A Pragmatic Path Forward on Public Safety: A Proposal

The debate over policing in the United States has often been trapped between two extremes: a defense of a broken status quo and calls for radical, often vaguely defined, change. This proposal outlines a pragmatic, evidence-based path forward focused not on ideology, but on results.

The guiding philosophy of this approach is one of data-driven improvement, not utopian perfection. We reject the notion that our public safety systems must be either flawlessly perfect or completely abolished. Instead, we believe in a process of continuous, measurable improvement.

The core tenets of this philosophy are:

We are not idealists seeking a perfect world; we are pragmatists seeking a safer one. We acknowledge that no system run by humans will ever be flawless.

Data, not dogma, must guide our decisions. We will embrace policies with a proven track record of success, like those demonstrated in cities such as Denver, CO, and Camden, NJ.

The goal is progress, not purity. We seek to replace failed systems with better ones, and we measure success by verifiable metrics: lower crime rates, fewer excessive force complaints, improved community trust, and more efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

This entire proposal is built on that foundation: a series of sensible, proven, and data-backed initiatives designed to create a more effective and just public safety system for everyone.

Part 1: The Right Response Initiative

The single most impactful reform we can implement is the Right Response Initiative. This is a systemic change that acknowledges a simple truth: not every 911 call requires a response from an officer with a gun.

In the current model, police have become the default solution for every societal problem, including mental health crises, substance abuse issues, and disputes involving the homeless. This is both inefficient and dangerous. It places officers in situations they aren't trained for, which can lead to unnecessary escalations, arrests, and sometimes tragic violence. It also diverts their time and focus away from their core mission: investigating and stopping serious crime.

The Right Response Initiative restructures the 911 system to dispatch the right professional for the right call. A civilian crisis response team, typically consisting of a medic and a mental health clinician or social worker, becomes the primary responder for non-violent calls related to behavioral health and social welfare.

This model has been proven to work with remarkable success in cities across the country:

Denver's STAR Program: A Stanford University study found that in its first six months, STAR's health-centered approach led to a 34% reduction in reports of less-serious crimes in the areas it operated. These civilian teams never required police backup and were four times less expensive than a traditional police response.

Eugene's CAHOOTS Program: For over 30 years, this program has handled approximately 17% of the 911 call volume. Their teams require police backup in less than 1% of cases, saving the city millions in public safety costs and providing more effective care to those in crisis.

This initiative is the definition of a data-driven improvement. It provides better outcomes for vulnerable people, frees up police to focus on violent crime, and makes more efficient use of taxpayer money. Funds that normally go towards police militarization can instead be directed to these behavioral health and social welfare calls. Bringing inefficent and bloated police budgets back in line with efficent use of public funds.

Part 2: Modernizing Traffic Enforcement

Beyond crisis response, one of the most common and fraught interactions between police and the public is the routine traffic stop. These stops are often dangerous for both officers and citizens, are an inefficient use of police time, and are a primary driver of racial disparities in policing. A common-sense, data-driven solution is to automate routine traffic enforcement.

Traffic stops for minor infractions like speeding or running a red light are often used as a pretext to investigate other potential crimes. This practice, known as a pretextual stop, disproportionately targets people of color. Furthermore, these encounters can escalate tragically, turning a simple ticket into a violent or fatal confrontation.

This proposal seeks to remove armed police from the majority of routine traffic enforcement duties. The responsibility for enforcing violations like speeding and red-light infractions would be transferred to a state-controlled, automated system using cameras.

This is a proven model that leads to several key improvements:

Greater Equity: A camera doesn't see the driver's race. It tickets a license plate based on a clear, objective violation, which can drastically reduce racially biased stops.

Increased Safety: By reducing the number of face-to-face interactions for minor issues, this system protects both officers and citizens from the risk of a roadside confrontation escalating.

Improved Police Efficiency: This reform frees up thousands of hours of police time, allowing officers to concentrate on pressing public safety issues like violent crime instead of monitoring traffic.

