The idea of defunding the police has not gained as much traction around Chicago as it has in other places. But the movement exists.
On February 18th Crain’s Chicago Business ran an article entitled, “City Council’s socialists see themselves as an antidote to the status quo.” It describes their agenda.
Among other things, they want to remove 75% of Police Department funding and reallocate it to social programs.
The problem is that there are many crazy and evil people in the world. Sitting those people down to chat with a social worker is not going to keep them from committing crimes. Removing 75% of police funding is only going to embolden them.
The video at top, from YouTube channel “Police Activity,” shows a September 5, 2020 encounter between Chicago Police and an armed man in a park near 49th Street and Lavergne Avenue. The man was hit with a taser. But it did not stop him. He returned to his feet and stabbed a police sergeant repeatedly. Officers then shot him dead.
Had the sergant not been wearing a protective vest serious trauma would have resulted.
Having social workers on the scene instead of police would not have improved the situation. It likely would have been more tragic.
Minneapolis, where the City Council last June voted to disband the police department, voted this month to give more money to law enforcement. This was the result of longer wait times on emergency calls and a dramatic uptick in crime, after many officers quit, retired or went on leave as a result of the George Floyd situation.
How things have gone in Minneapolis tells the whole story, and it is ridiculous to see Chicago Alderman seriously discussing such childish ideas.
© 2021 practicalchicago.com
References:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMYxKMh3prxnM_4kYZuB3g
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/minneapolis-to-spend-2464-million-to-hire-more-police/ar-BB1dDs6B