EDITORIAL – Police need more funding than ever, not defunding
An editorial by Mel Rothenburger.
‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ was the battle cry across North America in the wake of the death of George Floyd while in police custody almost two years ago.
Today, that slogan, and the sentiment behind it, is fortunately pretty much a thing of the past. The idea behind “defund the police” was that budget money for policing should be cut and used instead for social supports.
Theoretically, taking 10, 20 or 30 per cent or more of their budgets away from police and directing it toward things like mental health, drug addictions and housing would reduce the need for police and everybody would be a lot happier.
Quite a few cities tried it, and they’re sorry they did. Minneapolis, where George Floyd was killed, was one of them. They soon found out it didn’t work, and reversed course.
“Defund the police” never, thankfully, caught on in Kamloops.
Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.
ArmchairMayor.ca 
I support more funding for the police but with more accountability and more oversight. There are too many people out there who want freedom without responsibility. However the police has fumbled with the trust given to them on way too many occasions.
That it an interesting observation, Pierre.
1.3 million dollars was awarded to a man who was the victim of an arrest on Holt Street in February 2010
https://www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Kamloops/362983/Judge-blasts-overly-aggressive-Mounties-for-violent-arrest-1-3M-for-youth-worker#362983
Reading this news item this morning reminded me of the incident at Vancouver airport.