Editor's note: Last year, the Minnesota Urban Debate League and Star Tribune Opinion put out a contest call to students between the ages 10 and 18: The task was to create an original written essay, video or audio file that described one or two specific changes our community, state or nation should make to reduce racial inequities and injustices in the criminal justice system. The following is one of the finalists. Click here for more information and a full list of winners.

Throw a frog into boiling water and it jumps right out. Place it into a pot of cold water and slowly raise the heat and it won't realize what's happening till it's too late. Americans are the frog. And the police are the pot bubbling. If we don't turn off the burner — we will all be boiled alive.

In the 1980s, then-President Ronald Reagan signed a bill to give police access to military equipment. He believed the police needed heavier weaponry to fight Black and brown communities for the "War on Drugs." Police purchasing of military equipment under the 1033 program continues to this day — and was on full display during protests around the country.

Before the protests following George Floyd's death got violent, the police already escalated the situation. They came dressed in military gear to meet the thousands of citizens dressed in sandals and T-shirts. Soon, I watched my city go up in flames. I watched the streets I once walked on become filled with injured protesters. I watched the restaurants that I once ate at disappear. Even journalists were targeted. There is an issue when the police's first instinct is to fight, instead of protect.

The Minneapolis Police Department uses force against Blacks at seven times the rate against whites. Nearly 60% of excessive-force reports are filed by Blacks. And SWAT raids, similar to the one that killed Breonna Taylor, have increased by 1,400% since the '90s. The police have too much power. It's time to defund and demilitarize.

To put this in perspective, it costs $470 to dress a police officer in military gear. The gear of one officer could provide personal protective equipment for 31 nurses. It would be enough to pay for a meal for hundreds. Enough to buy medicine for those who can't afford it. Instead, it's being wasted on providing weapons for those that don't protect people like me. It's dangerous when power-hungry people are given fancy gear and a high salary. It breeds a culture of militarism. It allows police to claim a power that is not theirs. Dressing up a 20-year-old and making him feel untouchable will result in violence.

George Floyd's death is when the pot started boiling over for many, but I felt the pot boiling way before. I felt the pot boiling the first time I heard police sirens and felt my heart pound in my chest. In history class, I learned about the rise of Hitler and his paramilitary "Brown Shirts." They presented as soldiers, but hid their names to avoid responsibility. We learn about these things under the pretense of "never again," that an unmarked, ragtag band of proud boys could never happen today. Especially not around the White House, to be used to tear-gas civilians for a religious photo op or on the streets of Portland. Whatever Americans want to believe police should be, they should not be an occupying military force. If you don't want Humvees and machine guns driving through Edina, don't send them to Powderhorn.

It's clear that change is necessary. First, ban the 1033 program. When military weapons are taken away from police, so is their power. Second, ban police from wearing camo gear. "The purpose of camouflage is to blend in and not be visible," said David Lapan, a former official in the Trump administration. "As a law enforcement officer, you shouldn't be blending in." Camo is worn in war to protect from the enemy, but Minneapolis is not a war zone. The police are not military. And I should not be viewed as the enemy. Finally, defund the police and allocate those funds toward more mental and physical health resources. There will be less demand for the police and less police violence.

We can turn off the stove, or we can watch America burn — along with the rights of journalists and citizens, the value of free speech and trust in law enforcement. We must elect officials who support defunding and demilitarizing the police, as well as continue to further discuss the work that needs to be done in terms of policing to be a part of the change.

Semona Robel is a student in Minneapolis.