The police officer charged with murder in the death of George Floyd is currently on trial in Minneapolis amid continued calls for defundingor abolishing police forces — not just in the United States, but in Canada and other places that have also grappled with police brutality.
The problem with these proposals is that they’re presented as solutions to police abuse without an appreciation that some element of coercive authority will still be required in society. Consequently, these efforts are unlikely to be successful.
Protesters hold up a sign outside the Police Brotherhood during a defund the police demonstration in Montréal in October 2020.