Last week, the Minneapolis City Council decided to slash the city’s police budget substantially and is now shifting the funds to mental health and anti-violence programs.
According to a report by Fox News, the council slashed $8 million from the police budget. AWR Hawkins of Breitbart observed that the council decision “came just months after the council pledged to abolish the police department altogether.”
Back in June 12, 2020, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a motion to abolish the local police department. This decision came after relentless pressure placed by radical leftist activists in the Black Lives Matter movement and other leftist groups on city council members following the death of George Floyd in late May.
Floyd’s death kicked off a series of riots promoting radical policies such as police defunding and abolition.
Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender backed the pledge that would have abolished the police department in June. She ended up announcing the council’s vote on December 10 to pass a budget that significantly reduced policie funding.
Unsurprisingly, the anti-police sentiment that ripped through Minneapolis City Council’s attempts to weaken law enforcement has created massive uncertainty among law enforcement, who are now scared to do their jobs.
As a result, crime has risen throughout Minneapolis in recent months. In the most ironic of all occurrences, the Minneapolis City Council had the gall to ask, “Where are the police?” back in September.
Bender even suggested that police were not arresting people on purpose. She asserted, “This is not new, but it is very concerning in the current context.”
Around the middle of November, Breitbart News reported that members of the Minneapolis Police Department are leaving the force in larger numbers. On top of that, 911 calls were reportedly not being responded to because of how deprived the Minneapolis Police Department is of manpower. Now, with a smaller police budget, the Minneapolis Police Department will be a shell of its former self.
Criminals will rejoice at this prospect.
It’s no surprise why millions of Americans are arming themselves. The Second Amendment exists not only to check government despotism but also government dereliction of duties that allows for criminals and unruly mobs to control the streets.
