“Reimagining/Reinventing Police”
University of Chicago
Zoom Conference
July 30-31, 2020
The recent murder of George Floyd, the subsequent protests, and the police response are only the latest events to expose the often brutal and racialized character of policing in the United States, leading many to renew long-standing calls for police reform. Previous calls for reform led to the institution of new training modules (“bias training”) and other incremental measures, but recent events belie the shortcomings of such reforms. This two-day zoom conference will bring together leading social scientists, former police officers-turned-scholars, historians, activists and practitioners who will offer their views on how policing may be reimagined and reinvented, rather than just reformed. Speakers will discuss the promises and pitfalls of existing reforms and the potential for radically new alternatives. They will also offer critical analyses of current police practices, historical perspectives on policing, and international comparisons that can help illuminate the most promising paths ahead and the more perilous paths to avoid.
Registration is free and open to all. Email notification of the Zoom Webinar links for the conference will be emailed on Wednesday, July 29, to those who register to attend.