Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.
There is no reforming the police. You can’t reform a system built on the legacy of slavery, a system whose entire purpose is to maintain white supremacy. It is impossible to sincerely call for reform when Black people have been killed by police while sleeping in bed or their cars, driving their cars and struggling to breathe. Police officers assault, injure and, in cases like the killing of Tyree Nichols, brutally murder people because our laws, institutions and society at large allow them to do it.
Recently, President Joe Biden told a crowd that police officers must be retrained to use lethal force less frequently. Last year, he called for putting 100,000 new officers on the streets. This aligns with his stance on policing overall. He has always maintained a pro-police stance even in the face of continued violence against Black people at the hands of police. It’s time for a significant shift.
On Tuesday, Feb. 7, President Biden will address the nation at the annual State of the Union. This is his opportunity to show us that he sees our grief and intends to do something about it, something effective. Nothing will bring back Tyre Nichols or ease the pain and anguish of his family. And yet, we can still take concrete steps toward creating a future where Black people and our communities are safe and free.
This is what we want to hear:
We must remove police from traffic enforcement.
There is no reason why a driver should be harmed or killed over violations as minor as not using a turn signal early enough, having a loud exhaust or driving with a broken taillight. But it happens with alarming frequency.
The most common way to encounter police…
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