It's Time to Get Involved.

Relevance to Gen Z: This article discusses the ways in which governments address police misconduct, citing glaring issues and highlighting areas that require change. Generation Z is an immensely powerful force and has proved to be incredibly influential in the fight for police reform, and addressing this issue could be very beneficial to the future of policing and accountability. 

After six months of protests over the killing of Breonna Taylor and police brutality, the mayor of Louisville, Greg Fischer, announced a payment of $12 million to Taylor’s family, as well as a series of police reforms. Several high profile cases of police brutality have resulted in settlements similar to that of Breonna Taylor: the family of Michael Brown received a $1.5 million settlement; the family of Laquan McDonald received a $5 million settlement; the family of Philando Castile received a $3 million settlement, and his girlfriend received an $800,000 settlement.

In the last decade, the city of Chicago has had to pay over half a billion dollars because of police misconduct. Cities often have to fight allegations of misconduct for months or even years, resulting in a large price tag for taxpayers. Usually, city and county funds and insurance policies cover the cost of judgments and claims. Jurisdictions low on capital often borrow money or issue bonds for payment. Bank fees and interest salaried to investors result in a high bill for taxpayers who end up paying for police misconduct. To avoid such a price-tag for taxpayers, many argue that adding misconduct costs into police budgets will help prevent misconduct and hold police financially accountable. 

- Molly Alexander

Source: NPR