On Tuesday (May 25), the Los Angeles City Council approved the destination of $56 million of LAPD funds. The funds were a part of the city’s plan to move $150 million from the police department last summer to go to community programs.
Councilman Curren Price called the reallocation of the funds a “continuing down payment for equity and reimagining public safety,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
“The world is waiting and our citizens are waiting and watching,” Curren added during the meeting. “We still have a lot to do before we can truly celebrate.”
According to the outlet’s report, the millions will be going to gang intervention initiatives, a universal income program, housing and education programs, as well as a job training program.
In addition to the funding cuts from police, the city is also considering ways to implement armed police alternatives, including establishing an unarmed civilian city worker force.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League released a statement following the plan’s approval, expressing some positive feedback to the council’s final plan.
“The current list of funded projects, although not completely devoid of unproven programs, is a stark improvement over the initial list announced last year that consisted of curb cuts, tree trimming and other political pet projects,” the organizations’ Board of Directors wrote. “The council should continue to focus on reinvesting in public safety and ensuring our department is adequately staffed.”
While some activists and community advocates are glad to see the community programs receive funding, they’ve also expressed their disappointment that the council also approved a three percent increase in LAPD’s operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year. A group of about 100 protesters gathered outside the meeting, chanting “Defund the police.”
“We’re not talking about reform,” Black Lives Matter- Los Angeles organizer Akili told the outlet. “We’re talking about defund. We’re not talking about tinkering around the edges.”
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