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. @UofT_dlsph has created a course for public health graduate students to learn about policing, data, and public health. This article has raised some serious concerns about the potential harms of academic public health. https://www.dlsph.utoronto.ca/2020/12/new-dlsph-course-explores-overpolicing-in-black-communities/
Says “It’s not a question of defunding the police. It’s about creating a different model of policing”. This approach undermines demands of Black communities and public health evidence. This rhetoric erases legacy of resistance that demands alternative models for community safety.
We know that it is the “organized abandonment of communities” that creates conditions that lead to vulnerability and harm. We need to divest from carceral systems and punitive practices, and invest in communities. Policing is not the answer.
. @PublicHealth @endpolviolence passed a statement on using public health to address the harms of the carceral system. They recognize that the role of public health *should* be to reduce contact between police and the public, improving health outcomes. https://bit.ly/3au6JhE
De-escalation training for police does not significantly reduce police violence, and suggesting otherwise ignores evidence. We need courses that equip future public health practitioners with the tools to address institutions of harm. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/police-violence-calls-for-measures-beyond-de-escalation-training1/
.@thecityoftoronto has already recognized that police have no role in responding to mental health crises. Staff alongside @reachout_to have an upcoming proposal (Jan 2021) to propose alternative crisis response models https://reachouttoronto.ca/resources
We must be clear: there is *no* model of policing that keeps Black communities safe or uplifts Black wellbeing. We are highly suspicious of any public health education that suggests policing as a solution.
