BROCKTON — As governments scramble to address unrest over racial discrimination in law enforcement, few cries for reform have polarized activists from politicians as starkly as “defund the police.”
The term, which exploded into popular use this spring, means different things to different people, but in a broad sense it concerns shrinking police budgets and reallocating the leftover money to social welfare programs, education or social workers who can respond to public safety calls without the threat of criminal charges or violence.
