A majority of voters in New York state did not support reducing funding for police departments, a survey released Tuesday found.
“The poll, by Siena College Research Institute, found broad variations in respondents’ attitudes on police issues depending on demographic factors like geography, race and political affiliation,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
The report continued:
Ninety-one percent of Black respondents said they believed there was a pattern of excessive police violence, while 9% said the killings of Messrs. Floyd and Brooks were tragic, isolated instances. Forty percent of white respondents agreed with the latter statement while 53% of the white voters surveyed last week said they were part of a pattern.
The poll found 57% of the 806 voters surveyed opposed reducing funding for police departments, and 60% said in response to a separate question that they opposed defunding police. Opposition to reducing funding for police was higher in upstate areas and the suburbs of New York City; 51% of respondents from New York City said they supported reducing police funding.
Monday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) confirmed that he would cut $1 billion from the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) budget, according to Breitbart News.
“I am excited to say that we have a plan that can achieve real reform, that can achieve real redistribution, and at the same time ensure that we keep our city safe,” de Blasio said.
“Everything was with an eye to safety, so we will be able to ensure the patrol strength we need. We will be able to ensure that school safety can do its job. The school safety issue would be addressed over several years,” he added.
Despite the mayor’s assurances, more than 110 people were shot in New York City over a nine day period that ended Saturday, according to Breitbart News.
The article stated:
The NYPD noted that the violence brings NYC to 503 shootings for the year, with 605 shooting victims. On June 28, 2020, Breitbart News reported that NYC witnessed 11 shooting victims in under 12 hours. The shootings occurred between 5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27, 2020, and 5 a.m. Sunday, June 28.
The number of shootings reportedly surged once the plainclothes anti-crime unit was disbanded, and one law enforcement source told the New York Post, “This is what the politicians wanted — no bail, nobody in Rikers, cops not arresting anyone.”
“All those things equal people walking around on the street with guns, shooting each other,” the source concluded.
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