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.