Defund... Defend... Defy in Book Seven: Reconstruction 2020

As I have been cataloging… too many in my profession and my office vehemently object to BLM and DefundPolice. Which, as I keep repeating, is ridiculous because here’s the bloody truth:

My officers, as good as they are, are ill equipped to handle the methed out suicide attempt. Or the Cerebral Palsy woman with crippling alcoholism. Or the Mother that wants her adult daughter to stop doing meth; but doesn’t want her daughter arrested because then the grandchild would be sent out of state. On and on.

Because honestly?? Four of my cases today need Social Workers, not cops. They need someone to come alongside and help them figure out how to problem solve. Because SURE I could do that for them. But… that isn’t my job nor do I have the time and resources.

Because what can the police or I do?

• Methed Out Suicide Attempt on the Train Tracks.
  arrest her, charge her with trespassing, pat her down to see if she has drugs on her. Cite her with a ticket and refer her for a mental health commitment… maybe… if they can.

• Cerebral Palsy woman with Alcoholism.
  arrest her, cite her with trespassing (since she had passed out in the neighbor’s yard… again… after they had expressly banned her from their property for doing the same a week before. Maybe… maybe… but VERY UNLIKELY… make a referral for a substance abuse evaluation that the individual can blow off anyway since they would not be required to do so.

The list of cases like this is about as long as my arm.

Not to mention the fact that quite sincerely and honestly… my domestic violence victims? My juvenile victims? My sexual abuse victims? They need a lot more than an arresting officer and me.