This matter deeply perturbs me on a personal level. I, the instigator of this petition, have watched with increasing alarm as city officers, rather than protect and serve, harass and profile. The tension this biased behavior creates within our community is deplorable.

Across the nation, we've seen an alarming increase in incidents where residents perceive their experience with local police as less about protection and more about profiling. This runs counter to the very idea of policing, which is to safeguard local communities, not perceive them as threats. A study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that "there is a significant bias in the killing of unarmed black Americans relative to unarmed white Americans" by police officers (NBER, 2020). This has also been established in studies involving the biased profiling of suspected drug users. This is but a representation of how deep the roots of profiling run in the local police system.

If we were to dissolve the city police department and merge its funding with the sheriff's department, it could help streamline enforcement measures, cut back on instances of prejudice and profiling, and rebuild the frayed trust between law enforcement and our community. The idea is not to remove law enforcement, but to reform and restructure in a way that will foster better relationship with the community it serves.

Let's send a strong message to those in power that our community deserves respect, integrity, and procedural fairness. Integrity means doing what is right no matter who's watching or holding you accountable. Hypocrisy is the opposite of integrity. I implore each one of you to support this petition, calling for the dissolution of our city's police department, and to show solidarity with those who seek positive change in our community. Sign the petition today!