The recent “defund the police” movement has run into obstacles as issues have arisen from the lack of police services in some cities that have cut back on police funding. There is a movement now towards “detasking the police”, intentionally and purposefully assigning tasks formally carried out by commissioned police officers to “others” who are more specifically trained for a particular function, a function that would not necessarily need police powers.
Begin by watching the “Should we ‘Detask’ the Police?” video on YouTube.
Then, read the online article “Minneapolis Residents Sue City Over Alleged Police Department Rollbacks”.
For this week’s written assignment, answer the following questions. Your assignment should be 2-3 pages in length and follow APA format and style.
1. Describe what “detasking” is and how it should not be considered an indictment of the core function of law enforcement.
2. Explain how policing tasks could be reallocated. What kind of services previously handled by the police should be considered for “detasking”? How would those services be carried out and managed by government?
3. If “detasking” is successfully carried out, it will mean that some police forces may be smaller with more limited focus. How might this affect recruitment and training? Be specific, give examples.
4. In “detasking,” sworn police officers will be replaced by non-sworn, unarmed individuals who are meant to carry out a specific task. At some point this person will encounter armed, violent citizens. How can this eventuality be anticipated and planned for?
In addition to the textbook reading, video, and article provided, use at least two other quality sources of information to support your answers.
