None of us should ever fear violence in our communities, especially from those supposedly charged with promoting public safety. George Floyd, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, and countless other Black and brown people have died at the hands of police—and a racist system that disproportionately targets people of color.
Protests across the U.S. are fueling the demand for divestment from policing—and investment in schools, health care, and transformative forms of justice that truly keep our communities safe.
It's time to defund the police. Take action today.
6 reasons why it's time to defund the police
U.S. cities collectively spend $100 billion a year on policing, while investments in education, health care, housing, and other critical programs go underfunded, particularly in poor communities and communities of color.
How to talk about defunding the police
Many of us are having discussions with family and friends about rethinking the role of police in our communities. Here are some tips you can use to guide these conversations and build support for alternatives that create community safety for all.
Why I support the call to defund the police
Pamela Haines explains how the concept of divesting from policing—and investing in nonviolent alternatives—has challenged her to rethink how we ensure community safety for all.
Reimagining community safety
As Minneapolis and other U.S. cities take steps to defund the police, we look at how we can invest in creating more humane alternatives to truly keep our communities safe.
An update from the Twin Cities
Shanene Herbert, director of AFSC's Healing Justice program in Minnesota, talks about how community members are continuing to come together weeks after the police murder of George Floyd.
Chicago students organize to get cops out of schools
Student-led advocacy to remove police from schools in Chicago is one articulation of the larger fight to defund policing and invest in Black communities instead.
A Quaker call to defund the police
The call to defund the police is part of the ongoing struggle to truly abolish slavery and the carceral systems that supplanted it—and it will take enormous creativity, innovation, healing, and political will to make that happen.
We won’t stop until we dismantle the whole racist system
In this moment of truth, we cannot lose focus on what’s important: Black Lives Matter. As a Quaker organization, AFSC is committed to working in solidarity with communities to end white supremacy and uphold the human dignity in of every person.
St. Louis students and parents campaign to get police out of schools
"The safety and security of our children in school is not a function of the presence of police or security officers in a school building. Rather, it is largely a function of individual student well-being and the health of peer relationships and school culture," says AFSC's Joshua Saleem.
How white people can support the call to defund the police
As a Quaker who lives in South Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered by police, I am working to listen and engage in true accompaniment.
AFSC condemns police killing of George Floyd and police violence against protesters
Twin Cities youth call for racial justice and systemic change.
Take action
Invest in communities, not policing!
More resources
Tools from AFSC's Chicago Peacebuilding Program
"Coins, Cops, and Communities" Tooklit: Get ideas for activities to explore the costs of policing in your community from this toolkit created for Chicago.
No Cop Academy campaign: Learn more about the youth-led effort to stop the creation of a $95 million police academy in Chicago.
We Are All We Need: Read this mini zine on why participants at protests shouldn't thank the police.
