News

Do we really need the police?

Thursday, 10 September 2015

The prospect of further big cuts to police budgets and officer numbers is beginning to force a discussion about what the role of the police should be and what services they should provide. This is something we've been talking about with people for some time.

Last year Tim Hope wrote us an article about abolishing the police service altogether. He proposes that we establish a civil harm-response unit in its place, formed through the merger of police, fire, community health and ambulance services.

We also held an event later in 2014, 'What are the alternatives to policing?', at which Tim Hope and Waqas Tufail spoke. 

If you have an idea about what you would build in place of criminal justice, read this and join the discussion.