This week, Black Lives Matter and a coalition of more than 100 other black rights organizations launched an open letter calling on citizens to sign a petition demanding local officials decrease funding for police departments and redirect funds to “spending on health care, education and community programs.” The current LAPD Budget is at $1.89 Billion
“We will not be increasing out police budget,” says Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles. A solid move to combat issues of police brutality for decades.
As Mayor Eric Garcetti began to speak about reforming the LAPD during his Wednesday evening press conference, he called this an “urgent moment” for the city. Labeling this time as “an inflection point.”
The Los Angeles Mayor said he is “committed to making this moment not just a moment.” Garcetti promised commitments to create racial equality. “It is time to move our rhetoric towards action to end racism in our city.”
Garcetti feels the city must move beyond police reforms of the past. “Prejudice can never be part of police work…It takes bravery to save lives, too.”
In a news release, an LAPD spokesperson said, “The size of this budget reduction is significant, requiring a top-to-bottom assessment including how we go about our most basic operations.”
