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Brown, the Chinese-American Democratic candidate in Maryland, created controversy as he advocated abolishing the police and prisons and instead investing resources in social welfare. Republican lawmakers and local law enforcement groups questioned his stance on public safety.
Baltimore County, MarylandSugar democratic stateRepresentative Candidate Li Xinzhen Zhangsun Brown, whose Chinese surname is transliterated as “长grand”, has publicly advocated the abolition of the police and prison systems, drawing strong reactions from Republican lawmakers and local law enforcement groups. Brown insisted that police and prisons could not fundamentally solve the crime problem, and that the government should invest more money in education, medicine, and social services.
CompetitionMassachusetts Brown, who holds the House District 7A seat, has a Chinese immigrant background. According to the Maryland Matters Voter Guide, Brown once said: “As a Chinese American born outside the United States, immigration issues are very personal to me.” Brown also supports immigrant rights and opposes local governments assisting federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in mass deportations.
According to Fox Channel 45, Brown once said in the video: “Police and prisons can’t make us safer, so they shouldn’t exist.” He also said that whether police violence is covert or overt, the only solution to it is to end the existing system.
In the face of external criticism, Brown reiterated his position in an exclusive interview with Fox TV, and pointed out that the budget of the Baltimore County Police Department reached 277 million yuan this year, but crime problems still exist. “If this money could stop crime, the problem would have been solved a long time ago.”
Brown acknowledged that a society without police and prisons is still a distant goal, but if elected, he would advocate cutting police department funding and instead increase the budget for schools, health, and social services.
When asked by a reporter if he hoped to eventually defund the police altogether, Brown responded: “If there was no more crime or violence in society, we wouldn’t need police at all.” On the question of whether a crime-free society is possible, Brown said: “It will never be possible unless we work hard to make it possible.”
Brown’s proposal was criticized by two Republican state representatives from the same district, Kathy Szeliga and Ryan Nawrocki.
Seliga said: “When you are robbed and you are the victim of a crime, who do you turn to for help? You call the police. That idea is very irresponsible.” Nairochi explained that prisons are necessary because some criminals cannot live safely in society.
Doug Jess, president of the Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police, also warned that abolishing the police and prisons could threaten public safety. He acknowledged that the current system was flawed and needed reform, but believed that complete abolition would only lead to social disorder.
When further asked by the media whether prison abolition meant that those who committed violent crimes such as mass murder should also be released from prison, Brown did not answer directly, only expressing his reluctance to discuss individual hypothetical cases, and reiterating that prisons do not actually prevent crime.
As early voting begins in Maryland, the Chinese-American candidate’s advocacy for public safety has also become a center of controversy in the local election.
Summary FAQ
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Brown believes that police and prisons cannot fundamentally solve crime. It is possible to reduce crime and improve public safety only by investing more budget in education, medical care and social services. The current system is simply the result of repeated processing.
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Republican congressmen in the same district criticized the statement as irresponsible, and the Fraternal Order of Police also warned that complete abolition would threaten public safety. He believes that although prisons and police forces are lacking, they are still important mechanisms for maintaining social order.
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She said she would not advocate immediately abolishing the police, but would first cut police department funding and shift resources to schools, medical, and social services; But he believed that if there was no crime and violence in the society, there would be no need for police.
