A sparring partner of mine sent me an article about a group seeking to disarm and displace the NYPD in their neighborhood. I read the article. I’m not too impressed. I’ve come to learn that ‘direct action’ normally means ‘undemocratic action, because we know we will not be able to obtain the democratic support of our community.’ I responded accordingly:

“I think I would prefer that citizens do what we have done in my apartment complex, and that is prove the need for less of any kind of third-party policing, by removing or reducing the conflict.

I have a problem with the notion that you can have a group which, at one and the same time, believes it should conflict with police, but can also preach non-conflict among neighbors.

Where is there any sense here of allowing for community monitoring? Of whatever is being done, supposedly in the name of the community?

And finally, when all else fails, and a mugger turns up on my doorstep with a baseball bat, who do I call, if there is someone downstairs turning police away?

I think I prefer the model of citizen design of policing, where all parties come together, and a consensual approach to law enforcement is determined, rather than a group hating on police, and then hoping for the best.”