--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We really need to reform our police forces." description: "\"We really need to reform our police forces.\" — Ralph Northam" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/ralph-northam-6333_forces_we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forc_2951795.jpg" --- # We really need to reform our police forces. ![“We really need to reform our police forces.” quote by Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/ralph-northam-6333_forces_we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forc_2951795.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/ralph-northam-6333_forces_we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forc_2951795.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/ralph-northam-6333_forces_we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forc_2951795.jpg) > “We really need to reform our police forces.” [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Calls for comprehensive changes to policing to improve accountability and community trust. **In simple terms:** Police need reform. Key Takeaway Push for systemic change. Themes justice policing reform accountability community trust Mood concerned hopeful Type policy advocacy When to use this quote - city council meetings - community forums - legislative hearings - police department reviews Key Concepts structural racism use of force training policy public safety Questions to Reflect On - What specific reforms would most improve safety? - How can communities ensure reforms are sustained? A Different Perspective Reform may face political resistance and funding constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forces/) [Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need/) [Need Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-reform-331427/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Police Forces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police-forces-586815/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Really Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-need/) [Reform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform/) [Reform Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reform-police-4453028/) ## Related quotes > [Various things have to happen in Baltimore that are not just related to police reform. How police deal with the public is one variant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-dixon/various-things-have-to-happen-in-baltimore-that-are-not-just-related/) [Sheila Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-dixon/) > [Certainly, we have to make sure our police forces do not have weapons of mass destruction with which they can terrorize our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/certainly-we-have-to-make-sure-our-police-forces-do-not-have-weapons/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [I have the highest regard for the police forces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naseeruddin-shah/i-have-the-highest-regard-for-the-police-forces/) [Naseeruddin Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naseeruddin-shah/) > [We have to have a national conversation about how police forces should interact with the African-American community, who happens to be paying their salary,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lacy-clay-jr/we-have-to-have-a-national-conversation-about-how-police-forces/) [William Lacy Clay, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lacy-clay-jr/) > [If we're going to tackle the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, along with so many other issues that are at the top of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharice-davids/if-we-re-going-to-tackle-the-skyrocketing-cost-of-prescription-drugs/) [Sharice Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharice-davids/) > [We shouldn't be debating whether to deal with the current code by allowing it to be extended or not. We should have a president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-portman/we-shouldn-t-be-debating-whether-to-deal-with-the-current-code-by/) [Rob Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-portman/) > [Islam doesn't need reform, we need to reform the Muslim mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/islam-doesn-t-need-reform-we-need-to-reform-the-muslim-mind/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [We need to reform the political system, or we'll lose the democracy. I don't think it's that hard. It doesn't take rocket science. We've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/we-need-to-reform-the-political-system-or-we-ll-lose-the-democracy-i/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [Its time to stop defending a system that is clearly in dire need of reform, stop issuing reports and setting up new roadblocks, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herb-kohl/its-time-to-stop-defending-a-system-that-is-clearly-in-dire-need-of/) [Herb Kohl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herb-kohl/) > [You cannot simply put more money into the same system and get better results, so we will need to reform and innovate in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-mckenna/you-cannot-simply-put-more-money-into-the-same-system-and-get-better/) [Rob McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-mckenna/) > [Our military, police forces, fire fighters ... those are the real Hall of Famers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hanburger/our-military-police-forces-fire-fighters-those-are-the-real-hall-of/) [Chris Hanburger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hanburger/) > [We have to have armies! We have to have military power! We have to have police forces, whether it's police in a great city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/we-have-to-have-armies-we-have-to-have-military-power-we-have-to-have/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Police forces across America need root-to-stem changes - to their internal cultures, training and hiring practices, insurance, and governing regulations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lowrey/police-forces-across-america-need-root-to-stem-changes-to-their/) [Annie Lowrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lowrey/) > [I look at Facebook a fair bit. I see what's posted. I see the travesties and illegalities of what police forces do. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-haysbert/i-look-at-facebook-a-fair-bit-i-see-what-s-posted-i-see-the/) [Dennis Haysbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-haysbert/) > [There are now 17,000 local American police forces that are armed with rocket launchers, bazookas, heavy machine guns, all kinds of chemical sprays, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-craig-roberts/there-are-now-17-000-local-american-police-forces-that-are-armed-with/) [Paul Craig Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-craig-roberts/) ## More by Ralph Northam > [I do feel very strongly about my values and principles, but at the end of day I'm open-minded and I enjoy listening to other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/i-do-feel-very-strongly-about-my-values-and-principles-but-at-the-end/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [The supply chain industry in our Commonwealth continues to gain momentum, in large part due to The Port of Virginia's unparalleled infrastructure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/the-supply-chain-industry-in-our-commonwealth-continues-to-gain/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [Mandatory minimums are focused on punishment, not rehabilitation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/mandatory-minimums-are-focused-on-punishment-not-rehabilitation/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [The death penalty system is fundamentally flawed - it is inequitable, ineffective, and it has no place in this Commonwealth or this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/the-death-penalty-system-is-fundamentally-flawed-it-is-inequitable/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [As a small business owner myself, I understand what it is like to scale up a business in the early years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/as-a-small-business-owner-myself-i-understand-what-it-is-like-to/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [In order to attract and retain new businesses in rural and economically depressed regions of Virginia, we need to provide competitive incentives to entrepreneurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/in-order-to-attract-and-retain-new-businesses-in-rural-and/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [I want to incentivize people to really have good health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/i-want-to-incentivize-people-to-really-have-good-health/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [Virginians deserve civility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/virginians-deserve-civility/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [I grew up hunting and fishing, as did my family. But then I served in the military.