Officials indicate that what is sought is to serve the community more than the police department.

Organizations and activists who are against police brutality applauded the decision of Los Angeles elected officials to cut the LAPD budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

The LAPD's tentative budget was slated to be nearly $ 1.86 billion, an increase of approximately $ 122 million compared to fiscal year 2019-2020.

However, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said at a press conference Wednesday that he will not authorize it. Instead it will ask the City Administrative Officer to reallocate $ 250 million of that budget to investment for more jobs, health, education, among other services, especially in African American and colored communities.

That same Wednesday, five Los Angeles city council members — Nury Martinez, Monica Rodriguez, Curren Price Jr., Herb Wesson, Jr., and Paul Krekorian — filed a motion that would reduce the LAPD's budget by up to $ 150 million.

Additionally, Police Commission President Eileen Decker said the commission will seek to reduce the LAPD's proposed operating budget from $ 100 million to $ 150 million for the upcoming fiscal year.

Councilman Price Jr., representing District 9 in South Los Angeles, said that as City officials, it is their duty to listen and respond to community concerns, something that has been amplified over the past week with the massive protests.

"Today, we unite as a collective force in the name of democracy to bend the bow to justice and protect the most vulnerable," said Price Jr. "By reducing the LAPD budget by up to $ 150 million, we are prioritizing what's more important to driving the lasting change that communities like the one I represent desperately need and deserve. ”

District 9 is considered one of the poorest and least resourceful areas.

Protestants call for justice for people of color killed by police. (Supplied)

Maria Brenes, executive director of InnerCity Struggle in Boyle Heights, said this is a positive step in the right direction but much more needs to be done at this critical time.

"We must recognize that our city has given the police enough resources and that only reflects values ​​that are a problem for communities of color," said Brenes, who was present Wednesday during Mayor Garcetti's announcement.

Brenes explained that instead of investing in essential services like youth programs, parks, and after-school programs, more than 50% has been invested in the police department.

In support of the People's Budget

People’s Budget LA, a coalition led by Black Lives Matter Los Angeles (BLM-LA), applauded the work presented by the city council but added that much more cuts are needed in the police department.

They created a document called the People's Budget, which proposes allocating only 5.7% to traditional law enforcement, and allocating more funds to people-centered services such as housing, health care, transportation, etc.

"We are encouraged to see that our continued action has pressured Mayor Garcetti and the City Council to endorse their nice words with some real action, however small, that directly confronts the racist police state that is the city of Los Angeles," said Melina Abdullah. , leader of Black Lives Matter Los Angeles. "But they need to go much further, $ 150 million seems big, until you realize that they still leave the LAPD with 51% of the city's unrestricted income. That is not entirely acceptable. ”

Carlos Montes (wearing a hat) protests the police brutality. (Supplied)

Carlos Montes, organizer with the Boyle Heights CSO Center, shares Abdullah's sentiment and also supports the People's Budget.

“This is a budget that meets the human needs of the city, not the police. In other words, what people need are parks, programs, support for the homeless, "said Montes. "The LAPD has too much money and they always ask for more money."

Montes added that so far he and many other activist groups question what the LAPD spends so much money on.

He has noticed that the police department does events that do not correspond to them, for example, related to immigration or parks and recreations. Although he does not consider a bad action it is something that does not belong to them.

"The City should do that or (pro-immigrant organizations), I think the city department can do better than having a police officer in front of an immigrant audience," Montes said. "They're just doing it to try to win over the community … It's more like public relations and they're being paid for it."

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