So you want to defund the police? | John Wilkens

<p>Protest signs are meant to be provocative, but these were especially so: “Abolish the police.”</p><p>They showed up in San Diego and across the country over the past two weeks as thousands of Americans <a href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/story/2020-06-04/starting-from-police-headquarters-hundreds-of-protesters-march-again-in-downtown-san-diego" target="_blank">took to the streets</a> to condemn the May 25 killing in Minneapolis of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by a white police officer who knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest over a counterfeit $20 bill.</p><p>As far-fetched as the protest signs seem, they are part of a growing national debate that’s moved beyond the usual calls for change — better training, more diversity, increased accountability — to openly question the fundamental purpose of police in society.</p><p>Are the officers guardians, or are they warriors?</p>