Reaction from retired Minneapolis Officer Mylan Masson, former NYPD Lt. Dr. Darrin Porcher and retired Sgt. Betsy Smith.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Will well after promising to
dismantle their police
department? Back in June, the
Minneapolis City Council has
approved nearly half a million
dollars of funding to hire
police officers from outside of
agencies.
This comes as crime surges
throughout the city
here to discuss our panel
former Nypd lieutenant
Dr Darrin Porcher and National
Police Association, spokesperson,
retired sergeant, Betsy Smith.
Thank you both for being with
us.
I believe we also have my loan
Mason, who is a retired,
Minneapolis police officer.
I believe we have MILAN as well.
Thank you for being with us.
I would love to start with you,
because did you work there in
Minneapolis?
First of all, whats your
reaction?
First defund, the police this
summer and now half a million
dollars to hiring outside
officers to come in and help
amid rising crime.
Well, I am very upset about
the fact that they are defunding
the police without a plan.
They need a plan before they can
start making comments of that
nature. The officers that they
have allowed to come into the
city, both the county, sheriffs
office and transit police, are
very familiar with the city,
so that will be very beneficial
for the city as a whole. Crime
suspect, in fact, its up pretty
drastically seventy six percent last year up in
arsons twenty four percent in assaults.
Eighty seven percent- thirty seven percent in robberies,
Darrin Porcher you look at
this-
calls- are up the number of
police officers available to
respond to those calls is down,
and now Minneapolis is trying to
make up lost ground
whats. Your reaction,
I think its problematic
when we look at the schematic
thats, impacting that community
of Minneapolis Minnesota its
like a three legged stool. So to
speak.
The three legged stool consists
of the death of George Floyd
back in May June, coupled with
the anti police sentiments and
its incapsulated with the third
leg of elected officials that
have had an inability to act.
Accordingly,
we have to identify the cure and
the disease.
The cure is law enforcement.
The disease is the crime. Thats
plagued the community.
We can introduce an effective
inoculation by being proactive
in terms of law enforcement in
that community, but
unfortunately, the members of
the City City Council have voted
this defunding of police
and thats, where we sought birth
of the defund, the police and thats whats, leading to thed me
thats whats, leading to thed me
Obamacare rise into Thed, Meor RI.
We have seen this happen in
other cities across the country.
This happens now as crime rises,
and we have seen its not
popular, not with
african american communities or
any communities across the
country.
Why embrace rashly almost and
then trying to backtrack now in
Minneapolis?
Why did this take off like it
did
defund the police urge idea
if we defund the police, no use
of police force,
what they fail to address in
Minneapolis and Portland and New
York and Chicago? Is the
criminality
police officers dont decide the
level of force used against
anyone? The criminal does the
act.
We have to respond to that act.
We have got to address
criminality and understand
police bulges dont just include
police officers but dispatchers
and records clerks and
maintenance people and social
workers to do things like
community policing.
We hear so
we need community policing and
more training. Minneapolis is one of the most
Minneapolis is one of the most
progressive police departments
will defund the police was
unpopular nationally,
but the question is about local
politics at some point. As we see
the Minneapolis City Council go
back and forth on this issue,
Darrin Porcher. Do you think it
ever comes to some kind of
political resolution locally?
In other words, are they going
to going vote these city, council,
men and women out who backed
this idea? In the first place?
I think they should.
If you look at the tea leaves
they reflect that defunding
police has been a poor agenda
and would reflect back on the
down ballot elections. We clearly
sawed that the Democrats lost
when they stood by this defund,
the police movement
so moving forward. You have to
understand and assess that this
is the best thing for that
community.
Public safety is what those
members want
will really quickly Officer
Mason, you are from that
community. Do you expect any
kind of political
accountability?
Yes, I absolutely do
they need to make give back
the power and its symbolically
when they let the third precinct
die or burn down. Police lost,
their power
will right
officer, MILAN, Mason, Darrin,
Porcher and Betsy Smith. Thank.
Transcript generated on 2020-11-14.