The Backchannel

The Defund Police Protests Are Working. Is That a Good Thing?


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Faced with large scale protests and a dire economy, cities around America are defunding their police services. Everywhere from Baltimore to Seattle to Portland are considering large cuts or have passed large cuts in the recent weeks and months since the protests started after the death of George Floyd. Many would argue these cuts would improve policing by forcing cities to rely on non-police alternatives. But in this episode, we call into question that premise.


• Read Leighton's 2015 piece here: https://gawker.com/50-years-after-the-riots-watts-projects-and-lapd-learn-1723326136

• New Yorker story on the Albuquerque police: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/02/son-deceased

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The BackchannelBy Zaid Jilani and Leighton Woodhouse