Opinion: Defund the police? Here’s what that really means.

From guest opinion writer Christy E. Lopez ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Defund the police? Here's what that really means. Guest Opinion • By Christy E. Lopez Christy E. Lopez is a professor at Georgetown Law School and a co-director of the school's Innovative Policing Program. Since George Floyd's death, a long-simmering movement for police abolition has become part of the national conversation, recast slightly as a call to "defund the police." For activists, this conversation is long overdue. But for casual observers, this new direction may seem a bit disorienting — or even alarming. Be not afraid. "Defunding the police" is not as scary (or even as radical) as it sounds, and engaging on this topic is necessary if we are going to achieve the kind of public safety we need. During my 25 years dedicated to police reform, including in places such as Ferguson, Mo., New Orleans and Chicago, it has become clear to me that … Read more → More from The Post A dozen high-profile fatal encounters that have galvanized protests nationwide By Nicole Dungca, Jenn Abelson, Mark Berman and John Sullivan • Read more → Understanding racism and inequality in America By Washington Post Staff • Read more → A guide to the less-lethal weapons that law enforcement uses against protesters By Alyssa Fowers, Aaron Steckelberg and Bonnie Berkowitz • Read more → Police promised reforms. Every year, they still shoot and kill nearly 1,000 people. By Mark Berman, John Sullivan, Julie Tate and Jennifer Jenkins • Read more → We are deeply grateful to our subscribers who make our work possible. The journalistic resources necessary are immense and growing, and we could not do our work without subscriber support. Subscribe today Cancel anytime.

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