according to the WDIV/Detroit News poll. Defund the police lacks support, but voters open to shifting fundsMichigan voters sharply oppose a move to defund the police. Only 17.9 percent of voters support efforts to defund the police while 75.3 percent oppose the efforts. Despite the opposition, Michigan voters support efforts to shift some funding for police to other areas that might fight crime.
โDefund Policeโ painted at Grand Rapids officialsโ homes
Read full article: โDefund Policeโ painted at Grand Rapids officialsโ homesGRAND RAPIDS, Mich. โ Police in Grand Rapids are investigating โDefund Policeโ messages spray-painted on driveways at the homes of city officials and at a government parking garage. โThese bullying and intimidation tactics are unacceptable and wonโt be tolerated. โThere is a process in place for determining our departmentโs budget, and we must let that process play out," he said. A member of the city commission, Milinda Ysasi, has proposed cutting the police budget by $9 million. The budget cut could cause dozens of layoffs, according to the Grand Rapids Police Officers Association and Grand Rapids Police Command Officers Association.
Michigan officials zero in on police reform as nation decries police brutality
Read full article: Michigan officials zero in on police reform as nation decries police brutalityWe must do more than just condemn bigotry and acts of excessive force committed by law enforcement officers. Mandating law enforcement agencies report use of force data, disaggregated by race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion and age. Creating an independent investigative and prosecutorial process for deaths that involve the actions of law enforcement officers. Requiring continuing education for law enforcement officers as a license requirement; improving and standardizing police policies and trainings (including de-escalation, cultural competence and implicit bias trainings). Whitmer has encouraged continuing education for law enforcement officers, and has supported legislation that requires increased implicit bias and de-escalation training for Michigan officers.
Michigan Gov. Whitmer supports โspiritโ of โdefunding police,โ open to ending qualified immunity
Read full article: Michigan Gov. Whitmer supports โspiritโ of โdefunding police,โ open to ending qualified immunityThe action is being especially encouraged among marginalized communities, where policing -- and police brutality -- occurs more frequently. โYou look at budgets and theyโre focused on policing โ they should be focused on education, transportation, access to health care, access to skills and leveling the playing field." So, yeah, I mean, the spirit of it, I do support that spirit of it.โFollowing the interview with The Root, Gov. Whitmer said sheโs open to the idea of ending qualified immunity in Michigan. Whitmer also said she was open to legislation that would unseal police records, which New York lawmakers are expected to repeal.
Heres what activists are demanding amid national George Floyd protests
Read full article: Heres what activists are demanding amid national George Floyd protestsDETROIT Around the country Americans are demanding change following the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by a Minneapolis police officer. Americans are now marching and protesting for a second consecutive week to demand justice for Floyd and countless other Black Americans killed by police officers. Activists are calling for more than just justice, though -- they are calling for tangible change to prevent these tragedies from occurring in the future. Below are some resources to help explain what those demands entail and their significance amid the current national unrest. Policing alternative: Community-led public safety initiativesAdvocates believe that a new approach to public safety is necessary to ensure the safety of all American lives -- especially Black Americans who are disproportionately arrested, sentenced and killed by police around the country.
Policing alternative: What a community-led public safety system might look like
Read full article: Policing alternative: What a community-led public safety system might look likeSo now you must be wondering what the U.S. would look like without its traditional policing system: Heres what some researchers and advocates are proposing as an alternative. Community-led safety initiativesAdvocates believe that a new approach to public safety is necessary to ensure the safety of all American lives -- especially Black Americans who are disproportionately arrested, sentenced and killed by police around the country. There has been significant research conducted on potential community-based public safety systems as alternatives to traditional policing for years. It is important not to confuse a community-led public safety initiative with community-oriented policing, as these two practices are actually quite different. The reimagined public safety system is designed to exist apart from the traditional policing system, while community-oriented policing is a practice that works in tandem with traditional policing.
'Defund the police: What it means and why activists are calling for it
Read full article: 'Defund the police: What it means and why activists are calling for itDefunding the police means what it says: Divesting funds from police departments and then reallocating them to social services and other community resources where they are needed. According to data compiled by the Urban Institute , state and local governments spend $115 billion on policing in 2017 in the U.S. Though advocates for the movement share a similar goal, the end results of defunding the police looks different to many. Researchers and advocates have suggested reinvesting the funds into housing, education, mental health, homelessness, domestic violence and similar services and programs. In his interview with CBC News, Vitale points out some potential flaws behind the move to reform police instead of defund them.