During Tuesdays Richmond City Council Meeting, Mayor Tom Butts made a motion to defund the Richmond Police Department to save the city $70 million.
The motion came after a 4.5-hour Special City Council meeting where the council agreed earlier in the night to freeze 6 officer positions. The council also received a financial impact report from COVID-19 as well as their Fiscal Year 2020-21 Annual Operating budget.
The back and forth occurred at the 4:42 minute mark of the meeting.
“The second motion I want to make will save us $70 million. My motion is to defund the police department,” stated Butts.
At that point, Councilmember Jael Myrick asked if Butts was “playing games” which the entire council broke out into comments at the same time.
Councilmember Demnlus Johnson, III called on the city attorney to explain what that process would look like.
Butts interjected.
“You know, like the rest of you I have gotten 500-600 letters/emails over the last few days suggesting that,” said Butts.
At that point Myrick stated Butts was “trying to be funny” while councilman Nathanial Bates accused Butts of being “Red Fox”.
The City Attorney said there would have to be union negotiations and discuss process.
Councilmember Edwardo Martinez ultimately seconded the motion saying he believed it was a conversation they needed to have.
“Whether or not it is a joke to the mayor or not is beside the point. What is important is we do have this discussion,” stated Martinez.
Bates suggested they table this motion and the whole idea of defunding the police department. Myrick then seconded. The motion to table the defunding of police discussion passed 5-2
13 comments
Maybe the Richmond PD officers should have a 5 day sick out. All of them. Let’s see what happens and ask the Dumb A Mayor if he still wants defunding or if he is just grandstanding politically. Maybe it’s time for a good police officer protest. GPOLM.
Not everyone is a bad apple.
“A few bad apples spoils the whole bunch” is actually the entire saying that everyone keeps leaving out.
How about stop defunding our schools? Music programs? After-school programs? How about stop defunding our health departments? Homeless shelters? I know why, because that would mean spreading some of that money to communities you look down on, instead of just to affluent white neighborhoods.
I used to live in Richmond. If I or anyone I love were to be victimized because there was no police to enforce the law, I would sue the city for defunding the department, and I would sue for 5X their “savings.”
Now, I can see why the Richmond mayor’s name is BUTTS! Enough said!
Butts is a liberal, worthless piece of shit!
Maynard. You are plain wrong because Michael Jackson himself has said thousands of times “ One Bad Apple Don’t Spoil the Whole Bunch Girl “ and I believe him over you any day.
Jg, it doesn’t surprise me that you’d defend a known child molester. After all, you use every post you make to defend racist State-paid killers and bigoted ideologies. Go figure
This would be hilarious!!! Defund Richmond PD??? Seriously, I am sure they have sick leave available, vacation available, sounds like a good time to use it!!!
Let’s see where that leaves those politicians and those residents saying “defund the police”. Sounds like the shooting and looting will begin again!!!
Complete idiots!!
Actually, de-funding the police might become a very dangerous thing for criminals as people who are affected by them will use their own means of “protection” and that might end up win criminals losing their lives. People are not going to be sitting ducks
Exactly. Also, isn’t it funny that the NRA and gun culture in general, for example, persuaded so many people for the last few decades to stock up on guns in order to protect themselves as a God given right…. yet they’re the first group to cry in fear that their police Army-at-home might be losing money so teachers don’t have to sleep in their cars anymore. It’s a strange dissonance.
The NRA was formed to make gun use SAFER. When they spread across the US, gun related deaths dropped considerably. It is the intent of people, not the guns that kill. I’ve never heard of an NRA member going on a killing spree.
I have been collecting guns since I inherited some great one from a grandfather way before anyone ever heard of the NRA. All have STOPPING power which should make potential home invaders antsy.
It matters not – the progressive aim is not about school safety, or “the kids” or anything else. It is about eradicating a good chunk of our Second Amendment, period.
Pastor, in your comments you are consistently too much biased by your wishful thinking. I bet you there are no crying NRA members, and they are ready to protect themselves with firearms if necessary. The only thing what true Americans want is a rule of law, which is currently completely abandoned by liberal politicians all over the country.
We can now place the Richmond City Council into the same category as the Berkeley City Council, Oakland City Council and San Francisco Board of Supervisors – total jokes.
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