Worldwide protests following the 2020 murder of George Floyd included calls to defund or abolish the police until a sharp rise in crime gave politicians and police supporters the fuel they needed to suppress the movement. Unfortunately, a detailed conversation about transforming public safety was never had. In this film (shot on iPhone), 10 experts discuss how policing and incarceration create more harm than good, why the system persists, and what changes can be made to make everyone safe.
In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, director Matthew Solomon returned to school to earn a master’s degree in Public Administration in order to better position himself to use his privilege and access to help work towards positive social change. In his MPA program, Matthew began applying the coursework regarding sustainability and workable societies to the issues with policing and incarceration. He thought this would be a step away from filmmaking, however, his academic advisors suggested he create a documentary film for his thesis project. Reimagining Safety is that film.
The film was named Best Film by Evident Change’s Media for a Just Society Award, Best Documentary Feature at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, Best Cinematography at The People’s Film Festival in Harlem, and has received a powerful endorsement by The Black Panther Party WA who has added it to their political education curriculum.
In Reimagining Safety, ten experts (including LA County District Attorney George Gascón, USC Law Professor Dr. Jody Armour, Law Enforcement Expert Alex S Vitale, and Halifax Professor Dr. El Jones) discuss the false premise that more police and prisons make us safer while providing practical and actionable solutions toward achieving systems of safety that work for everyone.
