We don’t need “nicer cops,” we need fewer cops. The problem is bigger than one person’s values. The problem of police violence is rooted in policing. The idea that you can become a cop and inject your own values deeply underestimate the abuses of the police force.

Being a cop isn’t about “getting rid of the bad guys.” The vast majority of arrests are for marijuana possession or parole violations – more than murder, rape & other violent crimes combined.¹ Our communities are safe when they’re resourced, not policed. The most effective way to reduce violent crime is to provide young people with job training & employment opportunities.

Cops often experience mental, physical, & moral instability. The “warrior mentality” demanded of cops – to be tough, dominant, aggressive, and routinely exposed to violent and high-stress situations – spills over into the home, leading to higher rates of divorce & child abuse in police families. 40% of police families experience domestic violence – that’s 400% higher than national averages.” ²

The pressure to prove yourself and the toxic environment of policing means that cops of color use force on our communities just as much as white ones. Black officers are more likely to use force or make arrests especially of Black civilians.³ Arab, South Asian & Muslim cops are used as translators & pressured to catch “the bad guys” in their community. This pressure leads to entrapment, false accusations, and a general culture of suspicion.

Adding more officers of color to police departments is like putting a band-aid on a broken leg; it might hide the problem, but it won’t fix it, Very often police departments are as diverse as the cities they work in, but studies show increasing diversity doesn’t decrease use of force. It may in fact increase it. “Increasing diversity” in policing is used to distract from and discredit our communities’ concerns.

Cops don’t tell on cops. An internal code of silence, known as the Blue Wall, pressures officers to not report corruption & abuses they witness. It threatens whistleblowers with social isolation, losing backup & physical harm. The few who break the silence are often met with retaliation, spanning harassment, administrative discipline, or termination.⁴