Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has been receiving heavy criticism over the LAPD's aggression during the protests that have been taking place. In order to quell some of the people's warranted demands for some form of police reform, he and the L.A. City Council has decided to cut $100-$150 million from the LAPD's budget and reinvest it into black communities.
Mayor Garcetti was joined at a Wednesday evening press conference by City Council President Nury Martinez as well as councilmen Herb Wesson and Curren Price, who made the motion to enact the bill.
"Prejudice can never be part of police work. … It takes bravery to save lives, too," said the mayor during the press conference, later discussing how he plans to reinvest "in black communities and communities of color.”
Mayor Garcetti went on to announce the $250 million in cuts to his previously proposed budget, saying the money would be reallocated to communities of color “so we can invest in jobs, in education and healing.” LAPD Commission President Eileen Decker followed that by announcing that $100-$150 million of those budget cuts will be come from the police department.
"The city of Los Angeles is in the midst of a health and economic pandemic unlike any we have ever seen in our lifetimes," Martinez said. "Following the gruesome murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis, we are also in the midst of a social and racial justice crisis of epic proportions, where the good people of Los Angeles as well as the nation are asking their leaders to re-examine our priorities and to commit to taking a giant leap forward in recognizing and ending racism against black Americans."
It looks like these cuts won't take effect for another month, though, as the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee will meet to discuss final revisions on the budget throughout June. The final budget will then be signed and adopted by Mayor Garcetti on July 1.