To ensure this system serves public safety and not profit, two principles must be enshrined in law:

Revenue Neutrality: All revenue generated from automated tickets must be "ring-fenced" and reinvested directly into road safety improvements, such as better crosswalks, bike lanes, sidewalks and engineering changes as well as public transit options to reduce the number of cars on the road.

State-Level Control: The program must be managed and standardized at the state level to ensure fairness and prevent a patchwork of predatory, for-profit contracts with private vendors at the local level.

This is not a radical idea; it's a simple modernization that makes our roads safer and our justice system fairer.

Part 3: The "Police Reboot" for Dire Cases

While the Right Response Initiative can reform and improve most police departments, some situations are irredeemably dire. When a department is plagued by systemic corruption, a complete loss of public trust, and a union contract that makes change impossible, a more fundamental solution is required: a full "Police Reboot."

This is the "disband and rebuild" model, a last resort for a system that has become so corrupted it cannot be fixed.

The most powerful real-world example of a successful reboot occurred in Camden, NJ. In 2012, Camden was one of America's most dangerous and violent cities. Its police department was seen as both ineffective and corrupt, and its union contract was an immovable barrier to reform.

In 2013, the city took the radical step of disbanding its police department and creating a new, county-wide force. The new department was built from the ground up on a philosophy of "guardian, not warrior" policing, with a strict use-of-force policy and a deep commitment to community engagement.

The data-driven results were transformative:

Crime Plummeted: Within a decade, the city's murder rate fell by over 60%, and violent crime dropped by nearly half. The city’s homicide clearance rate has also improved and ranged from 60% to 95% over the last five years.

Trust Was Rebuilt: Excessive force complaints fell by 95%. The new department's success in building trust was put on the world stage in 2020, when its officers marched alongside protestors demanding police reform.

It Was a Fiscal Solution: By breaking the old contract, the city was able to hire more officers for roughly the same budget, increasing police presence and community engagement.

The Camden model is not a utopia, but it is undeniable proof that a full reboot is not just a theoretical idea. It is a viable, data-backed strategy that can dramatically improve public safety and community trust when all other avenues for reform have failed.

Part 4: Navigating the Primary Obstacle

The most significant political barrier to implementing these common-sense reforms is often the entrenched power of police unions. Through aggressive political lobbying and ironclad collective bargaining agreements, these unions have historically resisted nearly all accountability measures, creating a system that is often immune to public oversight.

Addressing this requires a strategic, multi-front approach that targets the sources of their power.

The most durable reforms are made at the state level. Legislatures can and should:

Limit the Scope of Bargaining: Pass laws that declare police disciplinary procedures, use-of-force standards, and civilian oversight are not subject to collective bargaining. Unions can negotiate for wages and benefits, but they cannot be allowed to negotiate for impunity.

Reform Legal Protections: Amend or repeal state-level "Law Enforcement Officers' Bills of Rights" (LEOBRs) that provide excessive protections for officers accused of misconduct.

Mayors and city managers must use their leverage during the contract negotiation process. This involves drawing a line in the sand and refusing to sign any new agreement that does not include key accountability reforms. By taking the case to the public, explaining that the union is choosing to protect secrecy over a pay raise for its members, city leaders can build public pressure for a fairer contract.

Finally, we must reframe the debate to appeal to the rank-and-file officers who are not served by a system that protects misconduct. The argument is simple: the current union contracts protect those who make the entire department look bad, causing immense stress and damaging the reputation of the vast majority of officers.

Our changes are designed to restore public trust and improve morale by showing that misconduct is not tolerated, which supports the officers who want do their jobs with integrity but feel trapped by current police culture. This can be a potential wedge point between those who want to do the right thing and those who do not.

The path forward on public safety does not require us to choose between an ineffective status quo and a utopian fantasy. By embracing a pragmatic, data-driven approach, we can build a system that is more effective, more efficient, and more just. The Right Response Initiative, the modernization of Traffic Enforcement, and, where necessary, the Police Reboot, are all proven, real-world models for success. They represent a sensible path forward that can unite a broad coalition of citizens, policymakers, and even police officers who are ready for a better way.