I was aware that Camden’s new police force had some rehires, but I was not under the impression it was any significant amount. I also didn’t come across anything that pointed out the decrease in crime in the state overall, so thank you for that. The main point I’m trying to make is that Camden dissolving their original police force was not the cure-all that people think it was. That there were outside factors that largely contributed to crime rates being brought down in the city and members of the community feeling better about the new police department.

The conclusion that I draw from all this is American policing needs to be thrown out into the dumpster fire it came from because it isn’t working in the ways that we need it to. I’m not going to die on that hill If I am wrong and lasting police reform IS possible, but based on the disappointing evidence from the research I mentioned earlier I have little hope for the idea that police reform can bring about the social stability in our communities that people so desperately need.