Councilman Paul Krekorian called for his colleagues to scale back that list by nearly two-thirds, and seek to find savings elsewhere — possibly from other city agencies.
“We have already experienced … a reduction in our workforce, between sworn and civilian, in excess of 500 personnel,” Chief Michael Moore said during a video Q&A with members of the news media. “To suffer further losses would be devastating to the safety of the city.”
A week and half later, MPD still doesn’t have any additional officers on the streets. The contracted officers from other agencies were supposed to work for MPD from Nov. 15 through the end of the year.
Mayor Frey said a significant spike in crime is affecting people all over the city. And he said people want to see police reform, but they also want there to be enough police officers available to respond to emergencies.
Over the weekend, the number of killings in L.A. so far this year surpassed 300 — more than any other year in the past decade. That marks an increase of 25% from last year as well as a 32% rise in the number of shootings in the city.
The council, in an 8-1 vote to retool Mayor Jenny Durkan’s 2021 budget with changes of their own, opted to cut the police budget by just under 20 percent.
Unless Pittsburgh receives at least $26 million in federal pandemic relief, city officials say they may need to cut 600 public employees, including as many as 200 police officers.
The Los Angeles Police Department is set to downsize its robbery and homicide division as part of a series of moves aimed to address defunding challenges. The cuts come as homicides spiked by about 25% this year compared with 2019.
“If we have police brutality, we don't need fewer police, we need less police brutality, and so we need to take action, whether it be as a Legislature or in police departments or whatever the case may be,” Abbott said. "We do need to take action to ensure that law enforcement officers are trained in ways in which they will not engage in police brutality.”
"Some cities are more focused on political agendas than public safety," said Governor Abbott. "Austin’s decision puts the brave men and women of the Austin Police Department and their families at greater risk, and paves the way for lawlessness. Public safety is job one, and Austin has abandoned that duty."
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