The increasing calls to defund the police in the wake of the death of George Floyd have been seized upon by some Canadian lawmakers and social activists hoping for significant reforms. But not everyone agrees on the definition of the concept.
The increasing calls to defund the police in the wake of the death of George Floyd have been seized upon by some Canadian lawmakers and social activists hoping for significant reforms.
The hashtag #defundthepolice has become a rallying cry since video emerged more than two weeks ago of a Minneapolis police officer pressing his knee into the neck of Floyd as he pleaded he couldn’t breathe moments before his death.
The killing of Floyd has sparked protests across the U.S. against anti-Black racism and police brutality. In some cases, police violence against protesters — recorded by smartphone cameras and shared online — has resulted in charges against officers and seemingly added fuel to the calls for defunding.
But not everyone agrees on the exact definition of the concept. It has become a catch-all phrase for proposals ranging from police budget cuts to a complete dismantling of police forces.
“The term defunding, I think, is a bit of a misnomer,” said Jim Hart, chair of the Toronto Police Services Board. “Generally speaking, the conversations I’ve heard out there are more about where should we put our money.“
However, in Minneapolis, political action has already begun. This week, a majority of city councillors said they support disbanding the city’s police department and replacing it with a new public safety model that has yet to be developed.
WATCH | Why there are increasing calls to defund the police:
As anti-black racism and anti-police brutality protests continue after the death of George Floyd in police custody — calls are reignited to defund, or even abolish the police. For more, CBC’s Carole MacNeil speaks with Black Lives Matter co-founder Sandy Hudson. 10:28
Black Lives Matter Toronto co-founder Sandy Hudson said the police in Canada’s largest city could be pared down to a tactical unit to respond to ongoing violent crime — a service that certainly wouldn’t require the current policing budget of more than $1 billion a year.
Create front-line emergency service
Instead, most of the funds could go to creating a new front-line emergency service where health experts, social workers and those trained to deal with mental-health crises would be called upon, she said.
“The people who would show up wouldn’t show up with lethal weapons and very little training to deal with people who are having some sort of health crisis,” she recently told CBC News.
“I don’t kn