Are you in favor of abolishing the police?

[Brett85]

I'm just posting this poll because I've had a lot of debates with people here who support abolishing the police, and those debates are always fun and interesting. I just thought it would be interesting to see what percentage of people here think we should do away with the police. If anyone hasn't noticed, I like polls. If people don't like this thread and hate these kind of polls, I apologize. Like I said, I just like polls.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

I don't see a poll.

 

[Brett85]

I'm guessing the results will be about 60% in favor of abolishing the police and 40% opposed. We'll see how accurate that prediction ends up being.

 

[Brett85]

I don't see a poll.

It should be there now.

 

[dinosaur]

I'm guessing the results will be about 60% in favor of abolishing the police and 40% opposed. We'll see how accurate that prediction ends up being.

National or local? There is a big difference between national or state police and a small town force who needs to be polite to the residents in order to secure funding via millage. Many small town departments are hesitant to even give out speeding tickets to locals for that reason.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

It should be there now.

Indeed, 'tis, thanks. ~hugs~

 

[Brett85]

National or local? There is a big difference between national or state police and a small town force who needs to be polite to the residents in order to secure funding via millage. Many small town departments are hesitant to even give out speeding tickets to locals for that reason.

Both. My question is asking whether you support abolishing all government police.

 

[Christian Liberty]

I assume by "Police" you mean a state-run monopoly organization, and are not necessarily referring to competing police agencies like Rothbard supported, voluntarily hired peace officers/neighborhood watchmen, or other free market solutions like that. In that case, I'd answer "Yes."

I personally don't find the anarchy/minarchy debate to be the most useful though. I'd take one Ron Paul or George Washington over a thousand Stephan Molineuxes. I think its much more important that you view Leviathan States as being fundamentally evil (rather than merely misguided) than it is that you necessarily embrace every single jot an tittle of anarcho-capitalism.

 

[Christian Liberty]

Both. My question is asking whether you support abolishing all government police.

I'd still say yes, with the caveat that the National Government should not be abolishing the local police.

 

[dinosaur]

I assume by "Police" you mean a state-run monopoly organization, and are not necessarily referring to competing police agencies like Rothbard supported, voluntarily hired peace officers/neighborhood watchmen, or other free market solutions like that. In that case, I'd answer "Yes."

I personally don't find the anarchy/minarchy debate to be the most useful though. I'd take one Ron Paul or George Washington over a thousand Stephan Molineuxes. I think its much more important that you view Leviathan States as being fundamentally evil (rather than merely misguided) than it is that you necessarily embrace every single jot an tittle of anarcho-capitalism.

No, he clarified. Apparently a yes vote means any type of police force.

 

[Brett85]

I'd still say yes, with the caveat that the National Government should not be abolishing the local police.

Of course. I'm just asking whether you think that government police should exist at any level.

 

[erowe1]

Does abolishing just mean voluntarizing?

 

[Brett85]

Does abolishing just mean voluntarizing?

I'm not sure what you mean. It just means that the government police shouldn't exist at any level, that there should be no funding for any government police force at any level.

 

[dinosaur]

Does abolishing just mean voluntarizing?

I think he is just trying to prove that RPF is full of crazy anarchists.

 

[donnay]

I am all for abolishing the standing army our founders warned us about.

 

[surf]

I voted no based on the assumption that the sole role for government is to protect liberties (and this includes the court system)

 

[Christian Liberty]

Of course. I'm just asking whether you think that government police should exist at any level.

No, they shouldn't

 

[dinosaur]

I am all for abolishing the standing army our founders warned us about.

I am as well, but local forces can be controlled if they are accountable to a small number of people. When federal or state funds start flowing their way, though, we are all in trouble. I'd like to abolish all forces that receive federal or state funds.

 

[erowe1]

I'm not sure what you mean. It just means that the government police shouldn't exist at any level, that there should be no funding for any government police force at any level.

So in order to make sure that there are no police the state would have to ban them. But then how would they enforce the ban on police if people tried to hire police anyway?

ETA: If abolish means "ban," then no I don't support it. If abolish just means voluntarize, then yes I do support it.

 

[Theocrat]

Poll Needs More Options

I really can't answer your question because I am both for and against abolishing police. It just depends on what level of government that police has jurisdiction over. For national police, yes, I am for abolishing it. For local/state police, I am against abolishing it. Police are useful because I can't guard my home and possessions all day while I am away at work. Therefore, I see nothing wrong with deputizing law enforcement, on a local or state level, with the task of maintaining order and upholding laws that protect life and property. The police should not have a "monopoly" on protection services, but still, they can serve and protect in the public's trust.