The Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education Tuesday voted to cut 133 positions from the L.A. School Police Department, ban the use of pepper spray on students and divert $25 million in funding cut from the department to better support Black students.
During the virtual meeting, the board heard from both supporters and opponents of the move.
“We demand that the school board invest in Black futures and the way to start that is to defund LASPD in full,” one attendee said.
“My question to you is, who’s going to take up the role of school safety if you eliminate all of the security guards, your police force, that is there to protect the students,” another attendee said.
Ultimately, the school board voted to cut 70 sworn officers, 62 non-sworn officers and one support staff member from the LASPD. Chief Leslie Ramirez said her department would be left with 211 officers after the reduction, CBS reports.
The sworn officers will now be replaced at secondary school sites by school climate coaches — community members who will help mentor students.
