In early April, the UC unveiled their “Proposed Revisions for UCPD” plans. One proposal is the creation of “Systemwide Response Teams”—in effect, a UC paramilitary force that can be mobilized in response to protest actions, and to provide crowd management and “riot control.” These teams would be armed with body armor, chemical agents, and explosive projectiles. A second proposal is to supply “body cameras across UCPD”—but the proposed policy specifies that police can turn off their cameras at any time; delete recordings at any time; and block recordings from the public. A third proposal would allow retired UCPD to carry concealed weapons with permission — a policy that would only increase the numbers of weapons in use in the larger California community and expand UCPD’s numbers in practice. Ignoring local and nationwide calls to disarm, defund, and abolish police, a fourth proposal would further legitimate the continued use of lesser but still violent force.
Far from lessening police presence on UC campuses and opening up funds for much needed student support services, these proposals will likely only direct even more funds to UCPD, intensify a military model of policing and potentially give police the ability to continue limiting their accountability to the campus communities they serve.
Beginning May 3, inspired by tens of thousands of workers who have walked off the job to protest anti-Black police violence in recent years, police abolition groups across the 10 UC campuses will join more than forty campuses across Turtle Island in demanding an end to campus policing. As we announced last week, on Monday May 3 Cops off Campus will hold an extended Coffee Not Cops abolitionist study space from 11 am to 3 pm at Sproul Plaza, as part of the nationwide day of refusal kicking off Abolition May. If you are interested, you can learn more about the Cops Off Campus campaign here, here and here.”
Anne-Lise François and Alastair Iles for the Board of the Berkeley Faculty Association.