Police Reform
In today’s episode of The Policy Paycheck, host Serena Allen and expert Dr. Erroll Southers discuss policy change in light of the worldwide protests sparked by the death of George Floyd.
Who polices the police? How much money are taxpayers giving for police malpractice lawsuits? What does it mean to defund the police? Is America a police state?
Some of things we talked about ...
Police Misconduct Is Increasingly a Financial Issue
Liz Farmer | June 20, 2018
For governments, getting sued unfortunately comes with the territory. But in recent years, the amount that cities are shelling out for police misconduct lawsuits has become not just a criminal justice issue but a financial one as well.
For big cities, the costs are alarming -- equivalent to huge line items in agency budgets.
Urban Institute's State & Local Finance Initative, Police and Corrections Expenditures
Police expenditures include spending on police, sheriffs, state highway patrols, and other governmental departments charged with protecting public safety.
Corrections expenditures are for the operation, maintenance, and construction of prisons and jails, as well as the activities of probation officers and parole boards.
LEAP National Policing Recommendations
As law enforcement professionals, we believe it is our duty to speak in opposition to police violence
against community members and in support of the have of nonviolent protests taking place across the
country today. We cannot uphold public safety without earning community trust. Without trust, people do not report crimes, and witnesses refuse to talk to us.
Rethinking the Blues
Although crime rates are at the lowest they have been in over 30
years,1 the number of arrests has declined only slightly between
2009 and 20102 and the U.S. still spends more than $100 billion on
police every year3 to fund 714,921 sworn police officers and an
increasing number of militarized police units.
Contact The Policy Paycheck
The Policy Paycheck logo is designed by USC student Jordan Williams.
Produced by Serena Allen & Aubrey Hicks. Sound editing by the Brothers Hedden.
