First off, the Toronto land acknowledgement statement on the beginning of their website might give you an idea of the political biases of the John Howard Society.
This is customary in Canada and sounds more like you are attacking their supposed political leanings because you are unable to argue against the information in the document.
This weakens your position.
My point of who determines what is over-policing still stands.
Civilian oversight bodies usually.
Am sure the US has them.
A community has to find what they consider the optimal amount of police. Like it or not, the amount of police is generally determined by voter sentiment. Criticizing over-policing is often a political slogan of the left. It's a not so distant cousin to defund the police. It doesn't offer much clarity.
Voter sentiment is one of many that determine policing levels even if it isn't entirely correct.
Over policing is an actual problem, and nothing to do with the left. It is documented - see my link above.
The polling bears out that urban residents want more police. Of course polling is only one indicator of voter sentiment. If urban Mayors and city councils commit to increasing the number of policemen they should be held to that commitment.
As you know pollsters lean one way or another and it depends who conducts such polling and what messaging they want to put out.
A better indicator would be to listen to actual civilian oversight bodies that can could help determine adequate but not excessive policing needs.
