The Dallas City Council has repeatedly voted to reduce the #police overtime budget, saying that they need the money for improving the city's overall public infrastructure in order to tackle the issue of safety on the streets. Mayor Eric Johnson has condemned these cuts, yet the council continued to make them. 

The 2023 budget appears to be a refreshing change of pace.

Defunding measures and the constant vilification of police are counterproductive considering that violent crime has increased in Dallas. Schools, neighborhoods, and businesses need to feel safe, and reducing the police #budget will prove counterproductive in the long run.

The transition is also likely to overwhelm police officers and lower their morale, in a time when they are desperately needed. Protests have turned violent on several occasions, leading to clashes between protestors and the police. At this juncture, the cut in overtime budget is a slap in the face of the already overstretched police department.

The cuts should have been taken out of the city council members' paychecks instead of raiding the police overtime budget. The citizen organization group Keep Dallas Safe has come out strongly in favor of the police, and is in complete disagreement with cutting their budget.

An August 2020 Gallup poll showed that even as protestors were calling to “defund the police,” around 61% of Black Americans wanted police presence in their area to stay the same. We have very real and substantial fears, and citizens don't want to be left fending for themselves.

The potential for anarchy developing on Dallas' streets is likely, especially considering the police department already finds itself understaffed. Recruiting new officers will prove an uphill battle if Council Members continue to unite in dismantling and defunding the police force.