Attorney General William Barr said Monday that efforts to completely do away with police departments in the wake of George Floyd at the hands of one police officer is "dangerous" and "wrong."
"The police chiefs, the rank-and-file officers understand the need for change, and there has been great change," Barr told Fox News' "Special Report" with Bret Baier. "I think defunding the police, holding the entire police structure responsible for the actions of certain officers is wrong, and I think it is dangerous to demonize police.”
Barr said one reason for keeping police departments funding was a violent weekend in Chicago with "60 to 70 people shot."
"If you pull back the police from these communities there will be, there will be more harm done in these communities," Barr said.
President Donald Trump echoed Barr's sentiments Monday, saying on Twitter:
"This year has seen the lowest crime numbers in our Country's recorded history, and now the Radical Left Democrats want to Defund and Abandon our Police. Sorry, I want LAW & ORDER!"
A majority of the Minneapolis City Council has said it will move forward with a plan to defund the city's police department, though Mayor Jacob Fry says he opposes the plan. New York City Bill de Blasio has committed to moving some police funds to community programs, and other cities also are looking at similar plans.
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