Los Angeles to defund police department by $150m and instead invest in minority communities

Los Angeles officials have proposed sweeping cuts to the city’s annual budget and police department while calling for that money to be invested in marginalized communities after nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd.

Mayor Eric Garcetti announced at a press conference on Wednesday night the city would “identify $250 million in cuts so we can invest in jobs, in health, in education and in healing” following demands from the Black Lives Matter movement and other activist groups to divest funding from the Los Angeles Police Department.

Those groups called for the city to implement a “People’s Budget” that would fund housing and environmental projects, as well as promote opportunities for people of colour, Los Angeles Magazine reported.

In announcing the budgetary cuts, the mayor added: “It is time to move our rhetoric towards action to end racism in our city.”

The announcement comes after Los Angeles City Council president Nury Martinez proposed cutting up to $150 million from the LAPD and reinvesting those funds into communities of colour.

Ms Martinez explained the proposed cuts in a statement that read in part: “If we are going to finally end the sin of racism and all of its illogical, dehumanizing and sometimes deadly consequences, including in our police department, then we have to provide real solutions for real people who need our assistance.”

Eileen Decker, president of the city’s police commission, confirmed at the press conference on Wednesday that her panel would seek to identify funds that could be divested from the LAPD.

The proposed cuts were seen as a response to days of protests throughout Los Angeles and across the country, with those participating in the marches demanding an end to police brutality and the disproportionate use of excessive force against people of colour.

Prior to the nationwide protests, Mr Garcetti proposed increasing the police department’s budget by seven percent. Under the previous budget proposals, the LAPD would receive nearly 54 percent of the city’s general fund while other departments faced major cuts.

The mayor said more details would come at a press conference on Thursday night about how the city would reinvest its funding, and that a new Civil and Human Rights Commission would begin meeting next week.