Green Fury: NZ Police Row

This article from the World Socialist Web Site critiques Green Party MP Ricardo Menéndez March's proposed reforms to the police in Aotearoa New Zealand. It argues that despite facing right-wing opposition, March's vision of police reform within a capitalist framework is fundamentally flawed and ultimately unsustainable. The article contends that the police are inherently an instrument of class oppression, designed to protect the interests of the ruling class and suppress dissent. Therefore, attempts to humanize or democratize the police within a capitalist system are ultimately futile. The article asserts that reforms such as de-escalation training, community policing, and increased diversity within the police force cannot address the fundamental role of the police in enforcing inequality and maintaining social order. Furthermore, the article criticizes March's proposals for "alternatives" to policing, arguing that these initiatives are insufficient to address the root causes of crime and social unrest. The author posits that true solutions lie in addressing systemic inequality and challenging the capitalist system itself. The article argues that relying on community-based solutions without fundamentally changing the economic and social structures that produce crime will only lead to limited and ultimately ineffective results. find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/04/15/qfku-a15.html