Dear Kiantha: We can get to the root of crime and police — soulfully — at the same time

Dear Kiantha,

I live in a community where there is a lot of crime. I don’t understand it. People complain about crime then complain about law enforcement policing the criminals. We must choose one or the other. What is your choice?

Dear Friend,

I was talking with a friend recently who shared with me that a woman she knew had been robbed while pumping gas at a gas station. Crime in most communities is on the rise. The woman, as expected, was traumatized by the robbery. As I was listening to the story, internally I put myself in that situation. I imagined being afraid and immediately calling the police for help.

This week, a neighbor in the community I live in posted to our community social media group that a shirtless man brandishing a knife and wearing padded gloves was caught on a home security camera attempting to gain access to a neighbor’s house.

Again, I could viscerally feel the fear and panic my neighbor had experienced and hoped that they immediately reported the incident to the police.

To my way of thinking, people victimized by crime absolutely need the resource of law enforcement to reasonably and justly deal with the crime being committed.

Yet and still, there is an opportunity for us to reimagine policing and how it is done in our communities.

Understanding the historical context to which policing was established indicates at best we have a flawed criminal justice system. One that disproportionately polices people living in poverty, people of color, individuals experiencing mental health crises and people with histories of trauma.

In truth, we rely on law enforcement to keep our communities safe while responding often to the unimaginable. It is important that we equip them with the necessary tools to effectively assist communities to live in harmony. I personally know many law enforcement agents who understand this concept, and I have been witness to many who do not.

What is also true is that the way in which we currently police rarely gets to the root causes of crime.

What we should be asking ourselves is not to choose between policing or crime but to instead identify ways in which policing is done on a more soulful level: a level that explores and considers the humanity of both victims and perpetrators of crimes. That is the type of policing I would like to see and support.

Soul to soul,

Kiantha

Dear Kiantha can be read Fridays in The Spokesman-Review. To read this column in Spanish, visit www.spokesman.com. To submit a question, please email DearKiantha@gmail.com.