Seattle City Council considering defunding police department in response to protests
https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-city-council-considering-defunding-police-department-in-response-to-protests
Some strong emotions over the response to demonstrators over the last 11 days and what saw they saw personally, is leading members of the Seattle City Council to consider changes.
The council controls the city's purse strings, and announced Monday an inquest into the Seattle Police Department's $409 million budget – the first step to defunding because of scenes we saw early Monday morning.
At 2 a.m., the sound of rubber bullets ring out and people rush to the aid of man who has just been hit, protecting him with a shield.
"I am just mad," said Seattle City Council President Lorena Gonzalez.
But it's an example of police tactics a majority of City Council want to see end immediately, calling not for reform, but to defund and rebuild the Seattle Police Department.
"I am committed to defunding the police to using most of that money, ideally 50%, to invest back into communities that we've failed," said city councilmember Teresa Mosqueda.