Defund The Police

Ottawa is a city home to people of varying cultures and ethnicities— our city prides itself on that. To build a safer community for BlPOC and Indigenous people, defunding the police and reallocating these resources to aide those in need is a large step in the right direction.

These resources would be able to provide safe, affordable housing (no one should be without basic necessities), aide those with mental health / substance abuse disorders, build and support organizations which help support minorites in unique circumstances.

The police should not be expected to handle such a large array of situations (eg traffic, mental health calls, domestic violence, sexual assualt) with their very, very limited training and knowledge. Defunding the police and using the resources to use professionals with experiences dealing in these unique situations would result in a safer community— one where a 911 call does not result in yet another life taken away.