Protesters are pushing to 害羞草研究所渄efund the police害羞草研究所� over the death of George Floyd and other black Americans killed by law enforcement. Their chant has become rallying cry 害羞草研究所� and a stick for President Donald Trump to use on Democrats as he portrays them as soft on crime.
But what does 害羞草研究所渄efund the police害羞草研究所� mean? It害羞草研究所檚 not necessarily about gutting police department budgets.
WHAT IS THE 害羞草研究所楧EFUND THE POLICE害羞草研究所� MOVEMENT?
Supporters say it isn害羞草研究所檛 about eliminating police departments or stripping agencies of all of their money. They say it is time for the country to address systemic problems in policing in America and spend more on what communities across the U.S. need, like housing and education.
State and local governments spent $115 billion on policing in 2017, according to data compiled by the Urban Institute.
害羞草研究所淲hy can害羞草研究所檛 we look at how it is that we reorganize our priorities, so people don害羞草研究所檛 have to be in the streets during a national pandemic?害羞草研究所� Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza asked during an interview on NBC害羞草研究所檚 Meet the Press.
Activists acknowledge this is a gradual process.
The group MPD150, which says it is 害羞草研究所渨orking towards a police-free Minneapolis,害羞草研究所� argues that such action would be more about 害羞草研究所渟trategically reallocating resources, funding, and responsibility away from police and toward community-based models of safety, support, and prevention.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭he people who respond to crises in our community should be the people who are best-equipped to deal with those crises,害羞草研究所� the group wrote on its website.
PHOTOS:
WHAT ARE LAWMAKERS SAYING?
Sen. Cory Booker said he understands the sentiment behind the slogan, but it害羞草研究所檚 not a slogan he will use.
The New Jersey Democrat told NBC害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淢eet the Press害羞草研究所� that he shares a feeling with many protesters that Americans are 害羞草研究所渙ver-policed害羞草研究所� and that 害羞草研究所渨e are investing in police, which is not solving problems, but making them worse when we should be, in a more compassionate country, in a more loving country.害羞草研究所�
Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said part of the movement is really about how money is spent.
害羞草研究所淣ow, I don害羞草研究所檛 believe that you should disband police departments,害羞草研究所� she said in an interview with CNN. 害羞草研究所淏ut I do think that, in cities, in states, we need to look at how we are spending the resources and invest more in our communities.
害羞草研究所淢aybe this is an opportunity to re-envision public safety,害羞草研究所� she said.
President Donald Trump and his campaign view the emergence of the 害羞草研究所淒efund the Police害羞草研究所� slogan as a spark of opportunity during what has been a trying political moment. Trump害羞草研究所檚 response to the protests has sparked widespread condemnation. But now his supporters say the new mantra may make voters, who may be otherwise sympathetic to the protesters, recoil from a 害羞草研究所渞adical害羞草研究所� idea.
Trump seized on the slogan last week as he spoke at an event in Maine.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e saying defund the police,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淒efund. Think of it. When I saw it, I said, 害羞草研究所榃hat are you talking about?害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所榃e don害羞草研究所檛 want to have any police,害羞草研究所� they say. You don害羞草研究所檛 want police?害羞草研究所�
Trump害羞草研究所檚 2016 campaign was built on a promise of ensuring law and order 害羞草研究所� often in contrast to protests against his rhetoric that followed him across the country. As he seeks reelection, Trump is preparing to deploy the same argument again 害羞草研究所� and seems to believe the 害羞草研究所渄efund the police害羞草研究所� call has made the campaign applause line all the more real for his supporters.
IS THERE ANY PUSH TO ACTUALLY DEFUND POLICE DEPARTMENTS?
Yes, or at least to reduce their budgets in some major cities.
In New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday that the city would move funding from the NYPD to youth initiatives and social services, while keeping the city safe, but he didn害羞草研究所檛 give details.
In Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti vowed to cut as much as $150 million that was part of a planned increase in the police department害羞草研究所檚 budget.
A Minneapolis city councilmember said in a tweet on Thursday that the city would 害羞草研究所渄ramatically rethink how we approach public safety and emergency response.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e are going to dismantle the Minneapolis Police Department,害羞草研究所� Jeremiah Ellison wrote. 害羞草研究所淎nd when we害羞草研究所檙e done, we害羞草研究所檙e not simply gonna glue it back together.害羞草研究所� He did not explain what would replace the police department.
A majority of the members of the Minneapolis City Council said Sunday they support disbanding the city害羞草研究所檚 police department. Nine of the council害羞草研究所檚 12 members appeared with activists at a rally in a city park Sunday afternoon and vowed to end policing as the city currently knows it.
害羞草研究所淚t is clear that our system of policing is not keeping our communities safe,害羞草研究所� Lisa Bender, the council president, said. 害羞草研究所淥ur efforts at incremental reform have failed, period.害羞草研究所�
Disbanding an entire department has happened before. In 2012, with crime rampant in Camden, New Jersey, the city disbanded its police department and replaced it with a new force that covered Camden County. Compton, California, took the same step in 2000, shifting its policing to Los Angeles County.
HOW HAVE POLICE OFFICIALS AND UNIONS RESPONDED?
Generally, police and union officials have long resisted cuts to police budgets, arguing that it would make cities less safe.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union for the city害羞草研究所檚 rank-and-file officers, said budget cuts would be the 害羞草研究所渜uickest way to make our neighbourhoods more dangerous.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淐utting the LAPD budget means longer responses to 911 emergency calls, officers calling for back-up won害羞草研究所檛 get it, and rape, murder and assault investigations won害羞草研究所檛 occur or will take forever to initiate, let alone complete,害羞草研究所� the union害羞草研究所檚 board said in a statement last week.
害羞草研究所淎t this time, with violent crime increasing, a global pandemic and nearly a week害羞草研究所檚 worth of violence, arson, and looting, 害羞草研究所榙efunding害羞草研究所� the LAPD is the most irresponsible thing anyone can propose.害羞草研究所�
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Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington and Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report.
Michael Balsamo, The Associated Press
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