Seattle councilmember Rob Saka launched a decision to fully reduce ties with any commitments to defund the police.
After the homicide of unarmed Minneapolis resident George Floyd in 2020, the slogan and motion to “Defund the Police” swept the nation.
But within the wake of a reported rise in crime in a number of cities throughout the nation, politicians, even in Democratic Get together strongholds, have sought to distance themselves from the concept.
On Tuesday, Saka spoke with fellow members of Seattle Metropolis Council’s public security committee about his lately launched Decision 32167, which acknowledges work to enhance public security.
These measures embrace appreciation for first responders, consent decree progress, police accountability, a diversified public security response, and reversing “defund” commitments.
The councilmember summarized, “This resolution reverses any prior commitment or pledge by past councils to defund or abolish the police. We know that these statements were routinely cited by departing police personnel as a reason for leaving. We also know that they are very divisive.”
Fellow councilmember Maritza Rivera added that she has seen no less than one constituent share his want to see councilmembers “take a stance towards the defund rhetoric that we’ve seen prior to now on this metropolis.
He’s not the one one I do know who has requested this.”
4 councilmembers ended up voting in favor of the invoice, with none opposed and one absent, and the decision will now be forwarded to the bigger metropolis council assembly on April 1.
A metropolis council press launch summarized that the invoice “Reiterates support for first responders, acknowledges failure of defund movement and embraces focus on underserved communities.”
“This Council, in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, has made improving public safety an absolute priority,” Saka stated within the announcement. “This is finally the time to acknowledge the lessons of the past and pivot decisively toward a better, future-focused public safety model. We are committed to making everyone in our community feel safe and to enhancing our accountability system.”
Mayor Bruce Harrell was additionally quoted, noting that slightly than defund their police, the town has as an alternative made progress in working to broaden the power.
“Seattle has made significant progress on reimagining policing since we agreed to the federal consent decree over a decade ago. We have created one of the most robust police accountability systems in the country. We hired more police officers last year than we lost for the first time in years, and applications are soaring,” the mayor stated.
“To help our police officers focus on what they do best, we have diversified our response options by expanding the Fire Department’s capabilities and we successfully launched our third public safety department and the CARE Crisis Response Teams,” he added.
