Policing - Rochester Red Star

Sanctuary: Borders & Belonging in 2026

Posted on October 12, 2026

by Bleu Cease, Curator

Rochester Contemporary Art Center (RoCo) presents Sanctuary: Borders & Belonging in 2026, an exhibition bringing together national and regional artists, creatives, and documentarians in response to the current political and social landscape surrounding immigration. On view October 2 through November 14, 2026, the exhibition centers the human lives behind political rhetoric, examining how belonging is made and denied, and how care, resilience, and solidarity persist amid increasingly hostile systems and cruel public narratives.

What do we joke about when we joke about 9/11

Posted on September 11, 2026

by Jean Allen

More and more Americans do not see ourselves in the US imperial project or see it as meaningfully ours.

I Can’t Hear You: Statement on the Killing of Gregory Kase

Posted on September 9, 2026

A disproportionate amount of those killed by police have a disability. But with insufficient resources and a lack of alternatives, families are forced to make the difficult decision to call 911. They are asking for help, and we are letting them down.

ROC DSA Encourages the Monroe County Legislature to Protect Our Neighbors

Posted on September 8, 2026

Monroe County needs to plug the gaps by barring all forms of coordination, whether under 287(g) agreements or otherwise.

Fund Our Community, Not Cops

Posted on June 11, 2026

Given all this, it is absurd that the City budget dedicates more than one-quarter – nearly $190 million – to this broken system. We know there are better alternatives available. We know that if we provide adequate housing, food, and other necessities; when we implement robust mental health and crisis interventions, that crime will be reduced. Not every public safety issue requires a response from an officer with a gun.

Protecting Ourselves from Our Governor

Posted on May 21, 2026

by Xanthe (Xan) Plymale and Jean-Paul Klem

Direct action heats up New York’s budget season this year as we approach Hochul’s bid for reelection. On Tuesday March 25, about 100 activists blockaded the State St entrance to the NYS Capital, demanding the passage of NY4All, a bill which would protect our immigrant neighbors.

The Last Line of (Public) Defense

Posted on May 16, 2026

In the following excerpt, from Punching Out Episode 251: Public Defenders, Ryan and Lou talk to Greg about over-criminalization and the prison industrial complex. Punching Out airs weekly on WAYO 104.3, and all episodes are available at rocdsa.org/tune-in-punch-out. This excerpt has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Category: Policing