Yes, replace police with unarmed community based responders for non-violent calls

As a police officer, I can speak from firsthand experience. While the concept of unarmed community responders may seem like a helpful solution, the reality is that they cannot operate without police ensuring the scene is safe. I would personally welcome additional support from community responders — it would alleviate some of my workload. However, when there is any potential for violence, police presence is essential.

In situations involving individuals in mental health crises, intoxication, or heightened agitation, the risk of unpredictable and violent behavior is always present. I have…  Read more responded to numerous medical calls simply because a weapon was known to have been present in the household at some point. I’ve also worked alongside mobile crisis units, and while their assistance is invaluable, they always rely on police to secure the scene before engaging. This practice is not only necessary but prudent, ensuring their safety as well as the safety of those in crisis.

This would put more people in danger, police are trained for their job and are there to keep our community safe.

The police are a necessary institution. If we replace the police with unarmed community protectors, then armed criminals will have free reign over the community.

Don't defund the police, Don't defund the police because they play a key role in defending the community and stopping crime.

I don't think we should be defunding the police at all there are a lot of areas in cities that have a lot of violence and I think having the police around as a defense system helps keep control of these communities and keep people safe like high crime communities in areas like Toronto and other big city centers.

Policing is a dynamic career. No two calls will ever be the same. You cannot guarantee that the mental health call will not turn violent. To implement this is to risk the lives of brave men and women who want to serve their community.

Unarmed community based responders could not help people who are in serious danger because of a dangerous person since these responders they aren't armed.

If the police is defunded, there will be more crimes and more violence across the country. We should fund the police to ensure they are better trained to prevent abuse of power.

That may be a bad idea because then the people resonding wouldn't have any authority and things could get bad quick.

we need police to protect us and the community won't do **** , we are all so stupid and act like pussies we will just sit and cry. keep police do not replace them.

Defunding the Police would create cities that are lawless and dangerous, in some cases police are needed more than non violent responders

Any call can turn into a violent call very quickly and it is very important that the police always respond to any call wether it is violent or not as they are highly trained in defending themselves as well as socially. The police should not be defunded, if anthing funded more as they are what keeps society together.

its dumb because anything can happen peacefull or not you should be ready and be able to defend yourself. defunding the police is the dumbist thing ive seen just because there was one corrupt individual does mean all police are corrupt you need balance without balance its caos.

Just because the call is non-violent doesn't mean it can't turn violent. It's better for the police to be armed just in case it's needed. Better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

Unarmed responders are more likely to be injured if a violent crime breaks out. We should increase police funding for training so they can precisely handle non-violent and violent crimes.

no because if police dont have any defense like taser pepper spray or gun they will not be feared and more likely to be attacked and disobeyed

Police should be funded more and trained at a higher level, we aren’t ready as a society to allow a community based responder to a non-violent call, and it simply creates more dissolution. Community based responders could have tendencies to escalate situations and fail to find common ground, especially without training, as a community we should seek to help individuals in need, but we haven’t progressed to a stage to allow such organizations. We should focus on the root of crime, and limit corruption before disposing such tasks on a community as a whole.

Police are required to use proportionally appropriate force when responding. Defunding the police will allow violent criminals to flourish and the citizenry will then be forced to take the law into their own hands to protect their property and their person. Criminals disproportionately prey on unarmed community members; they can’t be expected to enforce legislation

If there are no armed Community res ponders and there is a shooting who is going to protect people during that time

If it turns violent throughout the interaction law enforcement needs too be able to defend themselves.