Crisis in policing

In the last 2 weeks SCAR (Spokane Community Against Racism) and 21 other organizations have unveiled the Spokane Platform for Change in policing and public safety. Breean Beggs and other Spokane City Council members have also announced a list of initiatives to improve policing.

Pax Christi Spokane (the international Catholic Peace Movement) recognizes in these demands the shape that change must take. We add our voices and efforts to convert policing structures often rooted in fear, violence, racism and lack of transparency. Resources need to be rebalanced and we will all be safer if we address and fund some of the societal root causes of crime. Too much is asked of the police, for example in situations of homelessness, mental illness, addiction and domestic violence.

Decades have brought us to this place of increasing violence and militarization in police culture, to this crisis of policing. Quoting SCAR’s platform: “Our city is not a war zone, and weapons of war should not be used on our streets.”

It will be a long road to change these entrenched systems. But the time is now for all those who seek justice and respect for all human life to demand change. Study SCAR’s Platform for Change and other initiatives. Say NO to the Spokane Police Guild contract as negotiated by Mayor Woodward. This contract fails to provide complete independence for the Office of Police Ombudsman. Demand change now!

Teresa McCann

Spokane