South Africa, and the world, should defund the police.
police has never modernised. police are still old fashioned and arranged as a military force. police are operated as an army. ranks, commanders, an armed and frequently violent force.
instead of a single police force, we should have properly trained and full time “riot control officers” – their own chain of command, their own infrastructure and their own equipment and constant ongoing training.
instead of a single police force, we should have “detectives” – their own chain of command, their own infrastructure and their own equipment and constant ongoing training.
instead of a single police force, we should have local “crime officers” – their own chain of command, their own infrastructure and their own equipment and constant ongoing training. in south africa, this means municipal “crime officers” this will save a lot of money and duplicate expense.
instead of having a “police minister”, we should use the many many millions of rands better. (money spent in salaries, protection, ministerial transport of all staff, ministerial office and many more related expenses)
so, to defund the police is easy: just disband the police and split up the present police persons, into their chosen or assigned new roles.
south african society will be better served and better protected, the south african government will have more control, more national security and we as a society will be spending less money, so we can spend more money on social upliftment and social housing projects.
but, the police are powerful. in all societies. they will not go softly into that dark night. police will fight for their power. they will fight for their right to paaartyy. so, in all probability, south african society is fucked. we will have to wait for other more enlightened societies to fight this battle and show the better path. south africa will probably not have the balls to lead this required social modernisation of the police force.
about the police, in general:
each and every police person firmly believes that they are on the team of the good people. they are authoritarian. they are in charge, bending only to the will of the police person above them in rank or position. they obey lawful commands of their police boss. they pull together and stick together during crisis. they are well armed and backed up by the courts, they are the legal enforcement. they are willing to be violent and to kill other humans if they deem it required. police are wolves, they are hunters, they are lions.
police are predators. predatory.
police persons are gang members. they are violent, predatory members of an armed gang which functions within a wide parameter of “legal” circumstance.
police bosses think they know what is good for other people. they know what is good for the sheep and the sheep had better listen, or else…
some police bosses, like in south africa, Bheki Cele, refers to armed violent criminal police persons, as “naughty” they are not violent armed criminals, in his “gang” they are just “naughty” so, a criminal scumbag police person can rape and murder, rob, frame and cause general criminal mayhem and these police members are just “naughty”. Bheki Cele dreams about being a strong arm despot. he considers himself a very enlightened despot as he quite publically states that if he were the “leader” of south africa, he would instate an alcohol ban. not a “leader” minister, these are words of a dictator. leaders lead, dictators “instate”
but it is not only the minister of police that is confused or ignorant. south africa is filled with ignorant and just plain stupid people. igonrance can still be cured with education, but stupidity is just what it is: stupid.
as america struggles with institutionalised racism, reflects on the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and so many others, south africa has to reflect on it’s own problems.
why do we need a predatory, violent armed gang of persons dressed in blue uniforms?
so, on the planet, in the past few hours, what are other police forces up to?
authoritarian Swiss police, investigates whether they should arrest an 8 year old boy for trying to pay with monopoly money at a store. the monopoly money has chinese writing on it and you would have to be a truly stupid shop keeper to accept a chinese language monopoly money as payment for anything, unless you decide to. yet, there is a “case” and the swiss police even took photos of the “criminal” – You can read more about that serious arrest and expense of authoritarian police resources and taxpayer money, here: https://www.bazonline.ch/polizei-ermittelt-gegen-maerkli-8-wegen-spielgeld-131594472193
yes, police all over are authoritarian wolves. the vast majority of police are violent and many are mean, nasty and vindictive personality types.
in Canada, police violently arrests and assaults the Chief of the Chipewyan tribe, for an expired car numberplate. but, when actually watching the video of the arrest… https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=JoHjvrovn4A
as we see from France, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/world/europe/france-police-opposition-proposed-reforms.html – the police there, casts a lot of light on the social issues surrounding police…
police support politicians in power.
police are used for “stability” and “order” (which means that police are required to use violence to quell social unrest) this is not just a south african thing, violent protests happens in almost every country in the world.
and there are real criminals out there from which society does need protection.
but having one often violent armed gang, is not in the best interests of society. and having one “boss” right at the top, is a recipe for disaster. more so if that “one boss” has despotic leanings…