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/i-grew-up-hunting-and-fishing-as-did-my-family-but-then-i-served-in/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [We've lost leaders from Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King, Jr. and countless others who have worked to bend the arc of the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/we-ve-lost-leaders-from-abraham-lincoln-to-martin-luther-king-jr-and/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [After high school, I attended the Virginia Military Institute and then Eastern Virginia Medical School - both great public schools that prepared me well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/after-high-school-i-attended-the-virginia-military-institute-and-then/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [We all have experiences that fundamentally shape who we are, that change the way we look at the world and what we work toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/we-all-have-experiences-that-fundamentally-shape-who-we-are-that/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [Every year, I volunteer with Remote Area Medical mobile clinics to provide care to folks in rural Virginia. They do incredible work. But I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/every-year-i-volunteer-with-remote-area-medical-mobile-clinics-to/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [Pregnancies spaced too closely together lead to increased rates of infant mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/pregnancies-spaced-too-closely-together-lead-to-increased-rates-of/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) > [I've been a practicing physician for over 30 years. Every day, I get to wake up and do a job I love - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/i-ve-been-a-practicing-physician-for-over-30-years-every-day-i-get-to/) [Ralph Northam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) [Explore all 99 Ralph Northam quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/) ## More Forces quotes > [We began intercepting Japanese radio transmissions, which indicated the two forces were very close to each other. We found out later that we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-adams/we-began-intercepting-japanese-radio-transmissions-which-indicated/) [Jack Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-adams/) > [“The universe, they say, depended for its operation on the balance of four forces which they identified as charm, persuasion, uncertainty, and bloody-mindedness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-they-say-depended-for-its-operation-on-the-balance-of/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [In view of China's growing military strength and intentions, the best way to safeguard Asia's permanent peace and prosperity is to have all Asian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-costa/in-view-of-china-s-growing-military-strength-and-intentions-the-best/) [Jim Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-costa/) > [“The world was full of forces you couldn't fight against which suddenly loomed up and aimed a crushing blow at you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarjei-vesaas/the-world-was-full-of-forces-you-couldn-t-fight-against-which/) [Tarjei Vesaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarjei-vesaas/) > [I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts. I do not believe that the Armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-pace/i-believe-that-homosexual-acts-between-individuals-are-immoral-and/) [Peter Pace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-pace/) > [There are forces in life working for you and against you. One must distinguish the beneficial forces from the malevolent ones and choose correctly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-kalam/there-are-forces-in-life-working-for-you-and-against-you-one-must/) [Abdul Kalam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-kalam/) > [Searches of al Qaeda sites in Afghanistan, undertaken since American-backed forces took control there, are not known to have turned up a significant cache…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barton-gellman/searches-of-al-qaeda-sites-in-afghanistan-undertaken-since-american/) [Barton Gellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barton-gellman/) > [We've had Saudis and Jordanians and Pakistanis who have - and Syrians - who have been involved in armed attacks against coalition forces in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/we-ve-had-saudis-and-jordanians-and-pakistanis-who-have-and-syrians/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [Religion has for too long been placed on the back burner of history, when it may be one of the driving forces in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brat/religion-has-for-too-long-been-placed-on-the-back-burner-of-history/) [Dave Brat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brat/) > [Scotland forms a crucial part of our Armed Forces which should not be jeopardised by rushed cuts or a rush to the exit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hammond/scotland-forms-a-crucial-part-of-our-armed-forces-which-should-not-be/) [Philip Hammond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hammond/) > [The forces that divide us are not as strong as those that unite us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-forces-that-divide-us-are-not-as-strong-as-those-that-unite-us/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I have deep respect for our armed forces and jawans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-d-kumaraswamy/i-have-deep-respect-for-our-armed-forces-and-jawans/) [H. D. Kumaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-d-kumaraswamy/) > [Every country where the the United States maintains troops has a status of forces agreement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/every-country-where-the-the-united-states-maintains-troops-has-a/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [“There are two powerful fuels, two forces; motivation and inspiration. To be motivated you need to know what your motives are. Over time -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rasheed-ogunlaru/there-are-two-powerful-fuels-two-forces-motivation-and-inspiration-to/) [Rasheed Ogunlaru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rasheed-ogunlaru/) > [Be bold - and mighty forces will come to your aid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-king/be-bold-and-mighty-forces-will-come-to-your-aid/) [Basil King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-king/) [Browse all 467 Forces quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forces/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We really need to reform our police forces.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ralph Northam" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forces/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forces" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forces/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/ralph-northam-6333_forces_we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forc_2951795.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/ralph-northam-6333_forces_we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forc_2951795.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/59b/ralph-northam-6333_forces_we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forc_2951795.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We really need to reform our police forces.” — Ralph Northam", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ralph Northam", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-northam/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We really need to reform our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forces/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-northam/we-really-need-to-reform-our-police-forces/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```