BZ’s summary: fine. Don’t. Just make sure you stick to your policy.
From the LATimes.com:
A California church flirts with an unusual social experiment: to never call police again
by Jaweed Kaleem
Standing on the front steps of First Congregational Church of Oakland late last month, Nichola Torbett issued a declaration.
“We can no longer tolerate the trauma inflicted on our communities by policing,” Torbett, a white church volunteer, said in front of churchgoers who held photos of African Americans shot dead by law enforcement. The church, she promised, would never call the cops again in nearly every circumstance. Dozens of members had agreed to do the same.
“How do police help? They often don’t,” Torbett later said in an interview. “So, especially as white people, why call them?”
Right. White people never need cops. Why call them?
As videos of the aftermath of white Americans dialing 911 on African Americans for taking part in innocent activities have repeatedly gone viral — two black friends meeting at a Starbucks in Philadelphia, a black grad student napping in a Yale dormitory common room, a black family having a barbecue just blocks from the Oakland congregation — members of this small church are taking extreme measures in response.
But wait. Like Leftists everywhere they want what they want when they want it.
“We’re taught to turn to police for so much, even simple disagreements between people,” said church member Sarah Pritchard, who is also white and is setting up trainings such as the July workshop. “Why can’t we resolve issues among ourselves?”
“We need to be there as a community for one another so we can provide safety for our congregation without police,” she said. Pritchard said the ban wouldn’t apply if there was a shooting or other life-threatening violence. But nearly everything else is fair game.
What about the homeless, the transients, the mentally unbalanced? You can talk your way out of these situations, can’t you? Just make sure you don’t call the Oakland Police Department.
The church, which sits on a small hill just north of downtown Oakland, frequently opens its doors to the homeless, mentally ill and those who struggle with drug addictions. It offers a food pantry, transit cards and a place to nap. But it draws the line at hosting people overnight.
The conversation turned to another aspect of policing: deterring and solving crime. Church leaders said they could prevent crime by forming better relationships with neighborhood residents. Their theory, put simply: Friends won’t steal from friends. But if crime still happened, church members prayed they could make peace between victims and perpetrators directly without police or courts.
Just remember, you can always reason with criminals and the insane when you speak calmly and rationally to them. What could go wrong? Hell, nothing.
The department itself indicates it doesn’t mind conserving its resources.
The Police Department has not responded publicly to the church’s stance. A spokeswoman said Chief Anne E. Kirkpatrick was unavailable.
But Barry Donelan, president of the Oakland police union, said he wasn’t bothered by the church.
“If this particular group doesn’t want to call the police, that’s their position, that’s their view,” Donelan said. “But my members are happy to respond to the tremendous need for police services elsewhere. If they take this view, it makes it so more police can be directed to those who ask for them.” He added that he would “never discourage people from calling police” if they changed their minds.
Let’s just see how this grand Leftist Experiment works out.
Oh wait. If it tanks, you won’t hear anything about that.
Will you?
BZ
Snerk… Like THAT is going to work well in Oakland…
Which is why you’ll never hear about a social experiment that failed.
BZ
Old cranky white man’s advice to blacks.
Don’t want to get shot by the police? Don’t break the law. Don’t try to argue your case in the street in the heat of the moment.
Life isn’t fair but if you want positive change, report your brothers and sisters who are breaking the law. Take some personal responsibility for yourself.
Feel like m$^%&r f_#$@%^g me. Go right ahead, I don’t care what fools say.
Good advice for anyone.
BZ
I wonder if this church’s pledge includes not calling 911? When I call 911 to report an emergency I don’t get to opt out of a police response.