A person in a mental health crisis doesn't need a gun in their face, they need professional help.

A teenager experiencing homelessness doesn't need suspicion or hostility, they need a hot meal and a place to stay.

Classrooms don't need the traumatizing presence of an armed officer, they need more teachers, resources, and compassion.

Too often, police officers are called to intervene in situations related to racial microaggressions, mental health, addiction, and more. Police departments across the country are using their outsized budgets to militarize their officers, and Black communities are suffering because of it.

But what if we invested in public health and the many other essential services starved for resources, instead of funding a system geared toward violence?

That's what defunding the police is about — and that's why Planned Parenthood stands with the Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) and their call to #defundthepolice.

This is not an issue we can stay on the sidelines for. Planned Parenthood's commitment to the health and safety of patients doesn't stop when they walk out of health center doors. Racism is a public health crisis because, as a discipline, public health is built on the principle of saving lives — and the current police system endangers Black lives.

There is no "one size fits all" approach to defunding the police. It will look different in every town and every city. But one thing is certain: True systemic reform will require full community participation.

We're committed to being a part of the solution. Will you?

To honor the anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865, or Juneteenth, this weekend will be one of action. Planned Parenthood will be following the lead of M4BL and we hope you will, too. Find out how >>