The New York City Council has unveiled its proposal to cut the NYPD budget by $1 billion. In a joint statement released by City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Majority Leader Laurie Cumbo and other committee chairs said: "We have identified savings that would cut over $1 billion dollars, including reducing uniform headcount through attrition, cutting overtime, shift responsibilities away from the NYPD, finding efficiencies and savings in OTPS spending, and lowering associated fringe expenses."
"As we do this, we must prioritize the most impacted communities and hear their demands and needs across all areas during this budget process. This should be a deliberative and good faith decision of the best path forward for New York City," they continued.
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick J. Lynch expressed his disappointment in the decision, claiming that the council will be responsible for new crime victims. "For decades, every time a city agency failed at its task, the city's answer was to take the job away and give it to the NYPD. If the City Council wants to give responsibilities back to those failing agencies, that's their choice," said Lynch. "They won't be able to throw cops under the bus anymore."
Embattled Mayor Bill de Blasio said that he supports the idea of cutting the NYPD budget but did not come out in support of the city council's newly announced intentions.
Source: nbcnewyork.com
